Joy of New Academic Year in Üsküdar

The opening of Üsküdar University 2024-2025 Academic Year was held with a ceremony. The opening speeches of the ceremony were made by President of Üsküdar University and Prof. Nevzat Tarhan and Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör.

Emphasizing that they aim to become a global player, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "The current new teaching model, the new education model all over the world, is project-based education. Even in high schools, there is project-based education."

Prof. Nazife Güngör stated that "It is very important to train good professionals, but it is most important to raise good people."

The 2024-2025 Academic Year of Üsküdar University, which started out as the first thematic university of our country in the field of behavioral sciences and health and pioneered many academic studies in different fields, especially medicine, health, science and technology, was opened with a ceremony.

The opening speeches of the ceremony at Üsküdar University Main Campus Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall were made by President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan and Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör.

"Our research results on artificial intelligence and its use in psychiatric diseases attracted a lot of attention..."

Starting his speech by referring to the "EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Association (ECNS) 2024 Congress" held in Toronto, Canada between October 15-18, 2024 as researchers from Üsküdar University and NPİSTANBUL Hospital, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan noted that his presentation and research on 'Artificial intelligence and its use in psychiatric diseases' attracted a lot of attention with the participants.

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: "We are the first to mention artificial intelligence in Türkiye"

In his speech, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that every opening is a new beginning and that new beginnings are to review the old ones and to take some steps about what more can be done on it, and reminded that as a university, they were the first institution to mention artificial intelligence in Türkiye and that the subject of the first science and idea festival in 2013 was artificial intelligence.

Noting that they have goals such as combining molecules, biology and genetics, neurosciences, health and engineering, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that it is really pleasing to have research assistants, students and professors in the projects of the university.

The new education model in the world is 'project-based education'

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "The current new teaching model, the new education model all over the world, is project-based education. Even in high schools, there is project-based education. In a place where there is project-based education, there is a change in the philosophy of science in an education system that aims to do any job by projecting. We have tried to be one of the first to take the first steps in this regard and we are trying to do this. In the second grade, we put a project culture course, and in the third grade, we put a report on the project. They also have a graduation project in the fourth grade. The emphasis on project-based education is increasing globally all over the world."

"There are values and academic culture that make a university a university"

Stating that it is the values and academic culture that make a university a university, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that "In this academic culture, our motto is four principles... Criticizability, Libertarianism, Pluralism and Participation... The importance of these values is becoming more and more understood. In addition to these values, open communication is also very important in academic culture. In other words, it is very important for students and teachers to be able to communicate openly, to be an open society, and to communicate openly. In this case, the development is better. Errors can be detected and corrected more easily. For this reason, university and research ethics are also important in the values of the university. It is necessary to comply with research ethics, we must not lose scientific curiosity. Where there is scientific curiosity, academic culture develops better. If there is curiosity somewhere, development and learning are easier. If a person cannot understand how the hours pass when he enters the laboratory, there will definitely be new discoveries and new information."

“A smart person is a person who thinks in the medium and long term."

Addressing the students in his speech, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "I would like to say some things to our students. Our students should act not only by thinking about their current achievements, but also about the future. A smart person is a person who thinks in the medium and long term. It determines its strategy accordingly. For this reason, our young people should think for success in the medium and long term, not in the short term."

"We aim to become a global actor..."

Reminding that making mistakes is a part of learning, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said, "Making mistakes is a part of growth. You should not be afraid to make mistakes. It applies to all of us. In other words, when we ask a question, if we know, we answer, if we do not know, we investigate together. We answer together. That is why it is so important not to be afraid of making mistakes. Another issue is that we, as a university, attach great importance to the issue of internationalization. In fact, our goal is to become a global player. We aim to be a global actor, not just an actor in Türkiye. Therefore, we make our projects accordingly. International projects have been received, we are trying to get more.”

"We can do good things that can get international outcomes"

Referring to the saying "Quality has no passport", Prof. Nevzat Tarhan expressed that "If you are doing quality work, the country knows no borders, and it spreads all over the world. We are able to do excellent things that can have international outcomes. We try to do things that are sensitive to society and the environment. We have serious projects within social responsibility projects. We carry out social responsibility activities with various associations. We have friends working on this."

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan also stated that if we act together as a community, as a whole, we can stay strong and expressed that "I hope that new beginnings will be beautiful."

Prof. Nazife Güngör: "We want the students we graduate to be qualified people on a global scale"

Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör also addressed the participants and stated that Üsküdar University has reached its 13th year this year, that the age of 13 is a very young age for a university, and that their most important goal as a university is to provide quality education and training.

Emphasizing the importance of universities providing education according to accreditation rules, Prof. Nazife Güngör said that "We want the students we graduate to be qualified people not only in Türkiye but also on a global scale."

Noting that they are at an important point to become a university at an international level, Prof. Nazife Güngör expressed that "We want to become a world university in a very short time. Üsküdar University will take its place among the prominent universities of the world in the coming years."

"It is very important to train good professionals, but it is most important to train excellent people"

Pointing out that quality, quality and ethics are very important while doing all these, Prof. Nazife Güngör stated that humanity loses value while there is a technological development in the world, and continued her remarks as follows:

"The fact that we have recently become a violent society in Türkiye, that we have made violence ordinary, that some immoral things are now commonplace, and that we have become insensitive as a society is an indication of this. Therefore, we need to take action as soon as possible. In these trainings we provide under the roofs of universities, we can train excellent professionals and excellent scientists, we can produce very fast and qualified information, but in addition to all these, we must also emphasize ethics and moral issues. It is very important to raise good professionals, but it is most important to raise good people. We need to be much more sensitive. Our aim is to put a stop to this trend of the world. To strive for human value to become a rising value again."

Academic Promotion and Gown Ceremony was also held

At the ceremony held with great participation, Academic Promotion and Academic Gown Ceremony and 2024 Doctoral Graduates Diploma Presentation Ceremony were also held. Academicians who were promoted from Associate Professor to Professor, from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, wore gowns. In addition, academicians who were promoted from Research and Teaching Assistant to Assistant Professor wore their gowns with a ceremony. The academic gowns were dressed by Prof. Nevzat Tarhan and Prof. Nazife Güngör.

In the program, 2024 doctoral graduates also received their diplomas at a ceremony.

President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Furkan Tarahan, Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör, Vice-Rectors Prof. Sevil Atasoy, Prof. Hikmet Koçak, Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel presented the academic gown and doctoral graduation certificates.

The program, which was broadcast live on ÜÜ TV and Üsküdar University's official YouTube channel, ended with a group photo shoot.

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)