The program 'From Darülfünun to Today: The Turkish Higher Education System' was held under the moderation of Prof. Dr. Hikmet Koçak, Vice Rector and Faculty Member of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Üsküdar University. The guest of the online program was Prof. Dr. Muhittin Şimşek, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ahmet Yesevi University and Faculty Member at Marmara University.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “There is an internet addiction scale”
The surprise guest of the program, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar University, emphasized the relationship between the internet and addiction. Tarhan, pointing out that the technological addiction unit was established as an outpatient clinic, provided information to participants about internet addiction scales. Tarhan said; “The technological addiction unit was established as an outpatient clinic, and it is even found in many hospitals. This new condition, categorized as an addiction in 2013, disrupts the brain's reward and punishment system. Just like eating disorders and other types of addiction, if a person's sole interest is technology and computers because it disrupts the reward and punishment system, they are accepted as a patient. It has certain criteria. There is an internet addiction scale. There is another scale that we have validated in Turkish. It is the fear of not being able to access the internet. It is the fear of not being able to be online. This also creates fear.”
Prof. Dr. Hikmet Koçak: “Education gains value as it is shared”
Prof. Dr. Koçak, referring to the fact that knowledge gains value as it is shared, said; “As you know, education gains value as it is shared. If you don't share what you know, it goes to the grave with you and remains worthless, but if you share it, it gains value. Of course, we are talking about a topic as old as human history. We see and know the importance of madrasahs in the Islamic world, and in Ottoman, Seljuk, and other Islamic civilizations. In fact, the first university in the world was founded by the Mayans in 850. We can also mention the Double Minarets (Çifte Minareli Medrese) as a university established by the Mayans in our country, which is still standing in an Islamic country. We are talking about a university where mathematics, astronomy, and theology were taught in the 1290s. The formation of madrasahs and the state's embrace of them began with Fatih's conquest of Istanbul, and a systematic development was observed in the Ottoman Empire.” he said.
Prof. Dr. Muhittin Şimşek: “It is very important to convert knowledge into added value”
Prof. Dr. Muhittin Şimşek, who explained added value with examples, gave advice on the subject. Şimşek said; “In the 1990s, an era of low-cost production and speed was experienced. The 2000s were the age of information; a period of information obesity was experienced. Today, we are getting lost in information pollution, just like air pollution and noise pollution. Accessing information is easy; what's important is to assimilate information. The real value is to transform information into added value. Something without added value will have no meaning. Whatever we produce, I emphasize added value.
Let me give an example: one ton of apricots is 1500 dollars. One ton of nanotechnology stents is 10 billion dollars. Today, the form of exploitation has changed. Now people and countries have started exploiting in different ways. If you sell cotton, turn it into yarn and add value. Make it a brand and sell it for 100 liras. Sell a shirt for 1500 liras. Young people, no matter what branch you are in, be it medicine, engineering, or any field, trust yourselves. Be well-equipped to be one step ahead. We are studying in a place like Istanbul; a young person studying at a university in Istanbul completes two universities: one is the university where they do academic work, and the other is Istanbul University itself. Istanbul itself is a university,” he said.
“The first of all creations is writing”
Şimşek, who shed light on young people and shared instructive information, emphasized that universities must continue their scientific activities. Şimşek said; “Another piece of advice to young people is that time passes very quickly. There are still 4 years until I graduate; time passes so fast, so make good use of your time. Universities are a key to you. Opening the locks of life is in your hands. With those keys, don't leave the libraries. Have a hobby, develop yourselves in every field. For example, let each one of you have a fountain pen. The first of all creations is writing. Have character; writing is a way to slow down. We are constantly compelled by everything. There is good in unity. Technology comes with literature. If you invent this, you create the literature. Universities have duties and must comply with them. Young people should open the key to wisdom by reading and writing. We need to be much more proactive in training academic staff. We must be active. The scientific activities of the university are important. The mission of the university should be knowledge/science,” he stated.