The opening of the 2025-2026 Academic Year at Üsküdar University was held with a ceremony. The opening speeches of the ceremony were delivered by Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Head of the Board of Management Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör.
The first lesson of the new academic year was given by Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak on the topic of “The Psychopolitics of Gaza.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated, “This trauma experienced by Gaza is not Palestine’s, but humanity’s test of conscience,” and added, “I see Palestinians as a great global example… To avoid being in the wrong while being in the right, they refrained from actions targeting innocent civilians like suicide bombers. Gazans protected their homeland. They did not deviate from the teachings of religion.”
Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak: “In the eyes of humanity, I also declare Palestinians to have won this victory; they showed great resistance.”
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör: “Quality is now our constant agenda.”
The 2025-2026 Academic Year of Üsküdar University, which set out as our country's first thematic university in behavioral sciences and health and leads many academic studies in various fields, especially medicine, health, science, and technology, was opened with a ceremony.
Üsküdar District Governor Adem Yazıcı, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th Term Member of Parliament and Üsküdar University Rector's Advisor Halide İncekara, and former Member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Mustafa Ataş also attended. The opening speeches of the ceremony, held at Üsküdar University Central Campus Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall, were delivered by Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Head of the Board of Management Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör. The first lesson of the new academic year was given by Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and Rector's Advisor, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak on the topic of “The Psychopolitics of Gaza.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Our goal is to reach the top 500 band”
Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Head of the Board of Management Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, in his speech at the opening of the 2025-2026 academic year, emphasized that the international successes achieved by the university in a short time were possible with “team spirit” and a “systematic management approach.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan reminded that Üsküdar University ranks first among foundation universities in Turkey and in the 600-800 band globally in the Times Higher Education rankings, stating, “This success is an indicator of being able to enter the league of world universities in a short period of 10-15 years. Our goal is to reach the top 500 band.”
“We aim to be a system society”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that Üsküdar University adopts fair and transparent management principles with a student-oriented vision. Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that the values of criticizability, liberalism, pluralism, and participation in the university's motto form the foundation of its corporate culture, adding, “The greatest characteristic of developed societies is that they are system societies. Power should be in rules, not in individuals. We are creating such a corporate structure at our university; even if individuals change, the system must continue to operate.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan expressed that Üsküdar University creates a strong sense of belonging among both students and employees, stating, “This common belief and unity is the most important guarantee of our success.”
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör: “Quality is now our constant agenda”
Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, in her speech at the 2025-2026 academic year opening ceremony, emphasized that the university is progressing with confident steps based on the principles of “quality” and “team spirit.”
“Quality is now our constant agenda,” said Prof. Dr. Güngör, stating that quality assurance and accreditation processes are among the university's primary goals. Prof. Dr. Güngör added, “We have made our quality application to YÖKAK. We hope to share the joy of having received our quality certificate within November. Because we have worked hard on this path, established our system, and are now eagerly waiting.”
“We are a university that produces science”
Emphasizing that scientific production, in addition to education and training, is one of the university's most fundamental missions, Prof. Dr. Güngör said, “In recent years, there has been a significant increase in TÜBİTAK projects and scientific publication numbers. In the last year, we have doubled our publication count, and our approved projects have tripled. Our patents, TÜBİTAK successes, and the awards won by our students; all these demonstrate the rising momentum of Üsküdar University.”
Prof. Dr. Güngör stated that Üsküdar University's global visibility is also increasing day by day, saying, “We have risen to the top 600 in the Times Higher Education rankings. We are now a member of the Turkish Universities Association. This is a very valuable step for us. Our contacts with other international associations are also continuing. Üsküdar is now a university that transcends borders.”
“We succeeded in becoming a team”
At the end of her speech, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör emphasized the concept of “being a team,” stating that the university's success is based on a strong team spirit. Prof. Dr. Güngör said, “One of Üsküdar University's most important features is being a harmonious team. Being a team is not just being together, but establishing an emotional bond. We have achieved this emotional unity. This university is a family.”
Prof. Dr. Güngör emphasized that the leadership of Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan has a significant share in this unity, saying, “Our professor's leadership has bound us all together. There is no other option now, because we are a team.”
“The Psychopolitics of Gaza”
The first lesson of the new academic year was jointly given by Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak on “The Psychopolitics of Gaza.” Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak and Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan drew attention to the fact that the events in Gaza have not only a political dimension but also a deep psychological and spiritual one.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “We are facing a kind of ethnic narcissism”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, explaining the psychological mechanisms behind genocide and relating the situation in Gaza to historical examples, said, “Today, as in the Hitler era, we are facing a kind of ethnic narcissism. Beliefs like 'superior race,' 'chosen people' legitimize evil.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that the rhetoric in Israel is shaped by the understanding of “we are superior, we are defending the promised lands,” and that this idea has been transformed into a political religious interpretation, adding, “Generations raised with this understanding do not see the other side as human. This normalizes oppression.”
“People in Gaza are constantly experiencing loss”
Referring to the trauma suffered by the people of Gaza, Prof. Dr. Tarhan recalled Freud's concepts of “mourning and melancholia” and Viktor Frankl's logotherapy approach. Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “People in Gaza are constantly experiencing loss but cannot find time to grieve. Despite this, they endure by attributing meaning to their pain. As Viktor Frankl said; ‘If a person can find meaning in suffering, they can endure that suffering.’ For Gazans, this meaning is shaped through martyrdom and faith.”
“This trauma experienced by Gaza is not Palestine’s, but humanity’s test of conscience”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, stated that the resistance in Gaza is an example of “post-traumatic growth,” saying, “This people did not accept defeat. They gave meaning to the trauma, transforming it into hope and resistance. This also mobilized global conscience.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also drew attention to the silence in the world, saying, “Today, the biggest reason for the spread of evil is silence. Those who remain silent in the face of evil become partners in evil. This trauma experienced by Gaza is not just Palestine’s, but humanity’s test of conscience.”
In his analysis centered on the representation of space in the individual and collective unconscious, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan expressed the necessity of rebuilding peace and hope through the attributed meanings of sacred spaces.
“Gazans protected their homeland”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan evaluated the resistance of the Palestinian people within both psychological and ethical frameworks, stating, “I see Palestinians as a great global example… To avoid being in the wrong while being in the right, they refrained from actions targeting innocent civilians like suicide bombers—this earned them respect. Gazans protected their homeland. They did not deviate from the teachings of religion. There is also very serious evidence of Israeli prisoners being treated very well.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized the importance of preserving peace and preventing traumas from causing disaster, saying, “Indeed, to be able to stand strong under such conditions in this war is a great success. Hopefully, there will be days when we talk less about Gaza.”
Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak: “The situation in Gaza is a planned and organized genocide”
In her speech, Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak defined the situation in Gaza not merely as a war or conflict, but as a planned and organized genocide. Prof. Dr. Kaynak stated that genocide is an attack not only on the human body but also on the human soul, identity, and memory, saying, “This is an approach that devalues humans, turning them into statistical data.”
“The banality of evil”
Referring to the stages of genocide, Prof. Dr. Kaynak said, “First, you classify a community ethnically or culturally, then you stigmatize them, and then you dehumanize them. At this point, their annihilation becomes legitimate. Because people no longer see the other as human.”
Emphasizing the concept of “the banality of evil,” Prof. Dr. Kaynak recalled Hannah Arendt's analysis of the trial of Nazi officer Adolf Eichmann and said, “According to Arendt, the most dangerous state of evil is when it becomes imperceptible. When people normalize evil, cruelty becomes invisible.”
Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak noted that what is happening in Gaza is not merely human loss or physical destruction; it is also a systematic attack on collective memory, identity, and future imagination, stating, “Attacking space and displacement are essentially the same thing. The destruction of a space does not just mean the annihilation of the human body. The place we call space… is a space of memory, a space of common relationships, a space of a shared story. The target of the attacks is not just individuals, but also common living spaces…”
“Gaza is the center of Palestine”
Reminding the central position Gaza holds for Palestine, Prof. Dr. Kaynak stated, “Gaza has a meaning like this: Gaza is the center of Palestine. This genocide is an attack on collective memory. Living under the constant threat of death, hunger, and an everlasting threat to life creates a perception of ‘the collapse of the present moment’.”
Prof. Dr. Kaynak emphasized the importance of international public awareness, saying, “This is a humanitarian cause. A genocide of this magnitude is unfolding live before the eyes of the entire world. In the eyes of humanity, I also declare Palestinians to have won this victory; they showed great resistance.”
Click here to watch the video of our first lesson titled 'The Psychopolitics of Gaza'
Researchers who received awards at ISIF 2025 were presented with thank you notes
At the ceremony, which had a very high attendance, thank you notes were presented to researchers who received awards at the 10th International Invention Fair (ISIF 2025), and a 50th Year in Profession Plaque Presentation Ceremony was held.
At the ceremony, Res. Asst. Dr. Ebru Sağıroğlu, who won a Bronze Medal with her project “Umbilical Cord Training Kit”; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Uğur Çini and Hamada M.R. Abujazar, who won a Bronze Medal with their project “Electronic Smart Siphon Adapter System for Grey Wastewater Evaluation”; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayça Demir Yıldırım, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuğba Yılmaz Esencan, and Dr. Lecturer Günay Arslan, who won a Silver Medal with their project “Heel Blood Collection Device”; Beyza Aydın, Buse Baran, Beste Gelsin, Hasret Araz, and İlayda Çavdar, led by Dr. Cihan Taştan, who won a Silver Medal with their study “(Rareasy) One-Step & Dry RT-PCR Diagnostic Kit for Early Diagnosis and CE Carrier Detection of SMA Disease”; and Dr. Dt. Hacer Fulya Üçem, who won a Gold Medal with her project “Temporomandibular Hypermobility Apparatus,” were awarded with thank you certificates.
50th Year in Profession plaques
50th Year in Profession Plaque Presentations were also made at the ceremony.
Accordingly, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, Üsküdar University Chairman of the Board of Trustees Furkan Tarhan, and Üsküdar University Board of Management Member Fırat Tarhan, presented Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan with a 50th Year in Profession Plaque, while 50th Year plaques were also presented to Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Prof. Dr. Osman Çerezci, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Savsar, and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yakup Tuna, who completed their 50th year in the profession.
Plaques for Prof. Dr. Hüsnü Erkmen, Prof. Dr. Nurper Ülküer, and Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ, who could not attend the ceremony, will be presented later.
Academic Promotion and Gowning Ceremony was held
The Academic Promotion and Gowning Ceremony and the 2025 PhD Graduates Diploma Presentation Ceremony were also held. Academicians promoted from Associate Professor to Professor, and from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, wore their gowns. Additionally, academicians promoted from Research and Teaching Assistant to Assistant Professor also wore their gowns at the ceremony.
The program, broadcast live on ÜÜ TV and Üsküdar University's official YouTube account, concluded with a group photo session.