Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, offered important advice to university candidates who are in the preference period and preparing to make one of the most important decisions of their lives.
Stating that university preferences are one of the most important decisions in a young person's life, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said that students should be R&D-focused during the preference process. Tarhan, who said 'Life is R&D', noted that candidates making choices should research the R&D activities of universities. Emphasizing that man's biggest project is himself, Tarhan said, "A person without a project is a type of person who is used. They should set a goal and continue on their way." Tarhan said that just as good football is played with good footballers, good education can also be achieved with good faculty members.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan pointed out that during the process of self-development, a person should break the mold and create their own story, saying, "If a person experiences stories with their mother, father, and the society they are in during childhood, this settles into the child's subconscious. And the child's personality is formed. We call all these scientifically 'scenarios'. There are life scenarios we learn in childhood. These are stories, narratives, and friendships. These are various value standards formed by social networks. These enter our lives through stories. Stories later tell us that when someone gets married, they have taken their childhood life scenarios, but when they get married, the actors have changed. At that point, that person must rewrite their life scenarios and stories. If they don't, personality conflicts begin. However, people need to adapt to new situations and the new era. A university should also have a story in every sense."
"Good education comes with good faculty members"
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also pointed out the issues young people should pay attention to when choosing a university, stating, "Students need to know what they want when choosing a university. Because a university is no longer just a higher high school. Universities differ from high schools. Universities have goals such as providing education and professional skills, R&D, meaning producing science, informing society, and transforming knowledge into products for commercialization. I always say, young people should look at a university's R&D area. How much importance does it give to R&D, what are its R&D focuses, what does it do, and they should examine the laboratory conditions. They should look at the work of the faculty members in this regard and observe their competencies. Because good football is played with good footballers. Therefore, good education comes with good faculty members. Opening the door for students to be the key to the treasure means rediscovering the treasure. With a good academician, the key to knowledge is provided."
"Life is R&D"
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that "21st-century skills should be learned by experiencing," continued, "Man's biggest project is himself. A person without a project is a type of person who is used. They should set a goal and continue on their way. Individuals who value and examine R&D create a high-level university environment. 21st-century skill is learning by experiencing. Universities should ensure that individuals who enter leave having learned. During the preference process, the student needs to be R&D-focused. Life is R&D and choice. My advice to candidates is to give importance to project cultures. Young people should not make choices carelessly. They must definitely seek help from informed individuals. There are always obstacles in life. All the trouble stems from young people being hopeless. They should not be hopeless. One foot should be in reality, the other in their dreams."
"There is no individual intellect, individual genius; there is collective intelligence"
Emphasizing that accessing information has become easier today, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, "Accessing information is easy, but reaching accurate information requires mastery and wisdom. The university needs to create a common communication area. In this common communication area, students will meet with their professors; if a professor closes himself in his room and doesn't meet with students, they should stay away from that university. Such places are full of smart and lazy people. However, there is a future in universities where there are smart and hardworking people. In this era, there is already common knowledge, collective intelligence. There is no individual intellect, individual genius. One of the best analyses of our time is that it is a time for teamwork; even an individual cannot keep up with this era. We need to modernize while preserving our values. These are also universal values. The Western world discovers these later. A certain success is a total success and becomes evident at the end of life."
"Digital instruction happens, but digital education does not"
Evaluating digital education and instruction, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said; "What we have learned is that digital instruction happens, but digital education does not. Applications are especially important in many fields such as health and engineering. Every profession has a master-apprentice aspect, an art aspect. Individuals can learn that artistic aspect through the experience sharing of their professors. You ask questions, you share together. There is conversation. Otherwise, if learning were literature-shared, it could be learned by asking Google. Experience sharing should be through stories and narratives. This is related to the master-apprentice relationship, the professor-student relationship. Many educational institutions do not utilize this feature much. There are very valuable professors, but they are inaccessible. Therefore, when our students enter university, they should check whether their professors are easily accessible or not. Because being able to reach professors is a very important criterion."
"For a quality work, there must be a mission and vision"
Pointing out that vision opens the door to the mind, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, "Vision opens doors, mission creates an action plan and follows that path. When we founded Üsküdar Üniversitesi, we said that genetic sciences, neuroscience, and health sciences should be together. As a university, we determined our R&D focus. We did not say 'we will deepen in everything'. We established computer engineering, computer engineers could not find jobs for a period, we prepared the software, and after establishing these, we started with molecular biology, bioengineering. It became our R&D focus and we tried to grow on it. We created connections when necessary. It is already an interdisciplinary field; we synthesized medical sciences, engineering sciences, and natural sciences. For quality work, you must have a mission and vision."
"Brain Park Technology Transfer Office supports innovative initiatives and projects"
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that they also carry out important work, especially in the field of the brain, at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Brain Park Technology Transfer Office, supporting innovative ventures and projects. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also noted that the R&D and Innovation Policies Directorate (AR-GE YEP) supports entrepreneurs in mentorship training and application regarding entrepreneurship.