Üsküdar University Board of Directors Members met at a dinner organized after the successfully completed Institutional Accreditation Program (KAP) evaluation, conducted by the Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK). During the meeting, general evaluations regarding the university's quality assurance efforts were discussed.
Üsküdar University Board of Directors members attended the dinner held at Dilruba Restaurant.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The university's mission is not solely to provide a profession”
Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, addressed the university's scientific studies and international collaborations, stating:
“Our studies in the field of genetics have reached an international level. Last month, we presented the research conducted on the genes taken from Alper Gezeravcı upon his return from space at a NASA congress in Australia, following which NASA offered our university a collaboration. In this project on space genetics, we obtained highly unique findings; for instance, we detected that some genes related to schizophrenia are suppressed in a space environment. A university's mission is not solely to provide a profession. Conducting R&D, producing knowledge, informing society, and ensuring that generated knowledge transforms into products are also our fundamental responsibilities. The strong feedback we received on YÖKAK's societal contribution criterion is a reflection of this. Despite all challenges, we continue on our path as a university that adheres to rules and centers scientific production.”
Chairman of the Board of Trustees Furkan Tarhan: “We have been accepted into the Turkish Universities Association and the European Universities Association”
Üsküdar University Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Furkan Tarhan, spoke about the significant achievements of Üsküdar University. Tarhan stated; “We have been accepted into the Turkish Universities Association and the European Universities Association. Therefore, our students will have a valid ID card in Turkish-European universities. Furthermore, we received an award in the Service Export category, ranking 12th in Turkey for the hospital sector and 5th for the university sector.”
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör: “This evaluation showed that our efforts have paid off”
Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör emphasized the importance of the evaluation process for the university, stating; “Since 2018, we have been intensively developing our quality processes. Our goal is a 5-year accreditation. The evaluation committee assessed our university as very strong in many areas, from education and training to R&D studies, from laboratory infrastructure to our capacity for quick action. This comprehensive external evaluation showed that we are on the right track and that years of effort have paid off.”
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel: “We aim to develop a holistic artificial intelligence model”
Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel emphasized that the AI-supported model developed with data generated at the hospital can predict psychiatric diseases with high accuracy, and that in the upcoming period, they aim to create an integrated model with genetic data. Ergüzel stated; “The data generated in our hospital is very valuable for researchers and is made available for use by our physicians. The model we developed can predict a client's psychiatric illness with 93% accuracy using EEG or MRI data, even if it has never seen the client before. Next year, we aim to develop a model that can distinguish seven different diseases at once and to combine this with genetic data, achieving a first in Turkey.”
Feedback was evaluated
Throughout the dinner, board of directors members evaluated the feedback obtained from the KAP visit, the steps to be taken towards developing a quality culture, and the university's strategic goals.
The conversations, held in a cordial atmosphere, concluded with an exchange of views aimed at strengthening both academic and institutional work.