European University of Lefke (EUL) 2015-2016 Academic Years graduates have received their diplomas with the ceremony held on July 1, 2016. The ceremony was held in Lefke 16 August Kurtuluş Stadium at 19:00 with the participation of the graduates, academics and followed on with the moment of silence, the National Anthem and the opening speeches.

The ceremony was attended by the Chair of the Parliament Dr. Sibel Siber, the Minister of Public Works and Transportation Kemal Dürüst, Minister of National Education and Culture Özdemir Berova, the Member of the Parliament of Güzelyurt  Dr. Hüseyin Erçal, the District Governor of Güzelyurt Tevfik Direnç, the Chief of Police of Güzelyurt Eybil Efendi and also other numerous guests of honour.  659 students originally with 20 different nationalities have graduated from EUL’s associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, post-graduate and doctorate degree programmes.

Siber: “Never discharge righteousness, truth and ethical values from your lives”.

The Chair of Parliament Sibel Siber initiated her speech by stating that “The esteemed EUL family, dearest graduates, most valuable guests and parents…You are about to graduate from a decent university located in the most peaceful and calm region of our beautiful country, and we are happy to share this joy with you.” Dr. Sibel Siber also congratulated the Rector and the EUL family for the success they achieved in such a short period of time. Siber emphasized that EUL is growing each day by raising its quality and also underlined that the academic and administrative autonomous status of the state universities will further contribute to their development and reform as competition amongst science and knowledge takes place. Further on her speech, Siber stated that “Never discharge righteousness, truth and ethical values ever from your lives.  Do not be the part of wrong and only centralize the aspect of human and never dismiss humanitarian values. Your success is genuine and is harmonized with ethical values”.  Siber also congratulated the graduates who will contribute to better the world.

Dürüst: “Ministers of Education to some member states of Organization of Islamic Cooperation are the graduates of EUL”.

Minister of Public Works and Transportation Kemal Dürüst has emphasized that there are total of 84 thousand students in higher education and 24 thousand are from the third world countries, this is a great success.  Dürüst underlined that the largest burning torch of success of TRNC is indeed higher-education. Dürüst furthermore stated that the efforts and the contributions of the Turkish Republic must always be remembered in this sense.

Dürüst also congratulated the Rector of EUL Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yükselen and EUL Academic staff for their contributions towards this success, which paid off the efforts of those families of the graduates as their children have completed their educational life. Dürüst mentioned that there have been Ministers of Education and politicians who were also the graduates of EUL, who were the upmost eligible individuals to analyse their own country the best. Dürüst finally stated that “You will also represent yourselves along with representing us in your own homelands at the peak of success with your qualifications accumulated here, in EUL”.

Berova: “EUL continues to offer quality education under the light of their positive change, growing population of students and contemporary education level”.

The Minister of National Education and Culture Özdemir Berova congratulated the graduates for all their work conduct during the Academic Year of 2015-2016 and emphasized that the time flies and the world is in frequent movement of change which this can only be chased by education. Berova underlined that TRNC hosts 80 thousand students in 14 universities which each one of these universities hold significance importance, but the state universities of Eastern Mediterranean University and European University of Lefke are those which enshrine.

Berova stressed that EUL have performed a significant change in recent years with the increase in the number of students and also providing contemporary and quality education to the students, is also a significant contributor to the region due to the fact of being a state university. Berova stated that, as the government, they are supporting the higher education and that it is the primary responsibility of the Ministry of Education to guarantee the continuation of the quality education for those 80 thousand and more students. Berova stressed that, through the amendments conducted in the laws of higher education, the new law is to be presented to the Parliament in the new season of which is about raising the quality in higher education prepared by The Higher Education Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation and Coordination Council. Thus the quality of the students and the educational ethic and practice is planned to be significantly contributed in this sense.

Berova added that the graduates will be cultural envoys to each point of the Anatolia and rest of the world representing TRNC with the best way possible and that each of the graduates will be an honour of TRNC as they will Show success in their professional fields. Berova finally emphasized that “graduates are to advance in life with the leading light of reason and science and under the counselling of their consciousness”.

Faruk: “EUL have crowned its success in education with the “World Quality Commitment” award.

Özgün Faruk, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, has stated that EUL is celebrating its 26th year in education and holding the 23rd graduation ceremony with joy and honour. Faruk emphasized that EUL is the fastest growing university in North Cyprus with the fact that it is in a positive change and reform followed by success and increase in the number of students supported by reinforced infrastructure of the campus and academics and opening of new faculties and departments.

Faruk underlined that EUL has crowned its success with the World Quality Commitment Award with the contributions to its quality in education, technological infrastructure and quality commitment. Faruk stressed that the success of EUL will further develop in the years to come as it has dedicated itself to reach the peak in quality and continues reform, in its own sectorial path.

Faruk congratulated the parents of the graduates for their support to their children in their success. Faruk also stated appreciations to the academic and administrative staff of EUL for raising individuals with high self-esteem, equipped with professional knowledge and skills, ability to conduct research and with high consciousness of responsibility. Faruk finally thanked and wished the best of success to the EUL Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Yükselen for his strategic work and leadership in the development and reform of the University.  Faruk finally emphasized that the graduated of EUL are equipped enough to reach their dreams and they will always stand out of the crowd as the graduates of EUL with their quality education and knowledge background, and wished the graduates the best in their professional lives.

Yükselen: “EUL achieved 115% of growth in past three years for each programme”.

The EUL Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Yükselen, commenced his speech by reaching the graduates of full faith and confidence along with greeting the guests.

Yükselen stated that EUL continues its consistent growth towards its goal to be a reference point in higher education and in this sense of enlargement projects. EUL was accredited for its 8 associate’s degree, 4 masters and 1 doctorate degree programmes by the Higher Education Council (YÖK), thus EUL increased its 52 programmes to 112 with the increase in growth rate of 115%.  Yükselen also emphasized that they have reached an increase of more than 100% in the number of students, during the same period, by accumulating from 3000 to 8000 and more students in total. Yükselen stressed that not only an increase was observed both in the number of students and programmes but also reinforcement was made to the technical infrastructure to enable the students to undertake practical experiences during their studies.

Yükselen also stated that 3 departments in the Faculty of Education have been officially accredited by MÜDEK and also a protocol is signed with 2 distinguished universities in England for a dual degree, in order to sustain the continuous quality and accreditation process of EUL.

Yükselen expressed gratitude to the Embassy of Turkish Republic in Lefkoşa and TRNC Ministry of National Education for their contributions and ministration on behalf of EUL students, academicians and staff.

Yükselen, in the final phases of his speech, emphasized his honour of preparing the graduates to life with their ability to use the technology and science, their respect towards human rights, virtuousness, potential to formulate solutions, nature to conduct research, ability to questioning, loyal to ethical and national values and committed to reason and knowledge with satisfactory ability to work all around the world within contemporary attitude.

Mr. Ömer Samsondağ, the highest ranked student in the Faculty of Communication Sciences and Ms. Temitope Mary Adedeji, the highest ranked student of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences gave a speech on behalf of all graduates emphasized their honour to be part of a university which provides contemporary and quality education in global level. Both students have underlined that EUL have provided them with significant source of information which will contribute to their lives in means of leading, and realizing their ideals and dreams.

Following the speeches, the diplomas were granted to the successful students. The ceremony continued with a cap throw event and fireworks shows and finalized with a special graduation cocktail.