>>METU DAY

METU Day Celebrated on 22 May 2009 As part of METU's 53rd anniversary celebrations METU Day was celebrated on 22 May, 18:30 at METU Northern Cyprus Campus Culture and Congress Center. METU Day commenced with speeches by METU Northern Cyprus Campus President Prof. Dr. Turgut Tümer and METU President Prof. Dr. Ahmet Acar, and proceeded with a speech by Minister of Education and Sports, Kemal Dürüst. This was followed by METU String Quartet's concert. The program ended with the introduction of the expected graduates of the 2008-2009 academic year and Student Council President Bar?? Korkmazyörür's speech. TRNC Prime Minister Dr. Dervi? Ero?lu, TRNC President of the Assembly Hasan Bozer and Ambassador of Turkey ?akir Fak?l? were also present at the event. METU Northern Cyprus Campus President Prof. Dr. Turgut Tümer started his speech by thanking all guests for attending the 4th METU Day at METU Northern Cyprus Campus. He stated that on METU Day, which is celebrated every year in May, the METU Family assessed its achievements of the past year and gathered strength for future progress. He also indicated that celebrating METU Day a week apart at both campuses since May 2006 was an indication of the aim to bring METU's impact in Turkey to North Cyprus. Prof. Dr. Turgut Tümer proceeded to say that with its unique architecture, high technology equipment, modern sports and recreation areas, modern classrooms and laboratories, comfortable dormitories and areas designed for social and cultural activities, METU NCC was about to complete its 4th year at the Northern Cyprus Campus. In addition to these facilities, he also talked about the progress made to attain the METU quality and evaluation standards in education, production and dissemination of knowledge and social service activities. He also said that in the current academic year there were more than 1250 students in 12 programs at METU Northern Cyprus Campus and that a third of these students received a scholarship. The 2008-2009 academic year commenced with 56 academicians teaching in the undergraduate programs, all of whom hold a Ph. D degree and 40 instructors teaching in the School of Foreign Languages, comprising an academic staff of 96 full-time and 12 part-time instructors enabling a student-instructor ratio of 12:1, which is much higher than world standards. President Prof. Dr. Turgut Tümer pointed out that for the first time, students who had completed four years at the campus were going to graduate from undergraduate programs, joining more than 90000 METU graduates and said that in addition to the advantages of being a METU a graduate, there were responsibilities and that one had to strictly adhere to METU values. METU NCC President Prof. Dr. Turgut Tümer ended his speech by thanking everyone for attending METU Day.

The ceremony proceeded with METU President Prof.Dr.Ahmet Acar's speech. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Acar started his speech by thanking all guests for attending the ceremony. He stated that science and technology will be produced by well-educated, qualified and passionate people working together in environments which are open to learning and encourage innovation and that METU is among institutions where people with special qualifications come together; knowledge is shared, produced and implemented with success.

He went on to say that for a university with such a short history the METU Northern Cyprus Campus always received great praise and that the level of success achieved was a source of pride.

In his speech, Prof.Dr. Ahmet Acar stated that the short-sighted goals of the political agenda of our society have pushed science, technology and higher education into the background and that this has to change. He described the METU academic staff as academicians striving to achieve high scientific, professional goals, the administrative staff as model professionals aiming to create the best university environment, and the students as young people with great ambitions and relentlessly trying to achieve its goals.

He said that as young people sharing METU's values and responsibilities, the students to graduate from the Ankara, Northern Cyprus and Erdemli campuses would continue to spread the METU difference and METU impact in their professional lives and personal relationships and congratulated the students expected to graduate from the Northern Cyprus Campus. METU NCC President Prof. Dr. Ahmet Acar ended his speech by thanking everyone for attending the ceremony.

TRNC Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Kemal Dürüst started his speech by thanking METU for opening a campus in TRNC. He stated that the METU Northern Cyprus Campus represented a very important brand and quality for the TRNC higher education sector and that it contributed to the sector with fresh input.

He also pointed out that due to its contributions to the development of the Güzelyurt and Kalkanl? area, METU Northern Cyprus Campus had a special meaning for Cyprus. He stated that development and improvement would not come instantly but that the social environment the students wished for would develop in time as the number of students increased.

He pointed out that the TRNC Higher Education sector accounted for a significant portion of the Island's economy and that the universities should be congratulated. He ended his speech by wishing the new METU graduates all the best.

The ceremony continued with METU String Quartet's concert.

In the second half of the ceremony the expected graduates of the 2008-2009 academic year were introduced and the program ended with Student Council President Barış Korkmazyörür's speech.

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