2025-2026 Academic Year Opening Ceremony of our University was Held with the Participation of Prof. Dr. Azmi Özcan

2025-2026 Academic Year Opening Ceremony  of our University was held on September 22, 2025, with the participation of Prof. Dr. Azmi Özcan, a faculty member at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Foundation University; our Rector Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız; our General Coordinator Prof. Dr. Ferit Küçükay; Beykoz District Governor Dr. Fatih Ürkmezer; President of the Turkish-German University Support Foundation Dr. Ali Ürey; Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Aysel Uzuntaş; Prof. Dr. Hamide Özden Özkaya Ferendeci; Prof. Dr. Yunus Ziya Arslan; our academic and administrative staff and our students. As part of the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Azmi Özcan addressed the members of our university with his opening lecture titled "Neocolonialism, Education, and the Academy."

Our Rector: "I wish the New Academic Year to bring Health, Success, and Peace to All of us."
The program, which began with the National Anthem and a moment of silence, continued with a musical performance by the Maltepe University Chamber Music Ensemble. Following the musical performance, our Rector Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız delivered the opening remarks, thanking Prof. Dr. Azmi Özcan for his contributions and valuable sharings, expressing his belief that this would be a thought-provoking lesson for our students. In his speech, wishing the new academic year to bring health, success, and peace, our Rector also highlighted the events in Gaza and Palestine, saying, "I would like to emphasize that the brutal massacres committed in various conflicts and wars in various parts of the world, especially in Gaza and Palestine, targeting civilians, the majority of whom are infants, women, the sick, and the elderly, without any regard for legal, moral, or conscientious boundaries, have gone down as a dark stain on human history. It is our sole hope that this blatant and reckless atrocities be brought to an end as soon as possible."

Our General Coordinator: "The most successful achievements of both countries' educational systems are reflected in TGU's educational approach."
In his speech, our General Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Ferit Küçükay, said "As stated in the founding agreement signed between Türkiye and Germany, the most successful achievements of both countries' educational systems are reflected in TGU's educational approach. This is the most important characteristic that distinguishes our University from others. May our new academic year bring us days filled with success, peace, harmony, and progress; may it open the door to many valuable encounters and lasting successes."

Prof. Dr. Azmi Özcan: “All political and religious structures that derive their legitimacy from themselves are inclined to be elitist.”
Prof. Dr. Azmi Özcan stated in his lecture titled "Neocolonialism, Education, and the Academy," delivered as part of the ceremony, "All political and religious structures that derive their legitimacy from themselves are inclined to be elitist. When you become elitist, you accept that the world exists only for you and you see yourself as having the authority to manipulate everything else. Essentially, the motivation of colonialists is somewhat similar. From a human perspective, the layers of existence are explained in a circular manner. The outermost, the most general, begins with humanity. Then, for example, comes geographical affiliation, lineage, kinship, and family. The most general, the fairest of these layers is the layer of humanity. Unfortunately, humanity has already failed during the events in Gaza. The indifference experienced in these events has been engraved as a disgrace on all of our consciences. The good and the goodness have been lost. We could not achieve this, but let us entrust it to you, dear young people; let humanity triumph. For this reason, knowledge, culture, and art should be in the hands of the good. As you see, when these are not in the hands of the good, they do not hesitate to slaughter millions of people and rain bombs on countries for a litre of oil. Israel and its allies... "Those who gave way, those who remained silent in the face of oppression, humanity will never forgive you," he said.

Following the opening lecture, the ceremony concluded with Rector Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız expressing his gratitude to Prof. Dr. Azmi Özcan and presenting him with a gift.