Turkish-German University (TAU) 10th Anniversary Celebrations in Education and Mevlüde Genç Library Opening Ceremony Held

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10th Anniversary Celebrations in Education and Mevlüde Genç Library Opening Ceremony were held at Turkish-German University. The ceremony started on Monday, October 30, 2023, at the D Block Conference Hall, moderated by Journalist Ali Aslan; YÖK Deputy Chairman Prof. Dr. Haldun Göktaş, TAU Consortium President Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth, Deputy Speaker of the German Federal Assembly Aydan Özoğuz, German Federal Republic Istanbul Consul Johannes Regenbrecht, DAAD Representative Stefan Bienefeld, Turkish-German University Rector Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız, TAU-Consortium General Coordinator Prof. Dr. Ferit Küçükay, Rector of Baku Slavic University Prof. Dr. Anar Nağıyev, Rector of Beykoz University Prof. Dr. Mehmet Durman, Galatasaray University Rector Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Muhammed Uludağ, Rector of Istanbul Medeniyet University Prof. Dr. Gülfettin Çelik, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Bilgin, Rector of Passau University Prof. Dr. Ulrich Bartosch, Rector of Turkish-Japanese University of Science and Technology Prof. Dr. Bekir Sami Yılbaş, Beykoz Mayor Murat Aydın, Siemens Turkey Chairman and CEO Dr. Hüseyin Gelis, Mevlüde Genç's granddaughter Özlem Genç, guests from Germany and Turkey, university staff and students attended.

Our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan graced the program with a congratulatory message. In his congratulatory message, President Erdoğan said, "I would like to remember Mevlüde Genç, after whom the library was named, and the family members we lost in the 1993 Solingen Tragedy. I congratulate all the members of the Turkish-German University, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and wish each and every one of them outstanding success. We attach great importance to our deep-rooted relations with our friend and ally Germany, which have political, economic, military, cultural and humanitarian dimensions. We see our more than 3 million people living in Germany as a human bridge between our two countries. German citizens settling in Turkey and our growing trade relations are the most obvious indicators of our friendship. The Turkish-German University, which carries the cooperation between the two countries to academia, is taking firm steps towards realizing its founding goals with its five faculties, one college and two institutes. I sincerely believe that the friendly relations between Turkey and Germany, which have always been in communication, cooperation and solidarity throughout history, will further strengthen from now on. With these feelings, I wish you all the best for your 10th year in education and your Central Library, and I greet you with respect and love."
Delivering the greeting speech within the scope of the programme, Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız, Turkish-German University Rector, said, “It is a source of great honour and happiness for us to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our university in education this year, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of the founding of our Republic. Considering intense commercial relations between Turkey and Germany, close cooperation with Turkish and German economies has great meaning for our university. Thus, our aim is to become one of the leading institutions in the fields of innovation, technology and digitalization through joint research projects with industry. In this context, various research projects are carried out at our university. Furthermore, we continue to work with our German partners to establish a research institute that will focus on advanced research and carry out major research projects. The developments at our university are apparent not only in the fields of teaching and research, but also in social life on campus. Our university, which began its education in temporary buildings 10 years ago, now has a campus that offers education services in newly completed modern buildings. Prof. Yıldız noted, “this campus is home to classrooms, lecture halls, conference halls, research laboratories, well-equipped Central Library, which will be opened with a ceremony today and named after the late peace ambassador Mevlüde Genç; "There are social areas serving students and other employees.”

Speaking after Rector Yıldız, TGU-Consortium General Coordinator Prof. Dr. Ferit Küçükay said, “According to the results of the central university entrance exam, an increasing number of top student candidates across the country choose to study at TGU. For instance, students who have newly registered at TGU ​​this fall semester are among the best, constituting 0.5 to 3 per thousand of more than 3 million candidates sitting in the Higher Education Institution Exams. This means that all undergraduate programs of TGU have taken the best positions in the relevant rankings among all Turkish universities in a short time. “However, TGU graduates are highly preferred in the business world,” he said.

Johannes Regenbrecht, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Istanbul, who came to the stage as part of the celebration speeches, noted, “Turkish-German University has risen to a nation-wide and international recognition since it started providing education a decade ago. “Education of German origin” is well-known in Turkey and beyond the country's borders. There is a considerable demand for TGU graduates, particularly in industry. The fact that teaching is significantly application-oriented makes TGU unique compared to other universities. “From now on, we must work to maintain this reputation of the university,” he said.

Afterwards, DAAD Representative Stefan Bienefeld spoke and said, “Today, German-Turkish scientific relations have established a very broad base and there are over 1,300 collaborations between our universities in the 2022-2023 winter semester. The number of Turkish students at German universities has been increasing in recent years. This puts Germany first as the most popular destination country for Turks, putting it ahead of the USA and the UK. DAAD has also hosted more than 1,500 Germans to study or do research in Turkey for 14 years with the establishment of the Turkish-German University in Istanbul. The economic and academic differences between Turkey and Germany have been constructively bridged and continue to exist. Your graduates will be the right chain links and bridges between our countries, strengthening our various relations, politics, economy and civil society."
In his congratulatory speech, Council of Higher Education Deputy Chairman Prof. Haldun Göktaş said, “Today's celebration and ceremony are of great importance in the context of the 100th anniversary of our Republic on October 29, 2023. I congratulate the 100th anniversary of our Republic with my most sincere wishes. In this context, the importance and value that the Council of Higher Education attaches to the formation of qualified human resources is particularly evident in its internationalization strategy. In other words, Turkish-German University is fully compatible with the internationalization strategic goals of the Council of Higher Education. Being a centre of attraction of Turkish-German University for international students, its employing a large number of internationally qualified faculty members, the curriculum created together by Turkish and German partners and the teaching they offer together at the international level; supporting its students with international exchange programs, and the opportunity to collect intercultural experiences, together with supporting faculty members with DAAD research scholarships in addition to Council of Higher Education scholarships are some examples of this. Although Turkish-German University is a young university, it has reached a very prestigious position within 10 years. I would like to emphasize my belief that it will go much further in the future and achieve its goals."

TGU Consortium President Prof. Rita Süssmuth, who spoke after Council of Higher Education Deputy Chairman Göktaş, said, “Turkish-German University is a project established with the motivation of developing both academic relations and immigration relations. I had many experiences with immigrants, especially immigrant children in the past. For this reason, the aim of this university to improve immigration relations is more valuable. Our aim is not only to develop academic skills, but also human skills. I would like to thank her family and Ms. Özlem Genç, the granddaughter of Mevlüde Genç, after whom the library will be named."
The program continued with the panel titled "Turkish-German University through the Eyes of Professors and Students" and the Kadıköy Public Education Center Flute Orchestra concert. After the panel, the opening ceremony of Mevlüde Genç Library was held.