Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) 2022-2023 Academic Year Opening Ceremony was held at Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 10:00 with the participation of Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver, our Rector , Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Fadime Üney Yüksektepe, Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız, academic-administrative staff and students. After the opening speeches of our Rector , Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Dr.Bahar Akıngüç Günver and IKU Climate Ambassador & International Relations Master’s program student Selen Gezer, the guest speaker, who took the stage, Psychologist Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş gave his speech titled “What I Learned From Life”.
Our Rector said that a new chapter has started in the lives of students who joined the Kültür family this year and thanked them for having trusted İstanbul Kültür University in this new journey of their lives. Our Rector said, “Our university, which was established by the Kültür College Foundation, offers an alternative space of experience and dialogue in terms of scientific, cultural, artistic and sports, as well as education. In addition, the togetherness between learners and the faculty in Kültür arises from a free and participatory communication independent of any hierarchies. The bond you form with your professors during studying here in Kültür will be a source of inspiration for you in your career and in your life. In addition to the educational experience offered in our 8 Faculties and 2 Vocational Schools, I recommend you to explore the opportunities offered by student clubs, our university's application and research centers that are precisely aligned with academic education. Spare some time for student clubs, sports and art activities, and volunteer work that will benefit the society and better life. While academic education is a very important topic among the privileges that university life offers you, broaden your toolbox in the field of research and social responsibility studies. Our Design Factory, Technology and Transfer Office, Europe and Career Workforce Unit, which started its activities in our Ataköy campus in 2022-2023, will be with you in your professional development. In your education life, besides your lectures I ask that you always be in contact with our departments in terms of life, career and business relations, and do not hesitate to ask for help in the search for a possible solution. The identity and development of foundation universities in Türkiye is still interpreted through the lens of private universities. Istanbul Kültür University, which we are proud to be a part of today, is a foundation university founded by a strong, well-established and qualified foundation with its values, the Kültür College Education Foundation. Our foundation will stand by the young people of our university to support and encourage research, success, and especially to support equality of opportunity in education. I welcome our new students who joined our Kültür family in the 2022-2023 Academic Year, our young people who successfully continue their university education by embracing the Kültür spirit, our valuable graduates and members, I wish the new semester to continue with health and success.”
Our Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver, on the other hand, started her speech by wishing the entire Kültür Family a healthy and successful year and said: “As Istanbul Kültür University, we left behind our 25th founding anniversary last academic year. 2 days ago we celebrated the 63rd anniversary of the establishment of Kültür College. To be the light that shines, love and family warmth, to defy the routine, to fight against bigotry and to be the source of Kemalist thought and enlightenment in education... Now that is the manifesto of Kültür. The 2022-2023 Academic Year marks the 100th anniversary of a very meaningful historical Republic for us. Therefore, our excitement and our responsibility is mighty. You are the students of a quarter-century-old university founded by the Kültür College Foundation, which is independent and strong with its own resources and is powered by the principles of the Republic and Atatürk. In time you will more deeply feel the value that your university, whose ID you have today and whose degree you will have tomorrow, add to your life in the future. You, as the youngest members of the Kültür Family, which respects rights and freedoms, supports democratic thought and participation, and prioritizes independence in education and research, will always be supported by us with all our means during your student life here. Universities throughout their history, have been the places where people who defy the routine, who think differently, who are passionately dedicated to research, learning and questioning exist. They laid the groundwork for many scientific, social and economic developments that reshaped the history of the world in the mid and long term. The basis of this formation is the intellectual link between academics and students. A strong teacher-student relationship established at the university will empower you in many areas of your life, especially in your career journey. The intellectual bond, emotional partnership and professional exchange between the teacher and the student under the roof of the university holds even greater valuable in today’s world. Because we are living through a very challenging period. We are trying to keep the sense of hope, solidarity and civil struggle alive in the face of crises and risks. And that requires extraordinary physical and mental effort. The experience and wisdom of different age and profession groups is our greatest guide here. The 63-year-old Kültür College and our university, which are a source of inspiration for our Founding Foundation, are truly a School of Generations in terms of experience. You will also feel the Kültür of working together and the power of the spirit of solidarity at our university, which brings together all generations under the same roof. Here, you will experience that every person with their age, experience, memories, testimonies is a school of their own, and that university is a Kültür. I wish you all success in your university journey, and I thank you on behalf of our Founding Foundation Kültür College Foundation and our university for choosing Kültür for studying.”.
Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver, addressing the academic and administrative staff of Kültür Family, said: “Young people need your experiences about the country, the world and people more than ever. In today’s challenging conditions, the meaning of academic education for young people is also evolving. Yes, technology has come far. We are redefining the concepts of time and space. However, the place that communication, interaction, constructive dialogue and face-to-face relationships in human life holds is indisputable. The pandemic has been a great experience in this regard. You are a very valuable role model for our students. The importance of mentoring you will offer your students is beyond doubt. I have no doubt that you will with great care embrace your mentoring mission for our youth, as well as all your administrative and academic responsibilities. It is paramount that the intellectual bond you establish with young people is encouraging and inspiring. Exams are passed, projects are completed, lessons are held. The main thing is what we can offer besides all this. Friendship, guidance, sharing, solidarity, keeping the passion of seeking the truth alive and the excitement of learning and, perhaps most importantly, appreciating our values. In addition to all the academic knowledge we provide here, the most important value of Kültür is the awareness of being a family. Kültür is a family with all its values.”.
Our Chairperson of the Board of Trustees concluded her speech as follows: “Finally, a very valuable guest who adds value the sense of meaning of our new academic year opening ceremony and is a person we can call a friend of the university, is with us today. Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş who used to be my teacher in the Guidance and Moral Culture course at Kültür College Secondary School, honoured our ceremony as our guest speaker today. My teacher, Acar Baltaş, taught me a great deal in terms of the importance of teacher-student relationship, being a role model and inspiring, most importantly, in terms of awareness of values. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to my dear teacher Acar Baltaş for being here with us today. I wish the 2022-2023 Academic Year to continue healthy, peaceful and successful for all of us.”
While expressing everyone’s responsibilities by referring to the significance of climate crisis, IKU Climate Envoy Selen Gezer explained the national vision of Türkiye in the context of climate change with these words, “Türkiye’s national vision in the context of climate change is to have integrated the climate change policies with the development policy, spread energy efficiency, increased the use of clean and renewable energy sources and to be a country that can offer active participation in the climate change challenge within the framework of the special conditions and welfare with high living standards to all its citizens with low-carbon intensity.”
Gezer ended her speech with these words, “We need to improve by knowing the significance of nature for us, of which we took inspiration while developing, changing, and healing in every area of our lives, and blending it into our lifestyle for the continuity of our needs if necessary. In the process that the effects of climate crises will increase, Türkiye should build its policies and strategies with foresight while being aware of its advantageous position in the world. As the future of the country, we students have great duties and responsibilities.”
Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş, who came forward after the opening speeches, stated that life is not all about happiness in his speech titled “What I Learned from Life” and that such a life will remain incomplete and without a story. Stating that happiness is confused with pleasure today, instant and temporary satisfactions are being pursued, Baltaş pointed out that a successful life can be built on endurance and self-efficacy, and that establishing a bond in social life and making people feel important is the basis of social relationships.
Also studying the concept of “self-confidence,” which he stated is extensively misused, Baltaş said that the belief that people are successful because they are self-confident is wrong, on the contrary, people are self-confident because they are successful.
Baltaş, who noted that this self-confidence should definitely be reciprocated, indicated that a baseless and unrequited, artificial self-confidence, an understanding that does not care about others is an indicator of sociopathy. Psychologist Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş ended his words by stating that it is necessary to strive to be a good person.
Our Rector and our Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver thanked Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş for his inspiring speeches by presenting flowers and an Atatürk plate.
