Istanbul Kultur University (IKU) Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver published a message regarding the changing IKU agenda with the New Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
Dear Kültür Family,
The pandemic has brought with it important question marks about the future of our education and working conditions, as well as health and safety. For about a year and a half, the effects of the epidemic on education have been our main agenda.
Last week, on Thursday, August 26, 2021, the new head of CoHE, Erol Özvar, held a meeting with the university rectors. Our Rector represented our university. One of the agenda items of the meeting was the transition to face-to-face education. According to the evaluations, we learned that unless there is an extraordinary situation, we can be together with our students and colleagues this year. This development was one of the most promising developments of the past year and a half.
Dear Kültür Family,
Of course, it is not possible for everything to be the same as before in the face of the global health problem we are experiencing. As in every sector, time will be needed in the field of education. As Kültür, our priority is the safety of our family and sustainability in education.
Unless an extraordinary situation occurs, we are planning the return date to campuses as 20 September 2021 for all our staff. We will overcome the emotional exhaustion caused by the pandemic, which is an extremely tiring experience for all of us, together with the work we will do during the return process. On our return to the campuses, we focus on studies that will reinforce and raise the emotional and social climate at our university. In addition, plans to prevent density in physical areas are also on our agenda. We will increase the number of our hybrid classes and continue to benefit from digital applications at the highest level. Applications such as HES Code and PCR to be used in the entries will also be announced in detail.
Dear Kültür Family,
We have a busy schedule ahead of us. We are working on multiple topics, including the framework and dynamics of the new academic year, the results of the selection period, preparations for our new students, meeting the needs and expectations of our current students, our graduation preparations and alumni communication, and our external stakeholder relations. In addition, we are on the verge of new projects that will reinforce our position and place in the higher education lane in Turkey.
When we look at the big picture, we see that expectations from universities have changed. Keeping employment in focus, increasing industry cooperation and international interaction, and strengthening graduate communication are among the targets set. In this whole process, a new Kültür Strategy shaped by the participation, views and ideas of our colleagues at all levels will be our most important guide.
Our most valuable asset is our human resources to rethink and design the concept of strategy and to establish the Kültür Strategy we need. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the new appointments at our university.
Ender Rıza Ekici, who has been serving as the Secretary General since 26.11.2016, will continue to work at our university as a "Technology and Digital Solutions Consultant" as of 31.08.2021.
Ender Rıza Ekici, who successfully managed the digitalization process of our university as the Head of Information Systems and Technologies Department between 2008-2016, also carried out invaluable work with his team while serving as the General Secretary. On behalf of our University, I would like to thank Ender Rıza Ekici and his team for their devoted work during the pandemic period, and wish them success in their new assignment.
Our very valuable colleagues have been appointed to the Presidency of our University. One of the valuable names of the academic staff of our Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Prof. Dr. Sinan Alçın will continue his work as the Vice Rector. I congratulate Prof. Dr. Sinan Alçın on his new assignment and wish him success in his studies.
Assist. Prof. Elif Altıok Çalışkan and Assist. Prof. Pınar Çağla Kandıralıoğlu, who worked for a long time as the Deputy Dean in our Faculty of Law, were appointed as the Advisor to the Rector and started their new duties. I congratulate them most sincerely.
I wish all my colleagues a successful and healthy working period.
Dear Kültür Family,
We have two critical dates that intersect in the long and busy work schedule ahead: Our Graduation Ceremonies and Registration Days. Our graduation ceremonies, which will be held at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall on September 9-10, 2021, mean a lot for our youth. They lived an important part of their education in the shadow of the pandemic. Graduation ceremonies should be our main goal to make them remember it as a good memory, despite all the difficult processes and restrictions they went through. I would like to thank all my friends for their efforts to complete our Graduation Ceremonies in the best possible way, taking into account the health and safety conditions.
The Registration Days, where we will welcome our new students who will join our university, will take place between 6-10 September. I have no doubt that we will support our student candidates and their families, who include Kültür in their preferences, in the best way possible during the registration period. The happiness of our students who choose our university and enroll is also a value for Kültür's reputation. I strongly request that the academic and administrative units work in synergy and support our new students at the point where the preferences turn into registration. I sincerely believe that we will leave this process, which is very intense for our university, behind in the best way possible by sharing and solidarity.
Hope to see you in healthy days,
Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees
