Our Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma KANCA Attends Iftar Program Hosted by Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey

Our Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma KANCA attended the iftar program hosted by Prof. Dr. Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), with the participation of Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), and various university rectors.

At the iftar program held in the TBMM Ceremony Hall, Speaker Prof. Dr. Numan Kurtulmuş expressed his pleasure in meeting with the rectors at the Parliament and hoped that such gatherings would become a tradition.

Kurtulmuş emphasized that universities are not just campuses and buildings, stating, "Universities should not only be places where science is taught; they should also be centers where a vision of civilization is shaped. As a country that aims to offer a new and different civilization to the world, we must mobilize our universities to make the values of our civilization universal and connect them with the entire world."

In his speech at the iftar program, YÖK President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar emphasized the critical role universities play in the country’s progress across scientific, technological, economic, social, and cultural fields. He stated that they believe the success of universities directly reflects the success of Turkey, and that as YÖK, they operate with this understanding, working diligently to maximize the value universities bring to the country. Özvar also highlighted the significant development of the Turkish higher education system over the last 20 years, noting that today Turkey boasts an exemplary capacity with 208 universities, approximately 185,000 academics, and 7.5 million students.

At the end of the program, the rectors delivered messages of unity and solidarity, expressing a desire to establish stronger cooperation in the field of higher education. The iftar program concluded with sincere conversations and well-wishes.