CoHE President Özvar Visits Akdeniz University
April 13, 2025 / Antalya
CoHE President Erol Özvar visited Myhailo Popazav, a Ukrainian patient with
congenital Ablefaron-macrostomy syndrome, who was brought to Türkiye for
treatment under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's spouse
Emine Erdoğan, at Akdeniz University Hospital in Antalya and wished him a
speedy recovery.
Özvar received information about Myhalio's health condition from Akdeniz
University Rector Prof. Özlenen Özkan and Akdeniz University Organ
Transplant Center Director Prof. Ömer Özkan.
The 10-year-old Myhailo Popazav, who was born with 'Ablefaron-makrostomy
syndrome', is among the war-victim children brought to Türkiye from Ukraine
in 2022 due to the Russian-Ukrainian War. Popazav underwent 15 surgeries in
the process that started in 2022. Popazav, who was born without eyelids,
has an abnormally large mouth and hearing problems, had his eyelids
created, his lips and mouth were reduced in the scope of the operations.
Popazav will undergo another operation in the coming days to create an
auricle from his own tissues. In addition to his medical treatment, Popazav
is also receiving rehabilitation.
Özvar, who took a close interest in Myhalio, thanked the doctors and
hospital staff for their success.
During his visit to Akdeniz University, CoHE President Özvar also attended
the senate meeting. In his speech, Özvar stated that higher education has
ceased to be an educational institution where elite groups can send their
children to study and that they attach importance to face-to-face meetings
with universities, university administration, senate members and academics.
He pointed out that one of their main policies is to differentiate
universities from each other. Özvar emphasized that research universities
are supported by substantial resources and that any university has the
potential to become a research university, adding that Akdeniz University
is one of the four candidates.
After the meeting, Özvar inspected the construction of the new hospital
building of Akdeniz University. He visited the Hospital Emergency Service
building where the fire had broken out and offered his well wishes.
CoHE President Erol Özvar held a meeting with the rectors of regional
universities. The meeting was attended by Akdeniz University Rector Prof.
Özlenen Özkan, Rector of Isparta University of Applied Sciences Prof.
Yılmaz Çatal, Süleyman Demirel University Rector Prof. Mehmet Saltan,
Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Rector Prof. Hüseyin Dalgar, Alanya Alaaddin
Keykubat University Rector Prof. Kenan Ahmet Türkdoğan, Antalya Bilim
University Rector Prof. Semih Ekercin, Antalya Belek University Rector Prof.
Mustafa Fadıl Sözen, Alanya University Rector Prof. Aykut Ekinci, Prof.
Tuncer Karpuzoğlu, Director of Organ Transplant Institute Prof. Ömer Özkan,
Vice Rectors Prof. Ayşe Gülbin Arıcı, Prof. Cengiz Toker, Prof. Şükrü Özen.