October 18, 2025

President of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE) Prof. Erol Özvar visited Erzurum on October 17–18 to attend Atatürk University’s (ATAUNI) 2025–2026 Academic Year Opening Ceremony and hold various meetings. He was accompanied by CoHE Vice President Prof. Naci Gündoğan and CoHE Executive Board Member Prof. Hüseyin Karaman.

Özvar first visited Atatürk University, where he met with Rector Prof. Ahmet Hacımüftüoğlu and received information on academic activities and ongoing projects. He also attended the university senate meeting to exchange views with faculty members.

As part of the academic year opening program, Özvar joined the ceremonial procession, watched the traditional Bar folk dance performance, and placed a stone engraved with his name on the “Science Monument” to commemorate the opening of the new academic year.

“We must neither forget nor let the world forget Gaza — it is our just cause”

The 2025–2026 Academic Year Opening Ceremony took place in the July 15 National Will Hall. In his address, Özvar strongly condemned Israel’s attacks on Gaza, describing them as acts of genocide. He noted that the recently declared ceasefire and the ongoing peace offered a ray of hope. Emphasizing the responsibility of universities in strengthening public awareness about Palestine, Özvar stated: “I am pleased to see that the issue of Gaza is being discussed at all Turkish universities and at every academic opening ceremony. We must neither forget nor let the world forget Gaza. This is a just cause for all of us.”

“Major reforms ahead in internships and practical training”

Özvar announced that one of the key priorities of the higher education system in the upcoming period would be internships and hands-on education. He stated that comprehensive reforms were being introduced to restructure internship and workplace-based training processes at universities:

“In our ongoing reform work for vocational schools, we are now entering a new stage. We are moving beyond short-term internships toward a model that places workplace-based practical training at its core. Currently, many programs limit internships to just 20 days. We plan to extend this to at least one full semester, and in some programs, up to two semesters. The time has come to design education not only around theoretical courses but also around real-world applications.”

“Applied courses to be conducted in workplaces”

Özvar stressed that alongside theoretical education, a skills-oriented learning model closely integrated with industry would now become an essential part of the higher education system: “We expect our universities to ensure that applied courses in both associate and undergraduate programs are carried out in workplaces for at least one or two semesters. Courses that no longer serve students’ development or reflect the needs of our era should be removed. Instead, we should prioritize courses that encourage students to engage in projects and practical work.”

He underlined that universities must now focus not only on producing graduates but also on enhancing their employability: “Universities that fail to consider the employability of their graduates will struggle to advance in national and international competition.”

 "Curriculum simplification must begin”

Referring to ongoing planning efforts by CoHE, Özvar emphasized the need to simplify academic programs and course structures: “We must move away from offering numerous courses that add little value and instead create streamlined programs that encourage students to engage more in project-based and applied learning. Outdated courses must be phased out.”

He also suggested reforming summer schools: “Summer schools should no longer serve merely as make-up sessions for missed courses. Successful and motivated students should be allowed to take courses from higher levels. This way, they may even graduate earlier.”

“We will monitor how well universities align with the 2030 Vision”

Özvar noted that CoHE had distributed its 2030 Vision roadmap to all universities: “We will monitor universities’ alignment with this roadmap through measurable indicators and share the progress achieved at the end of the year.”

He added that strengthening universities’ capacity to address regional challenges remained a key priority for the higher education system. Özvar underlined that the Council expected universities to continuously improve in research, project development, scientific publications, sustainability, and social responsibility.

Expressing support for institutional specialization, Özvar highlighted the importance of the Research Universities Program, which currently includes 23 universities, among them Atatürk University. He noted that universities’ performance data were systematically monitored under multiple criteria and emphasized that many Turkish universities had recently achieved international recognition: “A growing number of our universities are now ranked among the top 1,000 institutions worldwide.”

The ceremony was attended by Erzurum Governor Mustafa Çiftçi, Erzurum Metropolitan Mayor Mehmet Sekmen, faculty members, students, and other guests.

Özvar Attends “Science Harvest Project – Farmers’ Meeting”

Following the ceremony, Özvar joined the “Science Harvest Project – Farmers’ Meeting,” organized by Atatürk University’s Science Communication Office at the Food and Animal Husbandry Research Center as part of the Science Café events. Speaking with local farmers, he said: “This innovative project, which brings together scientific knowledge, agriculture, gastronomy, and social awareness, is an exemplary model of science communication that connects farmers, students, and academics in the field. I congratulate all who contributed.”

Özvar also visited the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and met with the university’s top researchers who had produced the most scientific publications in 2024–2025 across various disciplines. He then met with ATAUNI students who had won awards at TEKNOFEST competitions, listened to their project presentations, and exchanged ideas.

After visiting the Mobile Animal Hospital and the University Products Exhibition, Özvar attended the solidarity event “A Sip of Water for Gaza and Its Martyrs.”

Özvar Visits Erzurum Technical University

During his stay, Özvar also visited Erzurum Technical University, where he met with Rector Prof. Bülent Çakmak, attended the senate meeting, and held discussions with students.