BAU 2016-2017 Academic Year Opening Ceremony Held

Bahçeşehir University (BAU) welcomed the 2016-2017 Academic Year with a ceremony held at its Beşiktaş Campus.

Bahçeşehir University started the new academic year with more than 4 thousand new students in associate, undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs and more than a thousand new academics. The ceremony held at the university's Beşiktaş Campus was attended by BAU Board of Trustees Members, President Prof. Dr. Şenay Yalçın, academics, students and parents.

PRESIDENT YALÇIN EMPHASIZES JULY 15
Beginning her opening speech by stating that they were entering the new academic year amid the pressing events on the world agenda that continue to affect Türkiye and grow in intensity day by day, BAU President Prof. Dr. Şenay Yalçın also referred to the coup attempt of July 15. Yalçın said: "The July 15 resistance has taught friend and foe alike, in the most serious way, that no power can make our nation give up the sovereignty that belongs to it alone and democracy, the manifestation of the national will."

PLAQUES FOR SUCCESSFUL ACADEMICS
Following the opening speeches, plaques were presented at the ceremony. Plaques were given to BAU Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Türker Kılıç for being elected in 2015 as a member of the "European Academy of Sciences and Arts," regarded as one of the most prestigious academies in the world; to BAU Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences faculty member Prof. Dr. Ekrem Tatoğlu for being elected as a member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) in 2015; and to BAU Faculty of Medicine faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serdar Durdağı for producing the most scientific articles on behalf of the university in the 2015-2016 academic year and for recently receiving the TÜBİTAK 2016 incentive award.

"THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR MEANS FRESH HOPES"
Speaking to İhlas News Agency before the ceremony, BAU President Prof. Dr. Şenay Yalçın said: "The beginning of academic years is important for setting sail toward fresh hopes. Today BAU begins its 18th academic year. As a university that has proven itself, it has taken its place in Turkish higher education. Of course, in the new academic year we have new initiatives and new opportunities to offer our students. Especially with the 5 universities under the BAU Global umbrella and our campuses in different parts of the world, we are even better prepared to educate students with an international vision who can do business internationally."

"OUR STUDENTS ARE OUR FUTURE"
Continuing with the words "Our students are our future," Yalçın stated: "When we educate our students as individuals who understand the world, have embraced peace, know human values and carry national and spiritual values, we will have raised individuals who will serve the world and our country well."
Stating that they were starting the new academic year with more than 24 thousand students in total, Yalçın concluded her speech: "This both excites us and increases our responsibility. As of today, we have started the new academic year with more than 24 thousand students. Across associate, undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels, we provide education in 179 different fields. We will be running programs through which we can award 179 different diplomas, and we will do this with more than 1,200 academics. All of this excites us."