This year, Abdullah Gül University (AGU) graduated its students for the fourth time with a ceremony where 11th President Abdullah Gül was also in attendance.
During the ceremony, social distancing, mask-wearing, and hygiene rules were observed with utmost care on the Sümer Campus.
Besides 11th President Abdullah Gül, Rector Prof. Cengiz Yılmaz, and Founding Rector İhsan Sabuncuoğlu, Kayseri Governor Şehmus Günaydın, Acting Mayor Bekir Yıldız, Abdullah Gül University Support Foundation (AGUV) President Mustafa Çıkrıkçıoğlu and AGUV Members, Kayseri Chamber of Industry President Mehmet Büyüksimitci, students, parents, faculty, and representatives of some political parties were among the many guests.
Delivering a speech at the ceremony, 11th President Abdullah Gül said to the graduating students to absolutely have free minds and consciences.
"Do not let anyone own your mind and opinions or commend them. Without fail, have free minds and free consciences. Whatever you do, always use your mind. Continue the dialogue with everyone."
Gül reminded he met the graduating students from time to time during their studies.
"Be a good person. Being good comes before everything else. Have integrity, be virtuous, steadfast, honest, and trustworthy. They matter most. Other paths would not make you happy. Then comes continuous learning. Be zealous. Do not give in to pessimism. Have hope and do not lose it. Now and then everyone runs into problems. They might turn out to be minor or major, concern only you or your country. These are all within the bounds of possibility. Never lose hope though. Above all, always trust your country. Turkey is beauteous. Love your country at all times. Know that you have a debt to her.
Be social, build your network. Do not ever let anyone own your mind and opinions or commend them. Without fail, have free minds and free consciences. Whatever you do, always use your mind. Continue the dialogue with everyone, those with different opinions, of other races and religions. There are non-Turkish students at this university. Just a moment ago, a Pakistani student took the podium and spoke Turkish not differently from a Turk. They are of a different race and from a different land. There are also students of different faiths among you coming from Africa and Europe. Get along with everyone, try to understand everyone. If need be, step into their shoes."
Mr. Gül also commented on the appointment of Prof. Cengiz Yılmaz as rector. "Surely you are no strangers to the new rector. He was previously a vice rector. You knew him as your professor. In this respect, I would like to thank Mr. President and CoHE, for supporting the continuation of the University's tradition, mission, and vision. They preferred someone from within the university who had contributed to that tradition.”
Mr. Gül further highlighted that AGU proved itself as a university and pointed out independent institutions' rankings as evidence. He described Kayseri as a center of education.
Then, Rector Prof. Cengiz Yılmaz made a speech and listed Abdullah Gül University's targets as ranking among the top nationally and internationally, having a claim, competitive power, and prestige globally at each one of the three basic activity areas of universities, namely education, research, and social impact.
"As in the previous two years, AGU was ranked in the top 101-200 among all the universities globally in the Social Impact Ranking of the Times Higher Education, one of the most prestigious ranking organizations, and passed all the Turkish universities in this category. AGU was also the youngest university to be placed in the top 200. Our University was also in the Global Top 30 Innovative Universities List of the World Universities with Real Impact, created by the Hanseatic League of Universities. In the same ranking, there are the best universities in the world, such as Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, and Oxford. As we all witnessed, all the universities around the world had to shift to online education quickly due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the transition process was difficult and painful for both students and universities. AGU has already been named the best university at managing this process in Turkey by independent organizations.
This assessment has recently been confirmed by the Hanseatic League of Universities, which has added a new category called "Crisis Management" for the first time this year due to the pandemic and recognized AGU as the second-best university at managing the transition process around the world. Another achievement that makes us happy is that every year independent organizations also measure and publish their results on student satisfaction levels and AGU always comes on top of their lists. Similarly, we always receive very positive feedback on the competencies and performance of our alumni from business, industry, and other organizations, which makes us proud. AGU will sustain its achievements and take its rightful place in the lists of the world's most prestigious ranking organizations."
Addressing the new graduates, Prof. Yılmaz added "AGU has become a key part of your identities. The more we develop this university and rapidly get closer to our goal of being a world-renowned university, the more you will feel the university's strength and support in your careers. At the same time, you will be the most important ambassadors of this university. Your future achievements will further increase AGU's esteem. An unbreakable bond has been forged between you and the University. Together, with mutual support, we shall achieve many great successes."
Mustafa Çıkrıkçıoğlu, President of the Abdullah Gül University Support Foundation (AGUV), also made a speech at the ceremony and reminded that the Foundation was established by philanthropic businesspeople of Kayseri to support Abdullah Gül University.
Çıkrıkçıoğlu said in foreign countries, especially the USA, there are strong foundations behind outstanding universities such as Yale, MIT, Stanford, etc. "The AGUV Foundation is the first model designed and realized in this manner in our country. We aim at bringing together successful young people who are the future of our country with qualified academics who are good at what they do under the same roof. It makes us proud to witness new national and international achievements and globally recognized awards of our university every year."
After the speeches, 11th President Abdullah Gül, Kayseri Governor Şehmus Günaydın, AGUV President Çıkrıkçıoğlu, Rector Prof. Cengiz Yılmaz, and Founding Rector Prof. İhsan Sabuncuoğlu presented the diplomas of the top students of the university and the departments.
The ceremony ended after the new graduates threw their caps and took souvenir photos.
