"Erzurum Technical University (ETU) Rector Prof. Dr. Bülent Çakmak attended the "2025-2026 Academic Year Opening Ceremony" held at the Presidential Complex Beştepe Nation Congress and Culture Center.

The opening ceremony, held by YÖK at the Presidential Complex with the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was attended by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Numan Kurtulmuş, ministers, the President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, YÖK members and rectors.

Along with Rector Çakmak, ETU was represented at the ceremony by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Naim Ürkmez, Faculty of Health Sciences faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. İzzet Ülker, Faculty of Sports Sciences faculty member Deniz Bedir, and students.

Following a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, the program began with a musical recital by the Ankara Music and Fine Arts University Orchestra. YÖK President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar took the stage to deliver the opening speech. He expressed his wishes for the 2025-2026 Academic Year to be beneficial for students, academics, administrative staff, and our country, and provided information about the projects planned to be implemented by YÖK in the new academic year.

President Erdoğan: “Our goal is to stop the genocide and bring peace to the region.”

Speaking after YÖK President Özvar, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the good news regarding the peace process in Gaza, saying, "We have been working diligently for a long time to stop the bloodshed in Gaza. We discussed the Gaza issue with Mr. Trump at the UN General Assembly in New York and during our visit to Washington. We are pleased that the agreement has been signed today."

President Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye actively contributed to this process from the outset, saying, "We will meticulously monitor the implementation of the agreement. Turkey will also be included in the task force that will oversee implementation on the ground."

President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye would work with the international community for the reconstruction of Gaza, saying, "Our goal is to end the genocide and bring peace to the region as soon as possible. Our brothers and sisters in Gaza are the nation that deserves peace and security most in the world."

Erdoğan also said, "We will do whatever is necessary to ensure that the smiles of the oppressed people of Gaza, especially the children, continue to shine after two years. I thank US President Trump, Qatar, and Egypt for their contributions to the ceasefire. I also congratulate Hamas for its resolute stance."

“These Lands Have Been a Center of Science Since the 11th Century”

Addressing Türkiye's scientific tradition in his speech, Erdoğan said, "We are the heirs of a deep-rooted civilization, scholars, and the men of wisdom. Since the 11th century, these lands have been the center of science. However, our contributions to the history of science are not adequately explained. We must continue to pass this knowledge on to our youth."

Erdoğan, noting that madrasahs and educational institutions during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods shaped the world's history of science, said, "The Azamiye Complex, established during the reign of Sultan Alp Arslan, is one of the first educational institutions in the modern sense. European universities took these institutions as an example."

Addressing investments in education, President Erdoğan said, "We were the government that made the largest investments in education during the Republic era. The budget allocated to higher education in 2002 was 2.5 billion lira; today, it has reached 488.5 billion lira."

Erdoğan, noting the increase in artificial intelligence and IT-based education programs, said, “We are strengthening the digital infrastructure of our universities. We are expanding university-industry collaboration. In the new term, we will simplify course plans and consider structural reforms that will enable our students to graduate in three years.”

Erdoğan concluded by saying, "With the new regulations, our higher education system will become both more efficient and more compliant with international standards. I hope the 2025-2026 academic year will be beneficial for our country and our nation."

The program, which continued with President Erdoğan presenting awards to the academics and universities that won the "YÖK 2023 Outstanding Achievement Awards," concluded with a group photo."