President of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Board of Trustees (BOT) Dr. Erdal Özcenk released a statement about the achievements of EMU. Appointed as the Head of BOT on 22 July, 2019, Dr. Erdal Özcenk emphasised that they have been in great harmony with the EMU Rector’s Office under the management of Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın, who took office in June 2020. Dr. Erdal Özcenk evaluated the university’s achievements, academic development and the point reached in the last one and a half year.
“EMU is the Flagship of this Country”
Stating that EMU is one of the most important institutions of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Dr. Özcenk said, “EMU is the flagship of this country. At EMU, effort and success are the highest values. There is no such thing as "my period" at EMU, it is always "our period". People are temporary, institutions are permanent. The management that takes the flag takes the institution forward by building further on the past work. In line with these principles, I took over the duty of the President of EMU Board of Trustees on 22 July 2019, on the 40th anniversary of our university. Our university, since I took office together with the members of the Board of Trustees and the EMU Rector’s Office, has attained many academic achievements that will make our country proud, as in the past.”
Providing information about EMU's succesful standing in the world rankings, Dr. Özcenk stated that achieving success in the world rankings in the TRNC, which is under embargoes, is something that cannot be taken lightly. Dr. Özcenk said, “While our institution was among the top 800 universities in the world in 2019 in the UK-based Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, the publisher of the widely-referenced university rankings, In THE 2022 World's Best Universities Ranking, we are proud to be placed among the top 600 universities in the world with a great rise, despite the fact that the list features 136 newly added universities and a general decline worldwide. While EMU appears to be the best university in the TRNC, it is in the same band and co-shares the second place in Turkey with important Turkish universities, which are Koç University and Sabancı University.”
On the other hand, Dr. Özcenk stated that in the University Impact Rankings according to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, Times Higher Education (THE) has increased EMU's 52.7 points from last year to 69.4, moving its place from 401-600 band to 301-400, which is a serious achievement.. Dr. Özcenk stated that this rise is a great proof that the university is progressing on the right path. Dr. Özcenk also added that in the Times Higher Education (THE) Best Young Universities rankings that included universities which started offering education within the last 50 years, EMU has become the only university from the TRNC to be included in the 251-300 band this year, as it was last year.
“We Received Five Stars in Five Categories in QS Stars”
Dr. Erdal Özcenk also made a statement about the place of EMU in the UK-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the QS Stars 2021 evaluations. Noting that EMU has achieved an important international success by receiving five stars out of five in five categories, Dr. Özcenk emphasized that, according to the evaluation results, EMU maintained the five stars it had previously received in the categories of Education, Internationalization, Campus Facilities and Equipment and Inclusiveness, while it jumped from four stars to five in the category of Graduate Employability. Dr. Özcenk said, “We Received Five Stars in Five Categories in QS Stars. This is a great success. As a result of the Overall Evaluation, EMU increased its three stars to four stars and gained an international qualification according to the standards set by QS and confirmed its successful standing as a higher education institution where education and training, internationalization and inclusiveness are at the highest level, its campus facilities and equipment are excellent, and its graduates are preferred by employers.
“Our Faculties and Academicians Have a Great Role in Our International Success”
President of the EMU Board of Trustees Dr. Erdal Özcenk also touched upon the international achievements of faculties and academic staff. Dr. Erdal Özcenk stated that having ranked 38th in the field of Tourism and Hotel Management, EMU is the only university from the TRNC to be included in the World Universities Academic Ranking 2021 of China-based ShanghaiRanking. Noting that EMU also ranks first among the universities from Cyprus and Turkey included in the list, Dr. Özcenk emphasized that the success achieved in this field with each passing year is carried forward with the Faculty of Tourism. Dr. Özcenk continued his statement as follows: “Our faculties and academicians have a great contribution in our international success. We are among the top 300 universities in the world in THE 2022 Physical Sciences Field Rankings. We have become a sole leader in the TRNC and Turkey. We are among the top 400 universities in the world in THE 2022 Engineering Field Rankings. We are among the top 250 universities in the world in THE 2022 Business and Economics Field Rankings. While being the only university to enter the list from the TRNC, we co-shared the first place with Koç University amongst Turkish universities. We have once again succeeded in taking place in the field of Economic Sciences in ShanghaiRanking's World Universities Academic Ranking 2021, in the Field Rankings list. We have become the only university in the field of Economic Sciences to be included in the list from the island of Cyprus. We have been ranked first amongst 43 universities in Cyprus in the Cyprus University Rankings of Sydney Australia-based uniRank, which ranks universities around the world. We have been selected as the best university on the island in the Physical Sciences category of Nature Index's 2020 university rankings. Nature Index publishes monthly and annual success rankings by browsing articles on Medicine, Health, Chemistry, Physical Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences published in 82 of the world's most respected academic journals.
Another achievement that has made us proud is that 13 academicians from our university have been placed among the most cited scientists in the world in the "World's Most Influential Scientists" list, published in 2021 as a result of a study conducted by a team of US and Dutch scientists under the coordination of US Stanford University. According to the extensive research conducted by the USA Stanford University in 2021, 13 scientists from EMU have been placed amongst the top 2% in their chosen field. This is also a remarkable success.
EMU is also a full member of the International Universities Association, the European University Association, the Mediterranean Universities Association and the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World. Our University, which attaches great importance to international accreditations, boasts prestigious accreditations obtained from international scientific bodies. Our Engineering Faculty has the accreditation of ABET, which oversees Technology and Engineering Programs in the USA. This accreditation is the most prestigious accreditation in the field of engineering worldwide, and together with EMU, only five universities in Turkey have this accreditation.” EMU BOT President Dr. Erdal Özcenk also stated that all faculties at EMU attach great importance to obtaining international accreditation in their fields.
“We Started the Construction of the New Faculty of Business and Economics Building”
Explaining that infrastructural investments continue at full speed at EMU, Dr. Erdal Özcenk noted that work has begun on the new and technological building of the Faculty of Business and Economics, one of the oldest faculties. Dr. Özcenk said, “As a result of the work carried out upon the initiative of the EMU Rector’s Office and in line with the need for a new building due to the growing and developing conditions, the new building, the construction of which started in November 2021, is planned to be completed in 2023. In the building, which will have 5 floors and an area of close to 7 thousand square meters, there will be a total of 105 offices, 4 of which will belong to research centers, 10 classrooms, 4 computer labs, 5 separate meeting rooms for each department, an amphitheater for 138 people and elevators.
The First University in TRNC to Receive a Covid-19 Approved Safety Education Certificate
Dr. Erdal Özcenk also emphasized that EMU was inspected by the International Certification Authority ‘Inspect’ and as a result of the audit, it received the first “COVID-19 Approved Safety Education” certificate in the TRNC. Reminding that all countries in the world have been struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic for two years, Dr. Özcenk stated that as the University, they prioritize the health of both students and staff, and in this context, they have succeeded in obtaining this document by fulfilling all obligations in the fight against the pandemic.
Stating that EMU has once again passed ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, ISO 10002:2018 Student Satisfaction Management System and ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management System inspections conducted by the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE), Dr. Özcenk shared the information that no non-compliance was detected regarding the Management System and that the University successfully passed the said audits with merit. Dr. Özcenk ended his speech as follows:
All of our academic and administrative staff and workers employed at our university contribute greatly to moving EMU to better positions day by day through working in harmony with their sense of institutional belonging as well as their sense of duty, responsibility and harmony. I would like to thank EMU Administration and EMU Staff for all these great achievements. EMU's development and successful achievements will surely continue in 2022. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all members of community and the staff of EMU a happy new year filled with health and peace.”
