Trakya University Senate Meeting was held with the presence of the CoHE President, Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar.

He came together with the senators at the Balkan Congress Center.

The meeting started with performance of the Balkan Symohony Orchestra, conducted by Vice Rector and Director of the State Conservatory Prof. Ahmet Hamdi Zafer and accompanied by the soloists Gökçe Bahar Ercan and Yıldıray Öztürk.

Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu: It is a historic day for Trakya University

Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu emphasized the importance of this historic day saying, "Trakya University is a 42 year old deep-seated University yet this is the first time a president of CoHE is visiting our university. Hence, I appreciate our honorable president’s presence here today."

Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu who informed the participants about Trakya University stated that Trakya University is a nurturing university that brought about the universities in Çanakkale, Tekirdağ and Kırklareli. He added that: "Trakya University plays apivotal role in various fields. Trakya University is known for its high in quality in medicine, museology and scientific publications. We are a permanent member and the secretary general of the Balkan Universities Association, which currently has 92 members. Trakya University is not only acting as a regional university but also as a global one. In this sense, we set goals and do our very best to fulfill them. "

Prof. Dr. Tabakoğlu expressed his gratitude to host CoHE President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar and ended his speech saying: "CoHE President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar gracing us with his presence is precious to us. He himself viewed our studies and expanded our horizon with feedbacks on many matters. I am pleased to be expressing my gratitude."

CoHE President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar: Trakya University is a university I have been following for a long time.

Prof. Dr. Özvar started his speech by expressing his contentedness to be at Trakya University and said: "I am here today amongst you all thanks to our Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu's invitation and would like to express my great pleasure be here. Trakya University is a university I have been following for a long time and I love it very much. In the same breath, I also adore Edirne. There are some cities in which one feels a sense of belonging to their country, Edirne comes first among those. This place truly is a significant center. I consider Edirne as lone of the central cities despite being on the frontier. This city is also one of our countries heartlands. In my humble opinion, Trakya University hit the jackpot with the very city it is located in. There are some universities that are truly lucky by nature, just like children. In this sense, I consider being a professor or an administrator here a privilege. Trakya University is one of the long-established universities of our country. Its history dates almost half a century back. In that regard, we shall say that Trakya University has now become an institution with its customs and traditions."

Prof. Dr. Özvar stated that CoHE attaches importance to universities competing amongst one another and said: "From the very moment we came on duty, one of the most significant missions we have adopted is closely following our universities academic productivity, quality standards of our teaching and services they are providing towards society and outer world. We took it as our mission the very moment we came on duty and we shared that with all our rectors by means of invitation. As Council of Higher Education, academic productivity and performance is the determinant of our management mannerism and basis of our policies at this time. We, as Council of Higher Education, believe that the priority of our universities should be academic performance and productivity. Academic productivity and performance enhancement sure is harder than it seems. Almost the whole world is on board with some quality measurements. Therefore, we are trying to evaluate our universities academic productivity or scientific performance by means of keeping up with these measurements. In that regard I would like to let you all know that we are following Trakya University closely. I think it is extremely important that our universities compete with each other in terms of the parameters I have mentioned. We encourage and desire our universities to compete among themselves. As well as you know, what makes countries, universities or professors prominent is productivity. You are as prominent as you can produce, as you can exhibit quality product. We recognize our universities have been making a serious effort recently and we encourage them. This policy is remarkably significant for us. We would like to let you all know that we are giving our best to support our universities that strive in this regard, as to strengthen their strong sides and minimize their weaknesses with every resource, we have. Particularly as a staff policy, we are doing our best to share all kinds of means we possess. As the President of Council of Higher Education, a former Rector and former Vice Rector, as a friend, a brother who is present in universities and is somewhat acquainted with the circumstance, I am making an effort to use this power we possess to make our universities more productive."

By emphasizing the significance of an environment where productivity is encouraged, Prof. Dr. Özvar also stated, "Encouraging our staff is the key to creating an enabling environment. This is remarkably significant. Science does not persist where it is not appreciated. Therefore, this is the exact environment we are trying to create in universities as Council of Higher Education. However, Council of Higher Education certainly cannot accomplish this. Merely universities can. Administration, administrative body or senate, who are universities decision makers, can. It is precious when a professor article is published in a prestigious journal and it is the talk of the department, when it can be spotted in the hallways. Universities can become more productive via creation of such an environment."

CoHE President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, who stated later on in his speech that universities of Turkey are gaining more and more favor abroad. He also added that as they are gaining more respect this makes our country grow powerful. CoHE President Prof. Dr. Özvar also referred to the policy on international students and stated, "Trakya University hosting the international students who make up for more than 10% of its student population is exceptionally admirable. Hereby I congratulate our Rector, the administration and you all”. Prof. Dr. Özvar explained how international students promote economic and diplomatic relations after they graduate and said: "You all are looking after international students, considering them guests and regarding them as future allies of The Turkish and treating them as one is remarkably significant."

Prof. Dr. Özvar talked about Trakya Universities Balkan mission and ended his speech by saying: "Trakya University is a recognized and significant university, not only by Türkiye or borders, but also by the Balkans. Our professors are accomplishing something diplomacy and politics perhaps cannot. I would like to express as Council of Higher Education, we would like to support our university more as to encourage this further. This mission is truly a sole mission. A mission that is not destined to other universities. Hence, you should know that I believe our university can grow more powerful with this duty. We are ready to show our support with everything necessary in this regard. I imagine Trakya University as the medical center of the Balkan region. We share this dream with our Rector and his administration. In addition to this, the fact that our university puts forward a vision that can include all faculties for the region will be one of the issues that CoHE will appreciate the most. I believe that Trakya University will carry the services it has done so far even further."

After his speech, CoHE President Prof. Dr. Özvar answered questions from the senate members.

The Senate Meeting concluded with the presentation of a gift by the Rector Prof. Dr. Tabakoğlu to CoHE President Prof. Dr. Özvar, and a group photo session took place.

Translator: Rüveyda Erdemir (Mütercim ve Tercümanlık Bölümü)