A symposium entitled "Leadership, Science, and Heritage" was jointly convened by the Erzurum Governorship, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality, and Atatürk University in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Atatürk University's 11th President, Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu.

In addition to Atatürk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hacımüftüoğlu, who participated as the host of the program held in the Culture Center Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu Hall; Former Minister of the Interior Prof. Dr. Beşir Atalay, Former Minister of National Education Prof. Dr. Ömer Dinçer, Former Secretary General of the Presidency Prof. Dr. Mustafa İsen, President of the Islamic Scholars Foundation Prof. Dr. Nasrullah Hacımüftüoğlu, Erzurum Technical University President Prof. Dr. Bülent Çakmak, Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu's sons Nadir and Yusuf Bıyıkoğlu, and Prof. Dr. Ömer Akbulut, Memiş Okuyucu, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Culture and Social Affairs Department Head Ergün Engin, deans, unit managers, academicians, representatives of civil society organizations and many students attended the event.


He signed significant breakthroughs in numerous fields.

The program was initiated by Memiş Okuyucu, who began his lecture by elucidating the origins of his research and studies on Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu. During the past three decades, Okuyucu has encountered Atatürk University graduates in numerous environments, particularly in Ankara. He has frequently heard the name Kemal Bıyıkoğlu mentioned in these conversations. As a result of this encounter, Okuyucu developed a greater interest in Bıyıkoğlu and began to conduct in-depth research on his academic background. Okuyucu underscored that Kemal Bıyıkoğlu made substantial contributions to Turkey's intellectual world and promoted regional development in a variety of fields, including carpet weaving and Islamic sciences, in addition to his own area of specialization, animal husbandry. He asserted that his contributions to the region, including the enhancement of animal husbandry in Eastern Anatolia, resulted in his becoming a significant role model for the development of not only Erzurum but also the entirety of Turkey.
He Made Significant Contributions to the University's Growth

The following statements were made by Prof. Dr. Reyhan Keleş, the Vice Rector of Atatürk University and the President of the Symposium, in her speech: "Today, in this symposium organized in memory of the 100th anniversary of Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu's birth, we commemorate his academic and scientific legacy and have the opportunity to thoroughly examine his contributions to Turkish education, science, and leadership." Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu, the 11th President of Atatürk University, made significant contributions to the advancement of our institution by promoting scientific inquiry, research, and innovation. He also pioneered the promotion of values such as equality and justice through his human-centered leadership style. This symposium will address his scientific research and leadership style, as well as the potential for his legacy to be passed on to future academicians and leaders. The objective of the event is to expand the audience for the values of Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu. I would like to extend my gratitude to all those who participated in the event, with a special mention to the academicians, administrators, and organizing committee.


He Demonstrated Effective Management by Preserving Peace in the Face of Political Unrest

Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hacımüftüoğlu began his speech by expressing his satisfaction with the program that was organized to preserve the memory of Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu, who left a profound impact on Atatürk University and was the architect of many of the university's current successes, and to transfer his work to the next generation. He stated, "Today, we gathered at the "Leadership, Science and Heritage" symposium, which was organized in honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu, the 11th rector of Atatürk University. Between 1969 and 1976, Prof. Dr. Bıyıkoğlu was the rector of our university and was instrumental in its growth and development. He took significant measures to develop the campus, opened new faculties, and increased the number of students with the "Final Development Plan" he prepared. “The Faculty of Medicine was relocated to Erzurum, and the Faculties of Dentistry and Islamic Sciences were established,” he stated.

The scientific and leadership legacy will be passed down to future generations.

Prof. Dr. Bıyıkoğlu demonstrated successful administration by prioritizing students from Anatolia, establishing the Carpet Weaving and Handicrafts Institutes for vocational training, and maintaining peace despite the political unrest present within the university. Furthermore, Rector Hacımüftüoğlu was the first to authorize the construction of a mosque at our university. One of the most productive and effective periods in the history of our university is considered to be his term. Although Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu passed away in 1986, his legacy is perpetuated through commemorative events. In honor of his memory, the 6th Animal Science Congress was held in Erzurum, and the Polatlı Municipality published a book of his life. Furthermore, in collaboration with Atatürk University and the Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality, the main street of our university and this hall were named in his honor. The objective of this symposium is to transmit Bıyıkoğlu's scientific and leadership legacy to future generations. I am optimistic that the symposium, which will explore the life of Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu, a significant figure at our institution, and the changes he has effected, will be a success. I would like to extend my gratitude to all attendees.

His vision and courage served as a source of inspiration.

The first session of the program ensued after the opening remarks. Former Minister of the Interior Prof. Dr. Beşir Atalay was the first speaker of the session, moderated by the President of the Islamic Scholars Foundation, Prof. Dr. Nasrullah Hacımüftüoğlu. Prof. Dr. Atalay, who stated that Bıyıkoğlu's contributions will be remembered once again, emphasized the significance of Bıyıkoğlu to Atatürk University. He also stated that the university was of a quality that could compete with other universities of the era in the 1970s, and that it was particularly distinguished by its strong academic staff. The symposium was centered on the university's history. In addition, Prof. Dr. Atalay, who recollected the faculty members and professors he encountered during the university entrance process and shared his impressions of the education and academic structure of that era, discussed the impact of the March 12 period and political changes on the university's structure. He specifically emphasized the arrangements made for the admission of vocational high school graduates to the university.

Finally, Atalay, who emphasized the significance of Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu's leadership qualities, courage, and vision as a source of inspiration for them, emphasized his significant role in the history of higher education and his contributions to Atatürk University. He also stated that Kemal Bıyıkoğlu's name will be cherished in the academic world for a long time and that the legacy he left behind will endure.

A management approach that is designed to shape the future was implemented.

Former Minister of National Education Ömer Dinçer asserted that Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu's leadership during the early years of Atatürk University was instrumental in the development of a strategic vision for both the university and the region. Bıyıkoğlu's groundbreaking educational initiatives included the establishment of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences, the recruitment of scientists who had completed their doctorates abroad, and agricultural projects that facilitated local development. Dinçer emphasized the significance of designing the future in management, stating that Bıyıkoğlu acted with an approach that expressed the basic characteristics of a good manager as "doing the right job right." He also stated that as a strategic leader, he pioneered projects that impacted not only the university but also the region. The most significant examples of this were the agricultural meetings held in villages and the active participation of academics in local development projects.

He Introduced the University to talented students and academicians.

In his evaluation, Prof. Dr. Mustafa İsen, the former Secretary General of the Presidency, concentrated on the historical development of Atatürk University, its contributions to Turkey and the region, and the vision and work of Rector Kemal Bıyıkoğlu. İsen, who emphasized that the selection process of Erzurum has been linked to the city's historical status as a commercial, educational, and military hub, asserted that the establishment of a university in Erzurum was the outcome of an exhaustive research effort that started in the 1930s. Prof. Dr. İsen, who asserted that Rector Kemal Bıyıkoğlu fostered a vision that enhanced the academic quality of the university and trained qualified staff for Turkey during his seven-year tenure as rector, underscored that Bıyıkoğlu attracted talented students and academics to the university by ensuring equal opportunities, fostering a more harmonious relationship between the city and the university, and optimizing the management approach.

İsen, who asserted that the academic quality and social impact of the university have improved since this period, and that Atatürk University has trained significant cadres of Turkey's conservative governments and bureaucracy, as well as contributed to regional and national development, provided examples of the contributions of Atatürk University's significant units, such as the Faculty of Agriculture and Medicine, to the region and the country. He particularly emphasized the university's scientific and economic support for the region. Lastly, İsen concluded his speech by asserting that the university's strong foundation, which was established under the leadership of Kemal Bıyıkoğlu, guarantees its continued existence as a significant academic center in Turkey. He emphasized that the university is not a wagon attached to the city, but a locomotive, and that this vision remains intact even today.

He is still remembered with admiration for his contributions to the field of education.

Prof. Dr. Nasrullah Hacımüftüoğlu, President of the Islamic Scholars Foundation, delivered a speech during the first session that focused on the life and career of Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu, one of the most memorable rectors of Atatürk University. He is remembered as a scientist who made a significant impact on Erzurum through his visionary leadership and educational reforms. Prof. Dr. Hacımüftüoğlu, who is renowned for his pioneering efforts in advocating for the construction of mosques on the university campus, emphasized that the Faculty of Islamic Sciences was established at Atatürk University under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu, despite the political unrest and military interventions of 1971. He was able to successfully execute his projects despite the challenging circumstances of the time. Hacımüftüoğlu stated that the faculty has a mission to offer a comprehensive education, with significant departments such as tafsir and hadith. However, due to the absence of a permanent building, the faculty operates in a variety of locations. Consequently, the faculty relocated to the upper floors of the business faculty, where it continued its educational endeavors in a more structured manner.

Prof. Dr. Hacımüftüoğlu stated that Bıyıkoğlu, who worked with great determination despite the difficulties of the period during the establishment process of the faculty, made significant contributions to the educational infrastructure of both the university and the region. He also stated that many academics and students who worked with him during this process took his inspiring leadership and visionary perspective as an example. Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıyıkoğlu's work in the field of education in Erzurum and throughout Turkey is still remembered with respect today.