With only a few days left until the start of the new academic term, construction, repair, and arrangement work continues unabated on the university campus.

Reinforcement and repair work in the Faculty of Dentistry Laboratories and Faculty of Science blocks continues. Work continues at numerous locations, including natural gas conversion construction work in the Oltu (Faculty, Vocational School), İspir, Narman, Pasinler, and Tortum campuses, wet volume and other repair work in the central campus units, and heat duct work in the residences area.

Atatürk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı stated that, as they do every year, they have begun construction and repair work in order to provide their students with a trouble-free campus life and that all preparations for the new academic year have been completed. He emphasized Erzurum's role as a catalyst for cultural, social, technological, and educational change, adding that Atatürk University is pleased to contribute to the growth and development of this ancient city.

In this context, Çomaklı stated that they have a structure that protects and develops their own resources, and that they have made a concerted effort to eliminate the deficiencies in the structures, taking advantage of the summer break and the rest of the year.

The Faculty of Dentistry and Science Continues to Strengthen Research.

Rector Çomaklı stated that, with the commencement of studies at the Faculty of Dentistry, the existing, underutilized spaces will be evaluated and converted into a modern laboratory that will contribute to scientific advancement. It is intended to move the building in question to a seismic safety level determined by current earthquake regulations by strengthening the columns determined from the building's foundation level and manufacturing reinforced concrete reinforcement curtains between the existing columns, at a cost. However, as a result of the static calculations performed on this building, only reinforcement curtain manufacturing was performed without the need for column reinforcement. After the reinforced concrete reinforcement works were completed, the building was renovated using ergonomic and modern-day-appropriate materials, taking into account the requirements of the architectural, mechanical, and electrical installation sections' users.

The conversion of vocational schools to natural gas

Rector Çomaklı stated that the heating of five vocational schools and two faculties serving in the districts is provided by coal, and that this situation is more economically costly and harmful to the environment. He added, "For these reasons, our Faculties of Applied Sciences and Oltu Humanities and Social Sciences, Oltu, Narman, and İspir Hamza Polat will be converting to natural gas. We began construction and repair work to heat the administrative buildings, classrooms, social facilities, and housing on the campuses of our Vocational Schools in Pasinler and Tortum, as well as to provide hot water by drawing furnace gas from 100 existing housing units and installing natural gas water heaters.
By converting to natural gas, we hope to reduce annual fuel costs, mitigate environmental damage, and provide comfortable operation. As is well-known, natural gas is 40 to 50 percent more cost-effective than coal, so we anticipate that the investment will pay for itself within two years. In addition, since the system is controlled by automation, there will be no need to employ a boiler worker at all times, and it will provide a cleaner working and living environment by eliminating coal residue and dirty flue gas. We also believe that the occupancy rate of lodgings in our districts will increase as a result of the natural gas supply to lodgings and the installation of natural gas water heaters."

New Heat Gallery Channels Offer Numerous Benefits.

Prof. Dr. Çomaklı stated that, as part of their efforts to enhance the living conditions of not only students but also academic and administrative staff and their families, they have renewed the heat channels in the area where the residences are located. He also noted that the heating and electrical installations were updated by constructing a new reinforced concrete heating gallery in place of the old stone-walled heating gallery. He continued, "In our university, which has a large campus area, the heating needs are met by channels from the Central Heat Plant. These extremely old channels are made of stone walls, which has the potential to cause their collapse, heat loss due to lack of thermal insulation, filling of the channels with water and mud due to lack of waterproofing, and occupational accidents while walking or working due to the channels' narrowness. However, the newly constructed and currently being constructed gallery channels have sufficient large working and walking areas, escape rooms, ventilation chimneys, and lighting systems to contribute to occupational health and safety, and in addition to occupational health and safety, the geothermal pipes used in the channels provide energy. Losses are limited. With these productions, not only are the energy costs of our university, which is located in a cold climate, reduced, but we are also able to create a modern working environment for our employees."

Rector Çomaklı asserts, "Happy Students Are Necessary for Quality Education."

Rector Çomaklı thanked all internal and external stakeholder teams for their frenzied work at the expansive Atatürk University, stating, "Our work continued uninterrupted throughout the summer break in all of our divisions that had deficiencies and required repair. The work continues just before the commencement of the new academic term. We have reached the conclusion of the ongoing project and are attempting to complete it. With any luck, we will complete the work quickly and begin the new academic year."

Rector Çomaklı added, "At our university, with its modern buildings, qualified education-research studies, infrastructure and superstructure equipped with the most advanced technology, we are developing and implementing projects to create even more opportunities for social and athletic activities, particularly in our dormitories. Acting under the motto "Happy students are essential for quality education," we are making rapid progress in a variety of areas as a result of both the scientific studies and physical changes we have made as part of our New Generation University Design and Transformation Project. Together with the city that supports it and the organizations with which it collaborates, Atatürk University will continue to compete with universities around the globe."


22.08.2023 CORPORATE COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE