Sakarya University Rector Prof. Dr. Hamza Al and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Emrah Doğan, Secretary General Dr.  Abdulkadir Altnsoy, International Relations Coordinator Dr. Tuba Tatar, and Technocity Director Dr.  Yakup Köseoğlu paid a visit to Atatürk University.

Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı stated that they are pleased to host the valuable management of Sakarya University, which contributes significantly to the country's higher education, and that they attach great importance to this and similar visits that will develop and strengthen the relationship between the two universities.

Rector Çomaklı stated that they hosted Prof Dr Al, who was from Erzurum, in his hometown to share the outcomes of the New Generation University Design and Transformation Project, which shaped the roadmap of Atatürk University, as well as to share information about the works that have been done and are planned, and to convey the specifics of this process that gave the university a significant boost.

The Foundations for a Long-Lasting System Have Been Laid

Rector Çomaklı told his visitors at the Scientific Research Projects (SCP) Coordination Unit that the New Generation University Project, Atatürk University's vision project, paved the way for them. Prof. Dr. Çomaklı, emphasising that universities should promote lifelong learning, stated: "Universities open their doors to their communities and welcome the public to education via their education centres. We set out on this path with the intention of making our institution advantageous to everybody. Due to the shifting expectations of society from colleges, universities were required to adopt a structure that met these requirements. We have effectively finished the transformation that we started at Atatürk University and established the groundwork for a system that will serve for many years without issue."

Plans for the Short, Medium, and Long Term Were Created

Rector Çomaklı, who stated that Atatürk University, whose roots date back to the 1930s and whose official foundation was established in 1957, has a significant academic background, has served as a locomotive since the day he took office, has the title of university that founded a university, and has taken it upon himself to serve his country with the graduates of the university. They acknowledged that a necessary alteration to meet the needs of the times is unavoidable in their household.

After completing the required planning, Rector Çomaklı claimed that urgent action was taken: "We developed work packages by developing short-, medium-, and long-term plans in order to execute the stages of education, research, and social impact system design in all university units. We want to generate a multiplier effect in these three mission areas in order to increase the university's impact. To achieve the aforementioned integration, we devised a multidimensional project strategy with a seven-layer management architecture. The accreditation of the education we have provided by the Higher Education Quality Board (YOKAK) and subsequently receiving the title of Research University, which propelled our university into the big leagues, is the most significant indicator that our New Generation Design and Transformation Project has been designed and implemented correctly."

Rector Çomaklı stated that they would be delighted to share all the insights obtained throughout this process, and added that they would welcome the opportunity to collaborate with Sakarya University and explain the accomplishments in full.

Atatürk University is a pioneer in numerous areas.

Prof. Dr. Hamza Al, rector of Sakarya University, would state that the transformation and development at Atatürk University is inspirational and that, as a native of Erzurum, he is aware of the significance of these lands and that Atatürk University is of critical importance to this city. "We scheduled a trip to Erzurum so that we could carefully study the New Generation University initiative of Atatürk University, which is a pioneer in many fields, and watch the work being done on location. This information will serve as a guide for us. I would like to thank Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı for hosting us at Atatürk University, which we visited not only to obtain knowledge but also to promote bilateral relations, and I wish him the best of luck in his studies.

After the meeting at the SCP, Rector Çomaklı offered his visitors a tour of the units created under the New Generation University Design and Transformation Project and discussed with his colleague the work accomplished here.

Following the unit visits, the parties signed a cooperation pact that covers the joint use of the education and research facilities of the institutions for all education and research-related activities.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE – 02.02.2023