“Current Issues in Higher Education
in the World” Conference Held
Monday, December 3, ninety-five attendees; including rectors,
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) members, and
dignitaries in the field of education from a variety of countries, convened at Bilkent
University to discuss issues facing higher education systems throughout the world.
Professor İhsan Doğramacı shared parts of his own experiences, and provided information
on the highly successful progress that Turkey has made in this area in his speech,
entitled "University Governance in Turkey: The Transformation of Higher Education,
1981-2007."
Other speakers included: Dr. Jan Sadlak, Director of UNESCO-CEPES (Why and How has Higher
Education Changed-and What Does it All Mean for Access, Governance, Evaluation and Funding
of Higher Education?); Dr. Per Nyborg, Former Chair of Steering Committee for Higher
Education and Research, Council of Europe, and Former Head of Secretariat for the Bologna
Process (The Bologna Process and Reforms in Higher Education Institutions); and Ms. Katia
Dolgova-Dreyer, Secretary of the Steering Committee for Higher Education and Research,
Council of Europe (Challenges Faced by Universities in a Modern Multicultural Society).
The conference was chaired by Prof. Aybar Ertepınar,Vice-President of YÖK.
The Fun of Films On Wheels And DocuTravel!
The DocuTravel workshop provides film and media students the chance to work with their
counter parts from other countries in a professional environment. The emphasis is on the
importance of documentaries as an art form, and it's value for cross cultural exploration
and understanding.
This year, students from Bilkent met up with peers from Georgia as part of the program to
produce short documentary films on the eastern town of Kars, where the 13th Festival of
European Films on Wheels was held from November 9 to 15. With the help and guidance of
filmmakers and tutors from both countries, the students had an invaluable opportunity to
improve their skills.(continues)
Yekta Güngör Özden Visits Bilkent
Yekta Güngör Özden, former Head Judge of the Constitutional Court of Turkey and
prominent legal scholar, was on campus last Tuesday to address the issue of proposed
reforms to Turkey's constitution. The event was organized by the Management and Economics
Club (MEC). A large audience was in attendance to hear what the distinguished and
experienced Mr. Özden had to say.
Özden's speech focused on the legal aspects of possible constitutional reforms and the
drafting process. However, known as a devoted Kemalist, he did not refrain from providing
his own views on some key issues in contemporary Turkish politics from this perspective.
His presentation was well received by attendees, and the event proved to be an excellent
opportunity to learn a bit more about the future direction of the nation.
Selim Can Sazak (PHIL/I)
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President Gül Starts Discussion
Lunches with Bilkent Professors
President Abdullah Gül has launched his new series of luncheons on Wednesday 28th with
Prof. Halil İnalcık and Prof. Talat Halman as his initial guests. The President is
planning to hold meetings and discussions with intellectuals and academic experts. During
his meeting with two senior Bilkent scholars, he praised Bilkent University as "a
unique institution of higher learning in Turkey and an extraordinary academic
success."
Professors İnalcık and Halman covered a broad range of topics from support for
publication of Turkish literary works in translation, to the establishment of an institute
or center of Mediterranean studies; from stronger cooperation among Turkish speaking
countries, to the establishment of a Yunus Emre center for exploration of Anatolian folk
culture and mystical literature.
Turkish media showed a great deal of interest in the inauguration of the presidential
luncheons, comparing them with the celebrated dinners with intellectuals that had been
held in Atatürk's presidential palace in the 1920's and 1930's. It was noted by
commentators that Bilkent earned the prestige of having two of its senior scholars as the
first guests.
Alumnus Designs Award Winning Posters
Bilge Kınam, a class of 2000 graduate from the Department of Graphic Design, has won
First Prize in the İzmir European Jazz Festival's Fifth Poster Design Competition.
Organized by İKSEV (İzmir Culture, Art and Education Foundation), submissions were
accepted from March 6 to 13, 2007.
On November 19, Kınam also won the First Prize in a Poster Design Competition organized
by NIHA (Netherlands Institute for Higher Education, Ankara). Kınam's winning poster
design will be used to publicize NIHA.
For more information:
- http://www.iksev.org/
avrupa_caz_festivali/
- http://www.nihankara.org/
Also in this issue:
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