Istanbul Kultur University (IKU) Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver published a message regarding the changing IKU agenda with COVID-19.

Dear Kültür Family,

The past two weeks have been very busy for our university. While welcoming our new students, we shared the joy and pride of our 2019-2020 /2020-2021 semester graduates.

We met with more than 3,000 graduates at the ceremony we held on September 9-10. It gave us strength to share the excitement and hopes of our young people who will start university for the first time and our new graduates.

I would like to express my gratitude to all my colleagues in the academic and administrative staff who manage these two dates, which are very important for our university, with a superior effort. I sincerely believe that we will share the same excitement and enthusiasm at the opening ceremony of our university for the 2021-2022 academic year.

My dear colleagues,

Our university is regaining its old tempo after a break of about one and a half years. In this process, where we have learned to live with the pandemic, we must continue to develop the digital reflexes we have gained. We continue our hybrid investments. We will continue to use our corporate solution CATS in distance education actively in business and education processes. The first of our new student orientations, which started as of September 13, 2021, took place under the title of digitalization. It is very important for our students to participate in the orientation programs organized by Kültür Point. I would like our academic and administrative staff to support our students for participation. However, as of the second week of September, course selections will begin. The interest and knowledge of our academicians, who serve as advisors, is a determining factor in student happiness. I especially ask from our academicians who have student counseling to support our students at the highest level, taking into account the conditions of the day.

Dear Kültür Family,

Unless there is an extraordinary situation, our return schedule to our campuses with all our academic and administrative staff is Monday, September 20, 2021. As our Rector stated in the message she shared with our university on September 3, 2021, education will start face-to-face in the new academic year with the decision of the Council of Higher Education. All planning for education and training will be made in line with the decisions of YÖK. In the measures to be taken within the scope of face-to-face education during the pandemic process, the guide titled "Applications for Campus Environments-2021" published on the official website of YÖK will be a reference. The principles specified in the guide will be taken into account in the education, training, work and other common areas of our university, especially the HES control to be applied at the entrances to the campus.

As Kültür Family, we will continue to implement our security measures at a high level during the return to the campuses and face-to-face training. In this context, we have introduced a new precautionary mechanism. As of September 10, 2021, the integration of our personnel/student cards with the HES Code has been completed. Within the scope of pandemic measures, our main goal is to protect the safety of our students, academic and administrative staff at the highest level, with the application carried out under the coordination of our Information Systems and Technologies Department. I want from all my colleagues to show sensitivity on this issue; I especially request our academic staff to inform our students.

Dear Kültür Family,

Digital processes, the weight of which has increased with the pandemic in our university, is now one of our indispensable functions. It is our responsibility to actively use digitalization in business and education processes, and I believe that we will successfully carry out this process in cooperation.

I know that with our strong staff, we will continue on the best way as the Culture Family after the pandemic. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the new appointments at our university. Deha Sevgen, who made invaluable contributions to our Corporate Communications department as the Head of Department during the 2017-2021 period, will continue to work in the senior management. I congratulate him and wish him continued success.

I wish success to Yavuz İlker Baldan, one of the graduates of our university, who started to work as the Head of Corporate Communications Department, Educational Institutions Relations Coordinator, and Şerife Ulaç, the Assistant Secretary General, whose appointment was shared with our University in the first week of September. I would like to congratulate all of our friends who have recently joined our family, with whom we will be working together as of the 2021-2022 academic year, and greet them with my sincere wishes.

We wish to carry our university to the future with health and health together.

Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees