News

The "Club Presidents Meeting," organized by the Health, Culture, and Sports Directorate to evaluate the academic standards of the 107 student clubs operating within our university, increase the inclusivity of club activities, and strengthen coordination between student communities and university administration, The meeting was held on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at the Ziraat Bank Conference Hall in the Central Library.

The meeting was attended by our Rector Prof. Dr. Gülfettin Çelik, our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Yaşar Bülbül, our Secretary General Ali Ramazan Tak, our Assistant Secretary General Yıldırım Tilaver, the Head of the Health, Culture, and Sports Department Ayşe Yıldız Özkurt, and the presidents of the student clubs.

The meeting began with remarks by our Rector, Prof. Dr. Gülfettin Çelik. He stated that university student clubs should be engaging and guiding institutions that cater to 18,000 students. Reminding that clubs are not neighborhood clubs or just social media groups, Çelik said, "This is a university, and all activities are expected to be on an academic level. Public resources and facilities are used in this context. Therefore, activities must be more sophisticated and purposeful," drawing attention to the institutional seriousness and social responsibility of club activities.

Noting that clubs should be inclusive, our Rector stated that clubs confined to a narrow circle become ineffective, adding, "Clubs should not become a closed-loop system controlled by 5-10 people. They should be run in a way that appeals to all 18,000 of our students and incorporates their views and support." He also advised students to value the guidance of the administrative and academic staff.

Then, our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Yaşar Bülbül took the floor and touched upon the changing face of education and the new opportunities offered by the university. Noting that club activities will be made visible internationally in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Bülbül said, "We have established a 'Social Diploma' system to document your development outside of class. This is a valuable document that says, 'Our friend did not settle for just education, but also spent time developing themselves.'" He also reminded the audience of the importance of the "Social Diploma" project. In addition, Bülbül said that clubs should not only be structures that organize events, but also dynamic bodies that participate in the university's decision-making processes.

The meeting, which served as a bridge between the administration and students, concluded with an interactive Q&A session where club presidents' expectations and projects were discussed.