The 2026-2027 Academic Year of our university commenced with a grand ceremony held with the participation of the Minister of Health, Prof. Kemal Memişoğlu. Speaking at the academic opening ceremony, Minister Memişoğlu emphasized that Türkiye must become one of the leading countries producing knowledge and technology in the field of healthcare. Our Rector, Prof. Adem Akçakaya, also underscored the goal of a "Terror-Free Türkiye" and shared the Academic Opening presentation.
The Bezmiâlem Vakıf University 2026-2027 Academic Year Opening Ceremony began with a moment of silence followed by the National Anthem. The opening speeches were delivered by the Minister of Health Prof. Kemal Memişoğlu, Rector of Bezmiâlem Vakıf University Prof. Adem Akçakaya, President of the Board of Trustees Hüseyin Topbaş, and Director General of Foundations Sinan Aksu.
In his address, our Rector Prof. Adem Akçakaya expressed his gratitude to Minister of Health Prof. Kemal Memişoğlu for gracing the academic year opening with his presence. Stating that they carry the university's nearly two-century-old healthcare legacy into the future through education, research, and healthcare services, Prof. Akçakaya shared their goals for the new academic year.
Referring to the call by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to include the topic of a "Terror-Free Türkiye" in the first lecture of the academic year, Prof. Akçakaya stated: "We are passing through a critical period for our country's future. One of the prominent headings of this period is the goal of a Terror-Free Türkiye. A Türkiye where terror is absent and peace prevails means a Türkiye where our youth look to the future with greater confidence, and where science, education, healthcare services, and development progress more robustly."
Stating that the academic opening lecture would be held under the title 'A New Paradigm in Medicine with Artificial Intelligence,' our Rector remarked: "As our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also expressed in his academic year opening speech, mind-boggling developments are taking place in the field of artificial intelligence. Today, accessing information is easier than ever before. However, evaluating this information accurately and transforming it into studies that contribute to human health holds vital importance."
Hüseyin Topbaş, who assumed the chairmanship of the Board of Trustees of our University this year, noted that serving in a deeply rooted foundation institution carries great excitement and responsibility for him.
Emphasizing that the civilization of foundations is not limited to historical artifacts alone, TOPBAŞ said: "The foundation civilization entrusted to us by our ancestors is not merely composed of historical monuments. It encompasses a mindset that teaches us to serve humanity, multiply goodness, share what we have, and consider those who come after us. Bezmiâlem stands out as one of the finest examples of this."
"We Wish to Keep Alive the Charitable Legacy of Bezmiâlem Valide Sultan"
Speaking at the ceremony, Director General of Foundations Sinan Aksu drew attention to the significance of foundation culture in social solidarity and the understanding of serving humanity.
Stating that the charitable legacy left by Bezmiâlem Valide Sultan continues to be kept alive today through healthcare services, Aksu expressed: "There is tremendous spirituality here. It serves as a door of hope and healing for numerous patients. We wish to support this endeavor with the charities bequeathed by Bezmiâlem Valide Sultan and ensure the continuation of these services."
"We Will Produce the Knowledge of Health and Develop Its Technology"
Taking the podium following the opening speeches, Minister of Health Prof. Kemal Memişoğlu conveyed his pleasure at being at Bezmiâlem Vakıf University. Emphasizing that Türkiye must become one of the leading countries producing knowledge and technology in healthcare, MEMİŞOĞLU stated: "We must also be among the leading countries that produce the knowledge of health, develop its technology, and steer its future. We have physicians, scientists, city hospitals, laboratories, and research centers. Most importantly, we have youth who are eager to learn and produce. Therefore, we must channel this power into new discoveries, novel treatments, and products that will serve the benefit of humanity. We will produce the knowledge of health and develop its technology. We will articulate new perspectives in healthcare. Our universities bear great responsibility in achieving this goal. Academia carries the responsibility of generating scientific solutions to the needs of our country. We must transform the problems we encounter in the field into research subjects and put the acquired knowledge into practice."
Touching upon the efforts carried out in alignment with the Healthy Türkiye Century vision, Minister Memişoğlu stated: "With our 'Productive Healthcare' approach, we bring together our universities, healthcare professionals, engineers, and industrialists around a common objective." Addressing academics and students as well, Memişoğlu called for new ideas in the field of healthcare to be shared via the Productive Healthcare Portal, highlighting the importance of pursuing scientific studies with steadfast determination.
The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Explored in the Academic Opening Lecture
Following the departure of Minister of Health Prof. Kemal Memişoğlu due to his intense schedule, our Rector delivered a comprehensive presentation regarding the university's activities and new academic year targets.
In the continuation of the program, the academic opening lecture titled "A New Paradigm in Medicine with Artificial Intelligence" was delivered by Prof. Hakan Özdemir. The lecture addressed the impacts of artificial intelligence on medical education, scientific research, and healthcare services.
The opening ceremony of the Bezmiâlem Foundation University 2026-2027 Academic Year concluded after a commemorative group photo session.
