Handover Ceremony at BARU: Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akkaya Assumes Office
Yayın Tarihi : 23/05/2025
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akkaya has officially taken office as Rector of Bartın University (BARU), succeeding Prof. Dr. Orhan Uzun in a formal ceremony.
With Presidential Decree No. 2025/181, published in the Official Gazette on May 17, 2025, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akkaya was appointed Rector of BARU. At the “Rectorate Handover Ceremony” held at the Education–Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences Conference Hall, Prof. Dr. Akkaya formally assumed the role from Prof. Dr. Uzun.
The program began with a moment of silence and the Turkish National Anthem, followed by the screening of the short film “The Story of Development,” which reviewed BARU’s achievements between 2017 and 2024.
“BARU Will Continue to Develop in Every New Term”
In his remarks, BARU’s Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Ramazan Kaplan said: “Each new term brings new progress. Today marks the start of another chapter. Universities, tasked with producing and disseminating knowledge, must continue their efforts guided by wisdom and scholarship. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akkaya, who is assuming this role, will carry the flag even further.”
Prof. Dr. Uzun: I Am Handing Over My Duty with Peace of Mind after Eight Years
Prof. Dr. Orhan Uzun expressed his satisfaction in contributing to BARU during his eight-year tenure: “It is with great honor and peace of mind that I hand over the rectorship of Bartın University after eight years. This duty has been a values ecosystem we created together, a success story we wrote together. I believe the BARU family will continue to grow, progress, and take its place in history with lasting achievements during the Türkiye Century. With these thoughts, I welcome Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akkaya once again and wish him continued success.”
At the subsequent “Robing Ceremony,” Prof. Dr. Uzun presented the rector’s gown to Prof. Dr. Akkaya. After an exchange of flowers, Rector Akkaya delivered his first speech.
Rector Akkaya: This Duty Is a Great Honor and Responsibility for Me
Beginning his speech with the theme “Better Together,” Rector Akkaya said: “Serving in Bartın, one of our country’s treasures with its natural beauty and deep-rooted history, is a great honor and responsibility for me. I owe gratitude to our Founding Rector, Prof. Dr. Ramazan Kaplan, who laid strong foundations for the academic and administrative structure of our university. I also sincerely thank Prof. Dr. Orhan Uzun, who tirelessly worked to advance our institution during his tenure. I hope this new beginning will be auspicious for our university, our city, and our country. I extend heartfelt thanks to all members of our community for their support on this meaningful day, and I look forward to achieving many successes together as the BARU family.”
Rector Akkaya also expressed his gratitude for his appointment: “I extend my thanks to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for his unwavering support for higher education and for entrusting me with this important duty. Being deemed worthy of this role is not only a great honor but also a profound responsibility. I pledge to work with all my strength to be worthy of this trust and to further advance Bartın University. I also take this opportunity to thank our Minister of Justice, Mr. Yılmaz Tunç, a distinguished figure from Bartın, who played a leading role in establishing our university and contributed greatly to its development.”
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