As he pioneered the automotive industry in the TRNC by establishing GÜNSEL, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Near East Enterprises Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel was awarded an honorary doctorate by OSTİM Technical University.

OSTİM Technical University awarded an honorary doctorate to Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel at a ceremony held in Ankara. Honorary doctorate certificate, which is announced to be given to names who contribute and inspire the world of science by creating added values for the country and the world with their high-quality studies in their fields, was given to Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel for his contributions to the country by establishing GÜNSEL, the domestic car of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

At the ceremony, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Near East Enterprises Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel emphasized that with GÜNSEL, of which he is the founder, they pioneered the formation of an automotive ecosystem in Northern Cyprus. Prof. Dr. Günsel also pointed out that the GÜNSEL Academy and My Profession is in My Hand programs made a great contribution to the development of a high-quality employment environment in the industry. At the ceremony, attention was also drawn to İrfan Suat Günsel’s contributions in the field of international law and to the literature.

40-year-old Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel became one of the youngest names to be awarded an honorary doctorate in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkey.

At the ceremony held by OSTİM Technical University, Honorary President of Turkish Informatics Association, computer and software engineer and linguist Prof. Dr. Aydın Köksal and leader of the team that developed the Turkovac vaccine Prof. Dr. Aykut Özdarendeli were also awarded an honorary doctorate. At the ceremony attended by many guests, Prof. Dr. Erinç Sağkan, President of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, presented Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel with his honorary doctorate certificate.

Prof. Dr. Murat Yülek: “We would like to thank Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel for his outstanding services to employment in the industry as well as leading the establishment of the automotive ecosystem in Northern Cyprus”
Making the opening speech of the honorary doctorate ceremony, OSTIM Technical University Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Yülek started his speech by greeting his guests and continued: “We would like to express our gratitude to today’s living values, who integrate his mind with his heart, who glorify his knowledge with his virtue, who set an example for all humanity, especially our country, with their work, services and personalities.”

Stating that they awarded Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel an honorary doctorate due to the trainings he gave in the field of international law, his contributions to the literature, and his contributions to the acceleration of Turkish electric vehicle production with GÜNSEL, which he founded, Prof. Dr. Yülek said, “With the GÜNSEL Academy, which Prof. Dr. Günsel established within the body of GÜNSEL, a great deal of employment opportunity was provided especially for the Near East University students and for other people and students who aim to be qualified personnel in the automotive sector in Cyprus. He also made great contributions to increasing the quality of vocational education with the ‘My Profession is in My Hand’ project, which was implemented for high school students.

Expressing that GÜNSEL has made very important contributions to the acceleration of Turkish electric vehicle production, Prof. Dr. Yülek said, “We would like to thank Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel for his outstanding services to employment in the industry.”

Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel: “GÜNSEL together with Togg, represent not only the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, but also Turkey and the Turkic World in one of the most important and strategic sectors of the world.”
Speaking at the honorary doctorate ceremony held at OSTIM Technical University, Near East Enterprises Board of Trustees and GÜNSEL Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel emphasized that universities cannot lead social progress without transforming science and knowledge into products and benefits. “The real universities of our age are not content with producing only theoretical knowledge; They are institutions that pursue what this information will do, what benefit it will bring to the society, the country and the world, and embody this by turning it into a product.” Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel said, “As the Near East University, by leading this mission in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, we continue to study and produce, feeling the power of our homeland Turkey with us.”

Stating that one of the most concrete examples of this approach is the TRNC’s domestic car GÜNSEL, Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel said “GÜNSEL together with Togg, represent not only the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, but also Turkey and the Turkic World in one of the most important and strategic sectors of the world. We regard this responsibility as one of the most meaningful symbols of the strong commitment of Turkish Cypriots to our Turkey and the Turkic world.”

Reminding that they introduced the TRNC’s native PCR Diagnosis and Variant Analysis Kit and the protective nasal spray Olirin, developed by Near East University in 2021, Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel emphasized that, in addition to the projects that turned into products, the academic performance and scientific productivity of Near East University for the last five years were at the top of the lists published by international higher education rating institutions in 2021. Stating that they are among the top 250 universities in the world in the fields of “Engineering” and “Computer Sciences” in the World University Rankings published by Times Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Günsel said, “In the ‘Best Universities Ranking’ published by AD Scientific Index in 2022, our Near East University ranked 488th and became one of the top 500 universities in the world.”

Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel, in his speech further said, “For the Honorary Doctorate Certificate, which will be one of our most special sources of motivation as we continue to research, develop and produce for our TRNC and Turkey, I would like to thank Mr. Orhan Aydın, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of OSTİM Technical University, and Rector. Prof. Dr. Murat Yülek and the esteemed members of the OSTIM Technical University Senate.”