The Opening Ceremony of the İbn Haldun University Complex was held on Monday, October 19, with the esteemed presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The ceremony marked the inauguration of the first completed phase of the complex.
19 October 2020
İBN HALDUN UNİVERSİTY COMPLEX INAUGURATED İN THE PRESENCE OF PRESİDENT RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN
The opening ceremony of the İbn Haldun University Complex was held on Monday, October 19, with the esteemed presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The event marked the commissioning of the first completed phase of the complex.
Organized with strict pandemic measures, the ceremony was attended by İbn Haldun University Rector Prof. Dr. Recep Şentürk, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. İrfan Gündüz, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, ministers, board members, vice-rectors, deans, faculty members, students, philanthropic donors, and distinguished guests.
Rector Prof. Dr. Recep Şentürk opened his speech by thanking the President for honoring the university on this special day and expressed his hope that the complex would serve as a lasting center of knowledge, wisdom, and virtue. Citing Yunus Emre, he said, “May the İbn Haldun hearth you officially open today never be extinguished, and may its flame of truth and justice illuminate hearts and minds across the world.”
Prof. Şentürk highlighted the university’s journey since its founding in 2017, noting significant achievements in just three years through the joint efforts of trustees, donors, faculty, administrators, and students. He emphasized the university’s mission to foster intellectual independence for students, the nation, and all societies subjected to cultural colonialism, employing a comparative education model in three languages alongside moral and character training rooted in the principle of futuwwa.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. İrfan Gündüz described İbn Haldun University as a new-generation institution that grows and evolves without losing its roots, aiming to equip students with the vision to transform both Turkey and the world. He explained that the complex combines Seljuk, Ottoman, and modern architectural styles, and that the historic Süleymaniye madrasas within the Süleymaniye Campus have been restored to their original function.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised the university complex for its philosophical depth, architecture, and facilities, describing it as an exemplary work inspired by Mimar Sinan. He expressed confidence that the institution would open a new chapter in social sciences in Turkey.
The President underscored the importance of intellectual independence as the foundation of both political and economic sovereignty, criticizing Turkey’s historical tendency toward uncritical Western imitation. He stressed that real power lies in intellectual leadership, noting that while the past 18 years have seen historic achievements in many fields, progress in education, culture, and media has not reached the desired level.
President Erdoğan called on scholars, artists, and thinkers to lead the establishment of intellectual authority, while the political sphere should provide the necessary environment. He emphasized the need to integrate the accumulated wisdom of Islamic civilization with the opportunities of the modern world, aiming to produce rather than consume ideas.
The President stated that İbn Haldun University embodies one of the first and most important steps toward his vision of “intellectual authority” for Turkey’s 2053 goals. He highlighted the necessity of transforming higher education at every level into a production center for the nation’s intellectual sovereignty, and expressed confidence that such an achievement would open the door to a brighter future for all humanity.
During the event, İbn Haldun University and Qatar University signed a cooperation protocol. In appreciation of his attendance, President Erdoğan was presented with a symbolic key to the complex by Prof. Dr. İrfan Gündüz. The ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting.
