An online seminar on “Unimpeded Universities” has been held on Friday, December 04, 2020 in cooperation with the University of Kyrenia Faculty of Education and the Near East University Social Research and Development Center.

Faculty of Education Dean Prof. Gökmen Dağlı moderated the seminar in which founders and heads of the Near East University Social Research and Development Center. Prof. Dr. Zehra Altınay and Prof. Dr Fahriye Altınay attended as a speaker. At the beginning of the seminar Günay Kibrit, the President of the Cyprus Turkish Association of Individuals with Orthopaedic Disability, also made a speech.

Emphasizing that the Near East University Social Research and Development Center has made a great contribution in this field since 2013, Dağlı also expressed their desire to make a Strategic Action Plan for the relevant institutions and organizations to take a more active and productive role and to contribute to it as UoK and NEU.

Speaking afterwards, Günay Kibrit, President of the Cyprus Turkish Association of Individuals with Orthopaedic Disability, said that many officials gave support messages due to December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, but this should not be limited to one day.

Kibrit emphasized the contributions of the Near East University Social Research and Development Center and expressed his thanks.

Reminding that according to the data of October 2017, there are 5601 registered disabled people in TRNC but this information does not reflect the current situation, Günay Kibrit underlined that the studies to be conducted should be based on current data

Stating that the employment of disabled individuals is also an important problem in our country, Günay Kibrit said that despite the shortcomings in this regard, they are not treated as required by the laws.

Kibrit stated that it is the basic demand of individuals with disabilities is to use the opportunities provided by the constitution on the basis of human rights.

Noting that the examples of educational institutions that take steps for an unimpeded campus such as University of Kyrenia and NEU should increase in order to enable disabled individuals to access education, Günay Kibrit, emphasized that disabled individuals do not struggle with difficulties alone by themselves and that their families also face the negative overcomes.

Prof. Dr. Zehra Altınay stated in her speech, which she started by giving examples of the importance of the concepts of understanding and being understood, that they have organized this seminar to take action rather than raising awareness.

Reminding that Günay Kibrit is also a lecturer at their university, Altınay noted that they, as the Center of Social Research and Development of Near East University, act as a bridge aiming to benefit the society.

Prof. Dr. Zehra Altınay said that they are ready to contribute to strategic planning and statistical data studies.

Altınay gave information about the “Unimpeded University” concept, which she described as a right, about the content of the programs determined by the Council of Higher Education of Turkey and the criteria such as access to education at faculty level, program content.

Prof. Dr. Zehra Altınay concluded her words by saying that NEU and University of Kyrenia attach importance to the issue of access to sociocultural activities and that it is possible to achieve the mentioned targets with correct preliminary preparations.

Prof. Dr. Fahriye Altınay reminded that the framework of social life has also changed due to the pandemic and said that it was seen how much our lives could change suddenly with the butterfly effect created by Covid-19.

Stating that many changes are taking place with digital learning environments in the post-pandemic period, Altınay through detailed examples touched on the importance of transmitting this to wide areas while acting with social responsibility and the roles of educators in this regard.

Emphasizing that unexpected risk management and strategic planning must be taken into account in the future of universities; Fahriye Altınay stated that as a center they are conducting community analysis during the pandemic period.

Altınay said that, according to UNESCO’s goals, learner-oriented education is important, she emphasized the importance of accessibility, smart society, equality in education, safe school projects.

Providing information about the national and international studies of the Near East University Social Research and Development Center, Prof. Dr. Fahriye Altınay touched on their cooperation with different institutes and concluded her words by expressing her willingness to continue such studies.

Prof. Dr. Gökmen Dağlı made the closing speech of the seminar with the proposal of establishing a committee for the strategic planning and action plan and thanked the speakers and other participants.