Is Ekrem İmamoğlu’s lateral transfer legal? Statement issued by Girne American University

According to a report by Ayşemden Akın from Bugün Kıbrıs, the letter sent yesterday by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and Istanbul University stated that YÖK did not recognize this university at the time İmamoğlu made his lateral transfer from GAU.

Speaking to Bugün Kıbrıs, Girne American University Board of Trustees Chairman and Founding Rector Serhat Akpınar refuted this information and said, “Ekrem Bey’s lateral transfer is legal.”

PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE: EMU IS RECOGNIZED, GAU IS NOT

In its letter, the Prosecutor's Office pointed out that in 1990, only the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) was recognized by YÖK, and argued that the lateral transfer procedures carried out through the University College Northern Cyprus (UCNC) were not in accordance with YÖK decisions.

The letter requested that the necessary procedures be carried out as soon as possible and that the documents be sent immediately so that İmamoğlu's diploma does not cause legal problems.

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

The university, registered at its founding as University College Northern Cyprus (UCNC), was established in 1985 by a Council of Ministers decision. Due to the lack of legislation at that time, it was necessary to make an ‘affiliation’ agreement, meaning a parent university agreement, with a university from England or America.

GAU succeeded in making this agreement with the US-accredited Southeastern University DC. Students studying at GAU until 1993 were graduating from Southeastern University, and they were the ones issuing the diplomas.

On the other hand, when GAU was founded, the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK) had only been established for a few years, and at that time, there was no equivalence or recognition system within YÖK. Officials from the Board of Education would be assigned to come and inspect the universities. In fact, the then-Minister of National Education of Turkey, Avni Akyol, like many other Turkish officials, had received an honorary degree at the university's 1991 graduation ceremony.

STATEMENT RECEIVED

The university's owner, Democrat Party MP Serhat Akpınar, stated the following:

“Speaking as GAU, Ekrem Bey studied in Cyprus and later left us. The phrase ‘GAU was not recognized at that time’ regarding us is completely false. Southeastern University is accredited in America; YÖK approved these diplomas for years, and there are hundreds of students who have received their education. There are dozens who have transferred to different universities. The Turkish Embassy in Nicosia was issuing approval documents for the military service of students studying in the TRNC. If it had not been recognized, they would have been unable to perform these procedures. Ekrem Bey’s lateral transfer is legal.”