Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil attended the 2025-2026 Higher Education Academic Year Opening Ceremony organized by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). The ceremony took place on October 9, 2024, at the Beştepe National Congress and Culture Center with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

In his speech at the ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the ongoing genocide in Gaza, stating that efforts are being made to stop the bloodshed and establish a ceasefire. He highlighted their commitment to building a promising future rooted in history and to advancing Turkish higher education. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that they are embracing an entirely new vision across all areas. We have accelerated our efforts to ensure that at least one vocational school in each city operates in coordination with the local chamber of industry,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He emphasized that through various initiatives and reforms, they will continue to open new opportunities for young people and universities, and he wished a successful 2025-2026 Academic Year.

YÖK President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar then addressed the audience, noting that, as a sign of solidarity with the people of Palestine, all universities devoted considerable attention to the topics of Gaza and Palestine in the first classes of the new academic year. He hoped that the ceasefire agreement reached in Gaza would become lasting. “One of our top priorities for the coming period is to extend the workplace-based practical education model to both associate and undergraduate programs,” he said. Özvar emphasized that the model will help make students more skilled, productive, and focused on employment, while also boosting collaboration between universities and industry. Prof. Dr. Özvar explained that the workplace-based training model will be launched in seven cities, and wished for a successful new academic year for the country.

After the 2025-2026 Academic Year Opening Ceremony, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil commented that the newly adopted applied vocational education model, as determined by YÖK, will reinforce university-sector collaboration and give students the opportunity to learn their professions in real-world settings. This education model is highly important for the development of our country and for enabling our students to become more qualified,” said Rector Karahocagil, wishing for a successful 2025-2026 Academic Year for the nation.

Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil was accompanied at the 2025-2026 Academic Year Opening Ceremony by the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Letters Dr. Faruk Selçuk, Dean of the Faculty of Sports Sciences Prof. Dr. İrfan Marangoz, Director of the Vocational School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Ayfer Şahin and international students.