Dr. Suat I. Gunsel, the rector and founder of Near East University together with his delegation, visited Odlar Yurdu University and met with the university’s rector, Prof. Ahmad Valiyev.

The “Honorary Diploma” presentation ceremony was held in the assembly hall. Rector Prof. Valiyev opened the presentation ceremony and greeted the guests. Later Prof. Suat Gunsel`s autobiography was read out by Prof. Fakhraddin Sadikoglu (Vice rector of Near East University). Thereafter, according to a resolution of the Scientific Council of Odlar Yurdu University, Prof. Valiyev presented the Honorary Doctor diploma of Odlar Yurdu University to Dr. Suat I. Gunsel for his outstanding activities in the field of science and education.
 
Dr. SUAT İ. GUNSEL`S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel was born in Beşiktepe Village, a nice village of Cyprus, as the son of a forester in 1952.
At the moment of his birth, Suat İ. Gunsel had already started the great adventure of his life, feeling the persistence and fortitude of his people, Turkish Cypriots who were living with trials and tribulations in various dimensions.
He was one of the very first students of the English College opened in the Turkish Side of Nicosia, and graduated from this school in 1969. Following his graduation from the Department of Physics at the Middle East Technical University, he carried out his postgraduate studies and obtained a PhD on Educational Psychology.
At one of the stages of the long way he committed, “His impressive achievements resulting with creation of institutions and foundations at the international standards in education and health sectors that are renowned worldwide, and offering these achievements into the service of his own people and the peoples of world...” would be the term of justification to be honored with a distinguished award at an international platform.
So indeed, it has been observed in his speeches on various occasions that he acts with the sense of a patriotic Turkish Cypriot who considers the education system as a “...waving stream on which achievements of our next generations are shaped on the basis of our current social and national values”.
Establishing his entire life philosophy and vision upon this idea, Dr. Suat Gunsel, starting from the times he established a private school where students were prepared to university entrance exams and university life, has been called as “Suat Hoca” at the university environments and in all around of Cyprus. Today, his former students, who are now professors, directors, managers, ministers or members of national assemblies, state councils, state that they still identify him with this name.
The year is 1988 and the establishment of the Near East University was recorded in lines of history. Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel was the Rector and the Founding Rector of the university.
It is 2011 today: The Near East University, bearing a private foundation status in legal terms, however, being in commitment of public totally, is carrying out its multi-dimensional educational service in educational and social terms with its 16 faculties, 65 departments, 4 high schools, 4 postgraduate institutes (at MA and PhD level) in accordance with the philosophy that Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel dedicated himself to.
Some of the remarkable developments of the Near East University established on a 320,000 square meters area are:
The Grand Library of the Near East University that was proclaimed to be the “Central Library of Turkic World” at the Final Declaration of The International Conference organized by the Delegates of Turkic World;
Super Computers that can process over 15 trillion operations within a second, the unique samples of their own kind in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and they are available at only 28 universities all over the world;
The Near East University hospital that found life as a result of a dedicated investment over 150 million USD;
Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry and dentistry Clinics that have been accredited by JCI (Joint Commission International), Faculty of Pharmacy that shares the same features and excellent quality of the Faculty of dentistry, the Olympic Swimming Pool which is one of the most advanced and modern sports facility complexes of the country,
The Founding Rector Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel states that he adores the extraordinary beauty of greenery fields of the campus as much as the advanced foundations and institutions of the university aforementioned above.

And also, as Dr. Gunsel states, in their white uniforms, the male and female students of the Faculty of Maritime Studies are on cruise with full speed in the vastness of the ‘Blue’.

The Near East Colleges that come after the Pre-School Foundations of the Near East University are the “Foundations of Wisdom” as the pioneers of the elementary, secondary and high school education of the country in both private and general terms. And so, they represent the educational units that followers and staff of Dr. Gunsel take responsibility starting from pre-school stages up to the institutes where PhD programs are carried out.

It should be pointed out that Dr. Suat Gunsel has been honored with several important prizes and awards, and his worldly renowned achievements were also highlighted by the Forbes Magazine, one of the most prestigious magazines of the world.

In August 2009, Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel was awarded with the “Medal of Honor” of Gagauzian Autonomous Republic at the II. World Gagauzians Conference by the President of Gagauzia, His Excellency Mihail Formuzal.

In December 2009, Dr. Gunsel has also been honored with Golden Honor Medal by Gagauzia Autonomous Republic for his precious contributions to education sector of Gagauzia Autonomous Republic.

In March 2010, Dr. Gunsel was awarded with “Outstanding Social Success” by the National Assembly of TRNC for his contributions and world widely renowned investments made for educational systems and health sectors of TRNC.

Dr. Suat I. Gunsel was awarded with the title of Honorary Doctorate for his outstanding success in the education sector by the Komrat University in Republic of Moldavia in April 2010.

In April 2010, the Founding Rector of the Near East University, Dr. Gunsel, was awarded with a Honorary Doctorate by Azerbaijan State University of medicine for his contributions to health sector and for the establishment of Research Hospital of the Near East University that renowned worldwide, and he was also awarded with another Honorary Doctorate in Educational Sciences by Academy of Azerbaijan Universities for his outstanding contributions to education.

In October 2010, Dr. Gunsel was awarded for his contributions to Turkish culture and education system with “Turksoy Most Prestigious Golden Medal of Honor” in accordance with the decision taken at the conference of Organization of Common Directorate of International Turkish Culture and Arts by the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture of Member Countries of TÜRKSOY.

Moreover, Dr. Gunsel was awarded with the “Golden Honorary Plaquet” by the Centre of Research Islam, History, Art and Culture for his contributions to Islamic Conference Organization.

On 3 November 2010, Dr. Gunsel was also entitled as the “Rowing Ambassador of TRNC” through the common decision of the President Dr. Derviş Eroğlu and the National Assembly,.

Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel was awarded with an honorary PhD on the subject of “Innovations in Education” by the Senate of İzhevsk International Eastern European University of Republic of Udmurtia, a state of Russian Federation, on 21 February 2011.

On 20 January 2011, Paphos Turkish Association presented a plaque to Founding Rector Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel since he was elected as the “Most Successful Paphosian” in economical issues.

On 22 February 2011, Dr. Suat Gunsel was honored with a “Medal of Commemoration” for 60th anniversary of invention of Avtomat Kalashnikova 47 – AK 47, one of the most important patents of 20th century, by the legendary designer of this gun, General Mihail Kalashnikov.

On 5 July 2011, Dr. Gunsel was awarded with “Friendship Order”, the highest order of the state given to foreigners, by the President of Azerbaijan, His Excellency İlham Aliyev, for his outstanding contributions in order to develop the relations between the TRNC and the Republic of Azerbaijan, and for his contributions to Azerbaijan Diaspora.

On 7th November 2011, Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel was awarded with the Honorary Medal in celebrations organized to commemorate the 20th anniversary of establishment of Autonomous Gagauzian Republic.

On 1 December 2011, Dr. Suat İ. Gunsel, the Founding Rector of NEU, conferred upon a honorary PhD in education upon the decision of Senate of Odlar Yurdu University of Azerbaijan.

Dr. Suat I. Gunsel, the Founding Rector of the Near East University, is married and has three children.