Academics who contributed to the scientific development of Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU), along with students who achieved top rankings in the Orientation sports tournaments, were honoured at the “Academic Achievement and Student Sports Achievement Awards Ceremony” organised by the university. Attended by academics and approximately 2,000 students, the event highlighted achievements ranging from academic productivity and technology to sport.
Held at the HKU Congress and Culture Centre, the ceremony was attended by Bilal Erdoğan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the İlim Yayma Foundation; Gaziantep Governor Kemal Çeber; Gaziantep Metropolitan Mayor Fatma Şahin; HKU Chairman of the Board of Trustees Haluk Kalyoncu; HKU Rector Prof. Dr Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan; Ibn Haldun University Rector Prof. Dr Atilla Arkan; academics and students.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS HONOURED
During the ceremony, awards were presented to academics who completed their academic promotion processes during the 2025–2026 academic year, as well as those who distinguished themselves through scientific publications and citations, successful TÜBİTAK and international project applications, and registered patents.
WE ARE DELIGHTED BY THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HKU’S TECHNOLOGY TEAMS
Speaking at the ceremony, Bilal Erdoğan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the İlim Yayma Foundation, said: “We are delighted by the achievements of Hasan Kalyoncu University’s technology teams in TEKNOFEST competitions. We are also beginning to see the results of investments in education reflected in our universities. Hasan Kalyoncu University has now begun to appear in the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings.
“The number of universities from Türkiye included in international university rankings such as QS and THE is increasing every year. We are also witnessing our universities rise in these rankings. This is one of the clearest indications that Türkiye is beginning to reap the benefits of more than 20 years of investment in education.
“As the İlim Yayma Foundation and İlim Yayma Society, we have organised the İlim Yayma Awards, Türkiye’s largest academic awards programme, since 2019. Every two years, we present three awards. Through the İlim Yayma Awards, we see the high-quality academic work being carried out across every field in Türkiye. With each award cycle, we observe an increase in both the number and quality of applications. We are particularly pleased, for example, to see a growing number of female academics among the applicants,” he said.
Erdoğan also referred to the late Hasan Kalyoncu’s vision of establishing a university in Gaziantep, saying: “Consider the vision of the late Hasan Kalyoncu. Although he could very well have established a foundation university in Ankara or Istanbul, he chose to establish one in Gaziantep. Think of the contribution this university has made to Gaziantep and the wider region.
“As someone involved in the governance of a foundation university, I know how difficult this work can be. Establishing such a university in Gaziantep and achieving these remarkable successes today is a great source of pride for the Kalyoncu family. I congratulate them as well.”
OUR GROWING PERFORMANCE IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS REFLECTED IN OUR ACHIEVEMENTS
HKU Chairman of the Board of Trustees Haluk Kalyoncu stated that the progress made by academics in scientific research was being reflected in the university’s international ranking results. He noted that HKU ranked fifth among foundation universities in Türkiye in the SCImago research rankings and 141st worldwide in the UI GreenMetric 2026 rankings.
Referring also to the university’s first-ever inclusion in the THE World University Rankings 2027, Kalyoncu thanked the academic staff and said: “The growing performance of our distinguished academics in scientific research is now being reflected in our university’s scientific output. As the first foundation university in the Southeastern Anatolia Region, we are pleased with the level of success we have reached and to see the results of the patient and determined efforts we have pursued for more than 20 years.
“We thank our academics who have increased the number of research studies, international publications, patents, projects, inventions and citations, as well as our Rector Prof. Dr Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan and all our faculty members. On behalf of our Board of Trustees, I would like to express my gratitude to our academics for their contributions to the achievements of our university.”
Kalyoncu also referred to initiatives aimed at preparing students for their education and professional careers, noting that approximately 150 incubation centres operate within the Technopark established in cooperation with the Gaziantep Organised Industrial Zone, where students can benefit from free consultancy and mentoring support to develop their business ideas.
RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTIVITY ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR APPROACH TO EDUCATION
HKU Rector Prof. Dr Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan said: “The strength of a university is demonstrated not only by its physical facilities, but also by the scientific knowledge it produces, the research it conducts and the impact generated by this work. We regard research, scientific productivity and innovative thinking as an integral part of our approach to education.
“This ceremony is an important reflection of our determination to strengthen an institutional culture in which effort is valued, achievement is recognised and scientific production is encouraged. Behind this determination lies a strong belief in education and young people, as well as a broad vision,” she said.
STUDENTS’ SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS RECOGNISED
As part of the programme, HKU teams that achieved podium finishes and received special awards at TEKNOFEST 2026 were also honoured. Bilal Erdoğan and Haluk Kalyoncu later joined students on the padel court and took part in sporting activities.
The delegation then attended the awards ceremony for the tournaments organised as part of ORIENTATION’26, sharing in the excitement and happiness of the students.
Awards were presented to students and teams that achieved top rankings in basketball, football, volleyball, archery, golf, tennis, table tennis, padel, chess, e-sports and mangala.
Bilal Erdoğan, Haluk Kalyoncu and the accompanying delegation also visited student society stands, where they received information about social, cultural and sporting activities. The programme continued with golf and archery activities, bringing students together through a range of events catering to different interests.
