Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN) has taken another significant step that will bring new momentum the world of science and thought. The Philosophy-Science Application and Research Center, established within BEUN and named after one of the leading figures of philosophy, Ş. Teoman Duralı, will operate as a dynamic academic platform that produces, research, and guides work primarily in philosophy, as well as in the history of science, intellectual history, and interdisciplinary fields.
Teoman Duralı Philosophy-Science Application and Research Center under BEUN Application and Research Centers has been established upon the approval of Higher Education Executive Board during the meeting dated April 14, 2026. With the center established under the related articles of Law Number 2547, the number of application and research centers reached up to 35. This significant step strengthened the research focused vision of the university and aims to create momentum in the field of philosophy and science in Türkiye.
A New Academic Platform to Bring Philosophy and Science Together
The center will operate in a wide academic field including particularly philosophy, science, thought history and interdisciplinary research. The center, which aims to contribute to the academic community and the public through national and international congresses, symposiums, workshops, and scientific projects, will be a strong inspiration and production platform especially for young researchers.
The center also aims to pass on the authentic thought background Prof. Dr. Ş. Teoman Duralı provided in the fields of philosophy, science, and civilization to the younger generations. This platform, established in the name of Prof. Dr. Duralı who pioneered a national and indigenous philosophical thought, will become a research and production center that lives through his intellectual heritage.
The Name and the Intellectual Heritage of Prof. Dr. Duralı Lives Through an Institutional Identity at BEUN
Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University has taken significant steps to preserve the memory of Prof. Dr. Teoman Duralı. Under the leadership of the BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, comprehensive academic initiatives were taken to pass on the intellectual world of Teoman Duralı to a wider audience between 2022-2025. “The Intellectual World of Teoman Duralı Through Witnesses” panel, “Between Experience and Knowledge: Understanding Teoman Duralı” program, “Post Metaphysical Metaphysical Discussions- Towards New Ontologies”, along with the panel “A Poet, A Traveller, A Discoverer, A Philosopher Teoman Duralı” held on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of his birth and the exhibition “A World Watch of a Philosopher: Teoman Duralı”, have been widely received in both academic and social circles, offering a multi-dimensional perspective on Duralı’s intellectual legacy.
In line with this vision, institutional steps have continued to be implemented with determination and coherence. Within the scope of the Presidential Decree dated 16 April 2025, published under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Teoman Duralı’s name was assigned to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the university, thereby granting this valuable intellectual legacy a permanent academic identity. Following this development, the Department of Philosophy, established in June 2025 in accordance with Duralı’s will, began admitting its first students in the 2025–2026 Academic Year, thus carrying his intellectual vision to new generations.
This process has not been limited to academic structures alone. With the decision numbered 11201, published in the Official Gazette dated 24 April 2026, the house located in Kuzyaka Neighborhood of Kilimli district in Zonguldak, where Ş. Teoman Duralı spent his childhood years, was allocated to Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University for use in educational, cultural, and museum activities, thereby providing this heritage with a spatial memory.
As a continuation of all these steps, the Teoman Duralı Philosophy-Science Application and Research Center, established by the decision of the Council of Higher Education Executive Board on 14 April 2026, has become a strong and complementary initiative that further advances the university’s vision in this field.
Rector Özölçer: “We are delighted to establish a center that will open new horizons of thought for our youth”
In his remarks regarding the establishment of the center, BEUN Rector İsmail Hakkı Özölçer stated:
“The Teoman Duralı Philosophy-Science Application and Research Center established within our university is not merely a new academic unit; it is also a concrete reflection of our scientific, intellectual, and civilizational perspective. The increase in the number of our application and research centers is an important achievement that strengthens our scientific production capacity, enhances interdisciplinary interaction, and encourages the production of qualified knowledge in line with our goal of becoming a research-oriented university.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who honored us with his approval in the establishment of our center. I sincerely thank the 29th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, Mr. Mustafa Şentop, for his valuable contributions and support throughout the process. I also extend my sincere appreciation to the President of the Council of Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, and the entire Council of Higher Education for their continuous support. Furthermore, I would like to wholeheartedly thank all members of the Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University family, especially our esteemed faculty members in the Department of Philosophy, who have contributed with great dedication at every stage from conception to implementation. I express my gratitude to Asst. Prof. Dr. Deniz Duralı, the esteemed son of our late professor and an academic at Medipol University, as well as to his respected family for their support and contributions. I also sincerely thank Prof. Dr. İhsan Fazlıoğlu, Director of the Institute of History of Science at Istanbul Medeniyet University and one of the distinguished students of our late professor, for his valuable contributions. I believe that this center will keep alive the intellectual world of the late Teoman Duralı, carrying inspiration from the past into the future, guiding our youth, and opening new horizons of thought. I wish this valuable work to be beneficial to our university, our higher education community, and our country.”
Zonguldak is becoming one of the new centers of thought and science
This significant step taken by BEUN will contribute to Zonguldak emerging not only as a center of industry and energy, but also as a prominent hub of science, culture, and intellectual thought. The newly established center is expected to become an important reference point shaping Türkiye’s intellectual life, with its structure that encourages academic production.
