Making accessibility a crucial part of the university life, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN) Faculty of Medicine was awarded a “Certificate of Accessibility” and the “Accessibility Logo Flag” with its inclusive and equality-based approach.
The Rector of BEUN, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Bekir Hakan Bakkal, Dean of Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Hande Aydemir, Chief Physician of BEUN Hospital Prof. Dr. Burak Bahadır, Provincial Director of Zonguldak Family and Social Sciences Mehmet Türkmen Köse, academic and administrative staff attended the ceremony held at İbni Sina campus.
As a result of the comprehensive evaluations carried out by the Accessibility Monitoring and Evaluation Commission within the Zonguldak Governorship, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Faculty of Medicine proved its competency to meet all the standards necessary for the accessibility of disabled individuals and was awarded “Certificate of Accessibility” and the “Accessibility Logo Flag”. Certificate and flag were presented to the BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer by the Provincial Director of Zonguldak Family and Social Sciences Mehmet Türkmen Köse.
Rector Özölçer: “Accessibility is not Optional at our University, but a Fundamental Life Culture”
In his remarks, the Rector of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer emphasized that accessibility is one of the main values of the university and stated:
“As Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, we do not consider accessibility as limited to physical arrangements, but an essential part of a vision that includes all aspects from physical places and sociocultural lives to education and campus life. We support all the initiatives carried out by academic and administrative units particularly by the Office for Students with Disability.
Having accessibility in a unit where intense educational and academic activities are carried out such as Faculty of Medicine is significant for our students as well as academic and administrative staff. An equal, secure, and comprehensive education atmosphere has been created within the faculty through physical and infrastructural improvements. “Certificate of Accessibility” and the “Accessibility Logo Flag” presented today are a reflection of accessible campus vision and the university approach based on the equality of opportunity.
I would like to express my gratitude to Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş and the Family of Minister of Family and Social Services for their support in this process. I would also like to extend my thanks to Governor Osman Hacıbektaşoğlu. I also express my thanks to Provincial Director of Zonguldak Family and Social Services Mehmet Türkmen Köse and staff of Directorate of Family and Social Services for their contributions to our university.
Our university’s determined stance in the field of accessibility has also been recognized at the national level through the achievements we attained within the scope of the “Accessible University Awards 2025” organized by the Council of Higher Education. Our ranking 3rd in Türkiye in the “Accessible University Flags Ranking” and 4th in Türkiye in the “Accessible University Program Badge Ranking” is the result of our planned, consistent, and long-term efforts. In addition, the fact that 15 of our programs were deemed worthy of the “Accessible Program Badge” clearly demonstrates that our approach based on equality of opportunity in education has become an institutional culture.
I would like to particularly emphasize that these achievements are not an end for us, but rather important milestones on our path toward a more inclusive, more accessible, and fairer university. With this understanding, we will continue our efforts with determination, together with all our academic and administrative units, to transform accessibility into a sustainable university culture. In this process, I would like to sincerely thank, first and foremost, our Faculty of Medicine, as well as our Directorate of Construction and Technical Affairs, our Office for Students Disability, and all academic and administrative staff who contributed to our receiving the Accessibility Certificate and the Accessibility Logo Flag.
The Certificate Presentation Ceremony concluded with the taking of a commemorative photograph following the presentation of the Accessibility Certificate and the Accessibility Logo Flag.
