Record Participation at ITU’s Graduation Ceremony

ITU’s 2023-2024 Academic Year undergraduate and master’s graduates experienced great happiness and enthusiasm at Türkiye’s most crowded graduation ceremony held at Ayazağa Campus on the evening of July 5, 2024.

The undergraduate and master’s graduation ceremony of Istanbul Technical University (ITU) took place on July 5, 2024 at ITU Ayazağa Campus. The ceremony, which witnessed the great joy and enthusiasm of our students graduating from ITU in the 2023-2024 Academic Year and their families, brought together more than 25 thousand people at the ITU Stadium.

Congratulations from Europe, the USA and the Turkic world

Our EELISA European University partners, our dual degree program stakeholders in the USA, and the rectors and academic authorities of universities in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan congratulated our new graduates with video messages and offered inspiring advice for the future.

ITU is in the top 100 in the world

In his speech at the graduation ceremony, our Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu touched upon ITU’s academic rise in the last four years, the successful results obtained in the accreditation of the education programs at ITU, and the degrees achieved by student project teams in international competitions.

Prof. Dr. Koyuncu said, “While we were in the 751-800 range in the QS World University Rankings 4 years ago, when you started ITU, today we have risen to the 326th place as you graduate. We entered the top 100 and ranked 95th in the world in the ‘Engineering and Technology’ field of QS World University Rankings by Subject. You are graduating from a university that is among the world’s top 100 in the ‘Engineering and Technology’ field.”

Our Rector underlined our university’s progress in accreditation: “ITU is the only university in our country where all undergraduate departments are accredited. In addition, we have recently received accreditation for three of our master’s programs, thus managing to be the first in Türkiye in this regard!..”

“You are one of the best in your field”

Our Rector addressed our new graduates by saying, “ITU’s established heritage has equipped you with more than a simple engineering education. It not only provided you with analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, but also raised you as engineers of the future with strong social skills and leadership qualities. I believe that you will continue ITU’s vision and take the relay race even further. You will make unique contributions to our country, the world, science and humanity and illuminate the paths of our future generations. Your undergraduate and master’s diplomas, which you received after an intense and arduous period of study, are documents showing that you are one of the best in your field, not only in our country but wherever you are in the world.”

Strong emphasis on peace

Our Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu concluded his speech at the graduation ceremony by quoting Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s words “Peace is the best way that leads nations to prosperity and happiness. But once this notion is achieved, it requires constant care and attention and the preparation of each nation separately.” and underlining the great importance of maintaining peace in the world. Our Rector condemned the massacres committed by Israel in Gaza and called for the immediate establishment of peace and order in the region.

Speech from our valedictorian

Evren Süloğlu from ITU Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture, who graduated from Istanbul Technical University (ITU) with the highest degree in the 2023-2024 year by achieving a GPA of 3.98, made a speech as the valedictorian.

Our academics shared the graduation enthusiasm with the students on the stage. While the names of the students who graduated first, second and third in their departments were read, our students immortalized this special day by taking group photos with our Rector and academics on the stage.

The ceremony ended after our Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Şule Itır Satoğlu made the students take the oath and the cap throwing ceremony with great enthusiasm.

Click to watch the ceremony.