The first graduating students of Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD) received their diplomas with a ceremony in the Conference Hall on Tuesday night 26th July. The University was established in the 2018/19 academic year.
This first graduation ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic Assembly, Zorlu Töre; Minister of Health, İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra; Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hasan Taçoy; Girne District Governor, Sinan Güneş; YÖDAK President, Prof. Dr. Turgay Avcı; the Mayor of Girne, Nidai Güngördü; the founder of ARUCAD, Erbil Arkın; Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Assistant Prof. Dr Sinan Arkın; the Rector, Prof. Dr. Asım Vehbi, academic and administrative staff of the University and the parents of the graduates.
ARUCAD broke new ground in Cyprus and the region as an art-focused thematic university that combined the fields of art, design and communications. The 14 graduates and post graduates were from the Plastic Arts, Photography and Visual Communications Design Departments.
Aham Nemer: “ARUCAD was more than a university, it was a family”
Making the first speech of the ceremony Communications Design Department graduate Nemer said after 4 years of intensive effort, the graduation ceremony was a station reached in a life of non-stop journeys from one station to the next. Perseverance and believing in oneself was the biggest key to success. On behalf of all the graduates he expressed his thanks to the lecturers for the patience and understanding they had shown over the last 4 years. He said: “We have learnt a lot from you and now it’s our turn to spread that knowledge around; because knowledge is not limited to individuals; knowledge is a way of keeping your names and those before you alive, from generation to generation, forever”. Expressing his debt of gratitude to everyone working at ARUCAD, Nemer concluded his words by saying, “ARUCAD was more than a university, it was a family”.
Prof. Dr. Asım Vehbi: “One of the most important components of a university’s identity is its graduates”.
Welcoming the guests Dr. Asım Vehbi noted that ARUCAD, as an art-oriented university, had carried out many projects and events worthy of its identity since the day it was founded. The whole team was working hard to achieve the level of education that could compete with the best universities of the world in the fields of art and design. Addressing the new graduates he said: “One of the most important elements of the identity of a university is its graduates. Before everything else ARUCAD will probably be remembered because of your skills, success, perseverance and work ethic. Therefore, you will carry your university visibly on your shoulders and in your chests throughout your life. We sincerely believe that you will proudly represent your university in everything that you do”.
Assistant Prof. Dr Sinan Ş. Arkın: “The success of a university is judged by the lives and achievements of its graduates”
Dr. S. Arkın started by saying that the first graduates of the University were very special because they had decided to join the ARUCAD family with conviction at a very early stage of the University’s existence. His foremost sincere wish was that their creations would be long lasting. They were the flag bearers of the University. True success of an educational institution was not the number of its students or how modern its facilities were, nor simply its contribution to research. It was the lives and achievements of its graduates that determined the success of a university. He continued: “That’s why we will always support you in your lives and careers. Go out and conquer the world! And while you do this, please remember us. We will definitely remember you”.
Erbil Arkın: “By this time next year I would like to gaze upon you once again with great pride”.
The founder, Erbil Arkın in his speech said it was about 6 to 7 years ago that the idea of ARUCAD had started like a spark in his head which gradually became a dream. He said: “I wanted to turn that 
dream into reality and now I am happily watching you from the stage. You are our first graduates. You might return to us may be in 5 to 10 years as lecturers. In 15 to 20 years’ time the graduates will talk about you and in return you will proudly tell them you were the first of ARUCAD”.
Stressing the well known fact that ARUCAD was not set up to be a profit making institution, he continued: “This university is dedicated to our culture, our nation and our people. I hope that in time, ARUCAD will become such an important part of the culture and character of Cyprus that she could not be imagined without ARUCAD coming to mind”. He said he was already looking forward to proudly watching the same scene from the stage, next year. He also expressed his thanks to the academicians, students, parents and all employees who had brought about this achievement.
The President of the Republic Assembly, Zorlu Töre asked the graduate students not to forget the city of Kyrenia and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. He also thanked the Arkın family for establishing a university dedicated to the arts and designing in the country.
Health Minister, Gürçağ Altuğra said: “It is sometimes possible to achieve success with a work art that cannot be done with diplomacy or economic power. Our duty is to preserve and appreciate the works of art created in Cyprus”.
Hasan Taçoy, Labour and Social Security Minister, wishing them good luck, recommended that the graduates should always think big, work hard and share their successes.
YÖDAK President Prof. Dr. Turgay Avcı said, years ago when he had heard about the idea of ARUCAD, he had said that if such a dream was to come true it would become a bright star of Northern Cyprus. He thanked the founders for establishing ARUCAD as a quality, non profiting making university unlike the usual, classical institutions. He offered his congratulations to the graduates.
Girne Mayor, Nidai Güngördü advised the graduating students of different nationalities who had have lived in Kyrenia for 4 or 5 years, not to forget this quality university and the progressive Mediterranean city, wherever they ended up.
ARUCAD 2021/22 graduates receive their diplomas
At the end of the ceremony all graduates having received their diplomas carried out traditional cap throwing in the garden of the University. Later, together with the entire ARUCAD family they celebrated the occasion with a gala night organised at the Colony Hotel.
Source (Turkish): Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD)
