INSIDE BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY

Honorary degree, SUNY citation awarded to Turkish dignitaries

By : Katie Ellis

Suleyman Demirel, former president of the Republic of Turkey, speaks about “Turkish-U.S. Relations"during a ceremony Wednesday where he was awarded a SUNY citation by Chancellor Robert L. King.

Suleyman Demirel, former president of the Republic of Turkey, was awarded a SUNY citation by Chancellor Robert L. King at a ceremony Wednesday, October 8, in the Anderson Center Chamber Hall. Kemal Guruz, president of the Higher Education Council of Turkey, was conferred with the honorary doctor of humane letters by the chancellor and President Lois B. DeFleur at the same ceremony.

Demirel spoke to the audience about "Turkish-U.S. Relations: the New Political Landscape of the Middle East Since the Collapse of the USSR." and Guruz spoke about "Higher Education in the Global Knowledge Economy."

Demirel, an engineer by training, served three times as prime minister of Turkey before becoming president in 1993. Guruz, who holds a doctorate in chemical engineering, was appointed to a four-year post with the higher education council in 1995 and reappointed again in 1999. He will complete his appointment in December.

Beginning this fall, a dual-diploma, joint-degree program between SUNY and Turkey is allowing students from the U.S. and Turkey to enroll in one program and earn diplomas from two universities in a jointly taught degree. Binghamton is offering joint degrees in global and international affairs, and information systems, with the first Turkish participants expected on campus next fall.