Dr Suat Günsel was presented an copy of a parliamentary debate by Baroness Hussein-Ece
North Cyprus’s Near East University has successfully reversed years of brain drain from the country, according to its founder, Suat Günsel.
Dr Günsel made the claim in a speech at the British parliament, where he delivered a speech on higher education in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
“Now with 11 universities and more than 75,000 students, North Cyprus is an island of universities and a land of united cultures,” Dr Günsel told a group of around forty guests that included peers, local business leaders and the Turkish Cypriot representative to London, Oya Tuncalı.
“People are the future of North Cyprus and we have managed to reverse the brain drain.”
He later clarified his comments by explaining he did not claim to have caused the return of thousands of people who had migrated away from North Cyprus over the last few decades.
“I was referring to the opportunities offered by my university, which has allowed learned scientists to return,” he said.
“I cannot say that they have all return. What I am saying is that is no migration [any more]. Migration has been lower in the last fifteen years than in the previous 35 years.”
Speaking at the event, which was hosted by Lord Harrison and the Turkish Cypriot peer, Baroness Hussein-Ece, Dr Günsel said: “we envy universities celebrating their eight hundredth year when we are celebrating our twenty fifth anniversary.
“We look forward to celebrating our eight hundredth year also by our work in science and arts. Big Ben is synonymous with London, the Eiffel Tower with Paris.
“We want the Near East to be associated with Cyprus. We want to be sought after rather than just be known.”
After his talk Baroness Hussein-Ece presented Dr Günsel with the Hansard transcript of a recent parliamentary debate on Cyprus.
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gunsel.jpg Dr Suat Günsel was presented an copy of a parliamentary debate by Baroness Hussein-Ece
