Minister of National Education Nazım Çavuşoğlu welcomed the Rector of the European University of Lefke (EUL), Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Yükselen, and his accompanying delegation. During the visit, which also included Cengiz Uzun, the Birkan Uzun Scholarship, established in memory of Birkan Uzun by EUL, was presented to EUL student Simya Nur Çiftçi.

In his speech, Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu emphasized that the European University of Lefke is one of the prominent educational institutions in the country, driven by a vision to elevate its academic goals to the highest level. He expressed his admiration for the scholarship program initiated to honor Birkan Uzun, a figure synonymous with excellence and inspiration for the nation’s youth. Çavuşoğlu stated that this meaningful initiative would motivate and inspire young people and congratulated the university administration for taking this important step.

Highlighting that Birkan Uzun was a young individual who successfully embodied the role model envisioned by the country’s education system, Çavuşoğlu noted Uzun’s remarkable achievements, spanning social, cultural, athletic, and academic domains, which extended beyond national borders after graduating from local schools. He advised young people to take inspiration from Uzun’s life and accomplishments, pointing out that institutions across the country annually honor his legacy with scholarships or awards.

Çavuşoğlu remarked that EUL had taken a commendable step in awarding the Birkan Uzun Scholarship to one of its students, aiming to foster new achievers who aspire to reach their summits. He expressed hope that this award and scholarship would motivate others. “Birkan Uzun was our student, our child. His body may no longer be with us, but his ideas remain, guiding our goals,” he said, thanking the EUL administration for their initiative.

Cengiz Uzun, Birkan Uzun’s father, expressed pride in his son, who was educated in TRNC schools, graduated from MIT, and worked as a software engineer at prominent international companies. Highlighting that Birkan was a Turkish Cypriot who had left his mark on the highest summits of five continents, Uzun stated that the scholarship being awarded on the anniversary of his son’s passing made the tribute even more special. “Birkan always dreamed of reaching the summit. He was ambitious, successful, and deeply connected to his homeland,” said Uzun. He encouraged scholarship recipient Simya Nur Çiftçi to learn about Birkan and his life. Uzun concluded by thanking EUL and the Directorate of Higher Education and External Relations for making the scholarship possible.

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Yükselen, Rector of EUL, remarked that Birkan Uzun was one of the most outstanding individuals raised by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and a role model for the youth with his inspirational life. Yükselen expressed the university’s pride in hosting a scholarship to honor and preserve Uzun’s legacy. Explaining that the scholarship focuses on rewarding excellence in Uzun’s field of study, Yükselen thanked Minister Çavuşoğlu for his support. He congratulated Simya Nur Çiftçi, the most successful student in her department, for earning the scholarship and wished her continued success. Concluding his speech, Yükselen emphasized the significance of keeping Birkan Uzun’s memory alive and expressed gratitude to all those who supported the initiative.