Ozersay reveals university’s ‘illegality’

Former Turkish Cypriot chief negotiator for the Cyprus problem has revealed a document allegedly showing a university in the north, of which the rector was invited to meet ‘education minister’ Nazim Cavusoglu on Monday, is operating illegally.

The document, which Kudret Ozersay said was written by the north’s chief public prosecutor’s office in September, says the university was not given the relevant permission by the ‘government’ to operate.

Though Ozersay obscured the name of the university in the document, he did not do so effectively enough so that those viewing the document could tell that it was written about the World Peace University, which was established in February last year.

The document added that as a result of the university’s lack of permission to operate, all diplomas obtained by students at the university would be deemed invalid and unrecognised by the north’s authorities.

It also called on the north’s higher education standards authority (Yodak) to act to prevent the university from operating.

“This is unbelievable! Look at the state of universities, please!” said Ozersay.

“Five months have passed, and we have not heard anything about any action yet! If this illegality is not removed, we will face a crisis in our higher education system very soon.”

Addressing the ‘government’, he said “I wonder what you plan to do about it. Are you going to set up an investigation committee in parliament on this matter? The opinion of the Ccief public prosecutor is clear. If the rule of law exists, you must do what is necessary immediately!”

Ozersay’s revelations regarding the university’s alleged illegal operations come just a day after its rector Ahmet Alpay Dikmen was invited to meet ‘education minister’ Nazim Cavusoglu.

At their meeting, Dikmen said the World Peace University “attracted attention in terms of higher education”, and “set out to contribute to the quality education provided in the TRNC”.

Cavusoglu wished “success” to the World Peace University.

Dikmen, in his capacity as the university’s rector, had previously been invited to meet Turkish Cypriot Leader Ersin Tatar at his official residence in September and the north’s ‘parliament speaker’ Zorlu Tore in August.