Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gürel, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, Appointed as Rector of Iğdır University

Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gürel, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, has been appointed as the Rector of Iğdır University, his hometown, by the esteemed decision and approval of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The appointment was officially announced in the Official Gazette dated May 16, 2025.

In accordance with Article 13 of the Higher Education Law and the relevant provisions of Presidential Decree No. 3, rectors have been appointed to seven universities across Türkiye. Alongside our Dean Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gürel, who was appointed as the Rector of Iğdır University, the following appointments were made: Prof. Dr. Turan Sağer to Alanya University, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akkaya to Bartın University, Prof. Dr. Mutlu Türkmen to Bayburt University, Prof. Dr. Mevlüt Karataş to Çankırı Karatekin University, Prof. Dr. Ersin Göse to Istanbul Arel University, and Prof. Dr. İbrahim Hakkı Aydın to Istanbul Aydın University.
 

An Honorable Journey from Iğdır to Bolu, and Now from Our University Back to Iğdır

Since 1995, he has served in the Department of Biology at our faculty, and from 2020 onwards, he took on the responsibility of Dean. Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gürel has been one of the most valuable pillars of our faculty with his knowledge, experience, and human values. His deep academic studies, international project experience, success in scholarly publications, and leadership skills made him a prominent figure. His appointment as the Rector of Iğdır University is considered a significant development that will contribute to the institutional structure and the region both scientifically, culturally, and strategically. While his departure is a great loss for our faculty and university, it is undoubtedly a great gain for Iğdır University.

As members of our faculty, our sadness at his departure was accompanied by pride and joy in seeing our esteemed professor deemed worthy of such a high position as the rectorship. It is a source of great pride for us to see him, after years of walking together, now in a position that will shape the future of higher education in our country.
 

A Fair, Sincere, and Visionary Academic Leader

In addition to being a successful administrator throughout his tenure, Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gürel also enriched our faculty as a trustworthy, fair, consultative, and sincere academic leader. He always maintained a respectful and inclusive approach towards students, academic, and administrative staff. He greatly valued collective wisdom and consultation in his administrative decisions.

Prof. Gürel, known for his eloquence, courtesy, and respect for human virtues, played a major role in creating a warm and secure environment in our faculty not only for scientific production but also in human relations.
 

A Role Model with Scientific Knowledge and National & International Success

He graduated as the top student from the Department of Field Crops at Ankara University’s Faculty of Agriculture in 1987. In the same year, he began his doctoral studies at the University of Leeds in England, skipping the master’s degree stage thanks to a scholarship he received from TÜBİTAK.

After completing his PhD in England, he returned to Türkiye in 1992 and first worked at the Plant Breeding Branch of the Turkish Sugar Factories. Combining his practical experience there, he transitioned to academia in 1995 as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1998 and became a Full Professor in 2004. Beyond teaching, he has led, consulted, and reviewed numerous national and international projects.

His area of expertise is plant biotechnology, with a research focus on the development of local sugar beet resistant to rhizomania, biotechnological enhancement of cardiac glycoside production, and chloroplast transformation-based plant production systems.

He has taken part in 21 research projects—14 supported by TÜBİTAK, one by the European Union, and 6 as institutional projects within the university. These contributions earned him a respected place not only in Türkiye but also in the international scientific community.

His research in countries such as Australia and the USA, TÜBİTAK projects, international consultancies, and numerous publications have made him a pioneer in Türkiye's biotechnology field. He has published 81 SCI-indexed articles and a total of 191 scientific works. He successfully served as the editor-in-chief of the Turkish Journal of Biology for six years. According to Google Scholar, he has received nearly 3,700 citations and has an h-index of 32.
 

A Contributor to Unity, Respect, and Solidarity Alongside Science and Education

Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gürel was an exemplary academic not only for his scientific output but also for the human values he contributed to the culture of our faculty. While leading the development of our faculty, he embraced a management philosophy where individual contributions merged with collective wisdom. His fair, tolerant, and kind personality fostered strong bonds among students, academic, and administrative staff.

From serving as the BAİBÜ Erasmus Coordinator, to TÜBİTAK consulting roles, from Head of the Biology Department to Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr. Gürel worked with great dedication. We thank him for the vision and values he brought to our university and faculty.
 

Our Door and Heart Are Always Open

Our Faculty of Arts and Sciences, one of the leading units of our university, proudly carries the honor and responsibility of its success in scientific, academic, administrative, and technical domains, along with its deep-rooted tradition of over 30 years.

While we proudly celebrate the appointment of another rector from within this rooted structure, we sincerely express that our door and heart will always be open to our esteemed professor.

As one of the most senior and respected academics of our faculty, we sincerely believe that Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gürel will continue to provide valuable contributions to Iğdır University with his scientific knowledge, leadership experience, and human virtues.

We wish our esteemed professor great success in his new position and a healthy, productive, and peaceful term ahead.