Educational conference titled as “International Conference on Interdisciplinary Educational Reflections” hosted by Near East University with the collaboration of Atatürk Faculty of Education and Institute of Educational Sciences was held between 29 March – 30 March 2019 at Near East University Irfan Gunsel Congress Center. In addition to scientific studies carried out at North Cyprus universities, various oral and poster proceedings on different educational disciplines were presented by academicians from different countries such as Turkey, Nigeria and Iraq at the conference.
After one minute’s silence and Turkish National Anthem, Near East University Vice Rector Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt made opening speech and emphasized the increasing importance of new learning environments as new generation university and development of teachers in new learning styles. At the same time, he mentioned that conferences take an important place in producing and sharing science at universities.
Atatürk Faculty of Education Dean Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Mirici provided information about the aim, importance and scope of ICIER conference and indicated that they started a conference series in education field as Atatürk Education Faculty and Institute of Educational Sciences for Near East University. He also mentioned that although the first conference is organized, more than a hundred oral and poster proceedings were held and including the invited keynotes of ICIER 2019 have an outstanding academic personality. Prof. Dr. Mirici shared his thoughts about the conference and mentioned that they are happy since the conference was completed successfully. He stated that Anna Perez Escoda from Spain Salamanca University, Minister Advisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Hilmi Çolakoğlu from Turkey Ministry of National Education and Chair of Department of Biology Education Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yel from Gazi University gave current and interesting speeches about their own disciplines and all proceedings presented at ICIER 2019 will be printed as full text and some proceedings will be published in various scientific journals as articles after reviewer evaluation especially in Near East University Journal of Education (NEUJE). Dean Prof. Dr. Mirici indicated that ICIER 2020 will be organized at our university in March again and they expect more participants from more different number of countries because of very positive feedbacks.
Director of Institute of Educational Sciences Prof. Dr. Fahriye Altınay Aksal began her speech with the sentence “Research has become a basic tool today emphasizing the importance of thinking instead of memorizing.” She mentioned that conferences gained importance in the way of quality in higher education, internationalization, research, project, education and social responsibility and Institute of Educational Sciences started education in 2000 and it has created pioneers and firsts in the production of science and services with the graduates it has given so far. In behalf of Institute of Educational Sciences, she indicated that education journal was introduced with this first conference within the scope of their institute strategic plan. Socrates: “An unquestioned life has not been lived.”, Prof. Dr. Altınay emphasized that “in the journey of transformation and development, I wish we would be together in other effective conferences with new generation university concept through leading scientific publication and projects based on international collaboration and adapting interdisciplinary education research.”
Keynote speaker from Spain, Dr. Ana Perez Escoda, indicated that they shared learning environments in the digital age and being digital citizens in European system and she made basic collaboration with Near East University in being editor of Comunicar journal published based on scientific ethics. Keynote speakers Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yel and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Hilmi Çolakoğlu emphasized the necessity of reflections and research in education field.
Conference presidents Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Mirici and Prof. Dr. Fahriye Altınay stated that ICIER conference plays an important role in contributing academic development with the aim of introducing Near East University Online Journal of Education (NEUJE) which it’s first issue was published within the collaboration of Atatürk Faculty of Education and Institute of Educational Sciences and they invited all education community in global context to ICIER 2020.
