The third National Psychology Summit, organized by the Psychology Club, one of the student groups of Erzurum Technical University (ETU), has begun.

The National Psychology Summit, organized for the third time this year with the theme of "Light of the Future: Child and Adolescent" with the aim of raising awareness of mental health in society, shedding light on the world of childhood and youth, and bringing together leading names in the field of psychology and students, opened its doors to psychology enthusiasts.

During the two-day summit, academics, experts in their fields and students from different cities of Türkiye will deeply examine the developmental processes of children and adolescents, the psychosocial difficulties they face during this process and the potential they possess.

The opening program of the summit held at the Necip Fazıl Kısakürek Cultural Center was attended by ETÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Bülent Çakmak, Erzurum Deputy Governor Ahmet Özdemir, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Mehmet Akarsu,ETÜ Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Ceren Sultan Elmalı, Prof. Dr. Naim Ürkmez, academicians, students and many citizens.

Psychology Club President Ozan Emir Çiftçi: We Are Striving to Lead the Changes

The opening speech of the program was made by Psychology Club President Ozan Emir Çiftçi, who stated that they wanted to present the knowledge produced by psychology to every segment of society and said: “As the psychology club, we aim to produce projects that touch the society and add value to the lives of children and young people. In this context, we strive to lead positive changes both individually and socially with the seminars, workshops and social responsibility projects we organize throughout the year. Today, we are together with a similar awareness. It should not be forgotten that the healthy development of children is not only an individual gain, but also the most valuable investment in the future of societies. With this awareness, we believe that a positive impact created in the life of every child will build a more just and stronger society tomorrow.”

Head of the Department of Psychology Prof. Dr. Oğuzhan Ekinci: Healthy Development of Children and Adolescents is the Foundation of Being a Strong and Sustainable Society

Following Psychology Club President Çiftçi, ETU Faculty of Letters Psychology Department Head Prof. Dr. Oğuzhan Ekinci took the podium and expressed his great pleasure in being together with psychologists, future psychologist candidates and parents interested in psychology who came to Erzurum from all over Türkiye and said: “The healthy development of children and adolescents to whom we will entrust our future is the basis of being a strong and sustainable society. In this context, we have come together here today to better understand and support the mental, emotional and social development processes of children and young people by benefiting from the knowledge provided by the science of psychology. I find this meaningful union extremely valuable and I wholeheartedly believe that the ideas and sharing that will arise from this will contribute to the construction of a hopeful future for our children and young people.”

Rector Prof. Dr. Bülent Çakmak: Every Work Conducted for the Mental Health of Children and Young People is an Investment in the Psychological Resilience of Society

Taking the podium to deliver the welcoming speech, ETU Rector Prof. Dr. Bülent Çakmak emphasized that every study conducted for the mental health of children and youth is a direct investment in the psychological resistance, productivity and human development of society and said: “As ETU, we attach importance to the development of our students not only in academic terms but also in ethical responsibility, social sensitivity and scientific initiative. This valuable event of our psychology club is the best indicator of how much our students embrace this vision. The expression “Light of the Future” in the title of this year’s summit is not coincidental. Light shows direction, gives hope and enlightens. We know that a child’s well-being enlightens not only him/herself but also his/her family, environment and, in time, the society he/she lives in. I sincerely believe that each participant here will contribute to this light with their knowledge and experience from different disciplines and will prepare the ground for effective strategies at both national and local levels by discussing solutions together. On this occasion, I would like to thank our students and instructors who contributed to the organization of the program.”

Corporate Communications Directorate 03.05.2025