International University of Sarajevo (IUS) proudly and festively bid farewell to its graduates on Friday, June 16, 2023. The graduation ceremony was organized for the 15th generation of IUS graduates at the Campus. 244 young people completed an important milestone in their education and are about to start a new chapter in their lives.
The ceremony was attended by numerous prominent guests from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkiye and other countries as well as family members and friends. Among the attendees were the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye to BiH, His Excellency Mr. Sadık Babür Girgin, President of the IUS Board of Trustees, Mrs. Sevgi Kurtulmuş, Minister of Science, Higher Education and Youth of Sarajevo Canton Assistant Professor Dr. Pavle Krstić, Rector of the Istanbul University, Prof. Dr. Mahmut Ak, Ambassador of the Republic of Palestine to BiH, Mr. Rezeq Namoora, Minister of Interior of Canton Sarajevo, Mr. Admir Katica, Minister of Economy of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Mr. Samir Šibonjić and many other distinguished guests and friends of IUS.
The welcoming speech was held by the IUS Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yıldırım who addressed the attendees and said that graduation “is a springboard that pushes students into a world of endless possibilities. They are now equipped with the knowledge, skills and experiences that will form the basis for their future endeavors”. He also said that they should remember that education is a lifelong journey and the knowledge they gained within the IUS walls is just the beginning of a bigger adventure.
The President of the Foundation for Education Development Sarajevo (SEDEF) Mr. Hasan Topaloğlu also addressed the audience stating that the SEDEF Foundation will always assist and support successful graduates who would like to pursue their studies in academia and emphasized that “we will continue supporting such graduates to become academicians at our university in the future. Due to the current economic conditions in the world, we are doing our best to maintain high quality of education”.
Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye to Bosnia and Herzegovina, His Excellency Mr. Sadık Babür Girgin also addressed the graduates, their families and esteemed guests. He pointed out the efforts the University invests in providing quality education in state-of-the-art facilities and reminded the graduates that learning never stops. He wished them a lot of success in their future endeavors.
Minister of Science, Higher Education and Youth of Canton Sarajevo Assistant Professor Dr. Pavle Krstić, delivered a speech at the ceremony and said that diplomas students are about to receive today are a symbol of their expertise, knowledge and competence. They are the result of their dedicated hard work as well as the support and mentorship they have received from their professors and families. He added that the graduates are future leaders, innovators and promotors of positive changes.
A very special part of the ceremony was dedicated to the IUS Wolves – the University’s basketball club who earned greatest words of appreciation for making a tremendous achievement this year by winning the A2 South League and thus earned the chance to be promoted to the A1 cantonal league. In only two years since their establishment, IUS wolves not only showcased exceptional athleticism and sportsmanship but also fostered a sense of teamwork and passion among its members. Through dedication, perseverance and commitment to excellence, they represented IUS with pride and brought joy and excitement to the IUS Campus joining students, faculty and staff together to celebrate the spirit of competition and teamwork. Mr. Topaloğlu presented the management and the players of the club with certificates of appreciation. In return, they shared their championship cup with the Foundation President, thus expressing their appreciation for all the support they have received from the SEDEF Foundation.
The best undergraduate students from each faculty were announced and awarded with valuable gifts for their exceptional results and achievements. The Valedictorian of the Class of 2023 was Dalila Šahinović who studied Economics at the Faculty of Business Administration (FBA). She addressed the audience and in her speech she thanked four groups of people in her life: she thanked her professors for their knowledge they shared and helped them become the best version of themselves; she thanked her colleagues with whom she studied together for four years, she thanked her family for all their support and she thanked her best friend who was with her in all the good and bad moments during the university education.
The ceremony ended with fireworks and the traditional tossing hats in the air.
IUS is honored to have been a part of the academic journey on which these young men and women embarked and wishes them lots of happiness, success and health.
