The candidate selection process for the new Rector of the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) was completed on 12 October, 2023, following a Senate meeting. The EMU Senate unanimously approved Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç's candidacy.
How Does the Process Work?
To determine Rector candidates, EMU formed a Rector Candidate Determination Committee on September 22, 2023, upon the Senate’s decision and the EMU Board of Trustees announced a vacancy for the Rector position on September 26, 2023. Two candidates applied by the deadline on October 6, 2023. The applications were forwarded to the committee, which then presented them to the EMU Academic Evaluation Commission. The commission reported that Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç met their criteria.
On October 11, 2023, the commission decided to recommend Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç's candidacy to the EMU Senate. The Senate approved his candidacy unanimously on October 12, 2023, making him the only candidate.
What's Next?
Even as the sole candidate, Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç still needs a vote of confidence. A presentation period for the candidate will take place between October 16-18, 2023. He will share his views and vision with EMU staff on a panel organized by the committee on October 19, 2023. A confidence vote will be held on October 20, 2023, where all EMU staff will vote.
If he receives the vote of confidence, the DAÜ Senate will recommend Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç for the position of Rector to the DAÜ Board of Trustees on October 26, 2023. The appointment will then be finalized by the Board of Trustees
Who is Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç?
Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç completed his master's and doctoral education at Dokuz Eylül University. After his military service and a year of teaching experience, he went to the UK to gain experience and receive education in Tourism Management. He gained his initial experience in various hotels at different managerial levels. After returning to Cyprus, he served as Deputy General Manager at Celebrity-Chateau Lambousa Hotel. He then joined the academic world at Eastern Mediterranean University's School of Tourism and Hospitality, becoming a Professor in 2013.
In 2003, he went to the Macao Special Administrative Region of China to gain diverse experience, conducting research and giving lectures. His work has been published in high-ranking journals like Tourism Management and International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. He has represented Northern Cyprus in economic sub-committee talks concerning Cyprus. He served as the Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism in 2008-2009 and is actively involved in various NGOs.
Prof. Dr. Kılıç is the current president of the newly established Cyprus Gastronomy Tourism Association (GASTUR) and has actively participated in various projects. He is currently leading a project related to tourism planning and capacity measurement in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism. Serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Tourism at Eastern Mediterranean University, he has conducted education and research in the fields of service and hospitality management, tourism planning, and gastronomy. He also teaches courses and supervises master's and doctoral theses in these areas.
