Rector Karataş: “ÇAKÜ Is Better with You”
Çankırı Karatekin University (ÇAKÜ) held a “Student Clubs Promotion Day” event to showcase the 134 student organizations that will operate during the 2026–2027 academic year.
Held at the ÇAKÜ Indoor Sports Hall, the event brought together ÇAKÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Mevlüt Karataş, Vice Rectors, academic staff, university administrators, and gathering of students. Throughout the orientation, students explored the wide-ranging activity fields, past initiatives, and upcoming projects planned by the university's diverse student clubs.
“The University Is Better with You”
Delivering the opening speech, Rector Prof. Dr. Mevlüt Karataş emphasized that student organizations are among the most essential and vibrant components of campus life:
“The university is better with you,” Rector Karataş said, noting that while students are away during the summer, the university prepared for the new academic year, and it is only when students return that lecture halls, laboratories, and common areas truly come to life.
Karataş said energy, enthusiasm, and dynamic spirit the students bring drive this institution forward, making student clubs the true crown jewels of ÇAKÜ.
Active Student Clubs Expansion: From 33 to 134
Highlighting structural growth within campus life, Rector Karataş announced that following a strategic restructuring initiated the previous year, the number of active student clubs rose dramatically from 33 to 134 for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Proportionate to its student population, ÇAKÜ now ranks among the leading universities in Türkiye for active student club representation. Expressing gratitude to academic advisors, club presidents, executive board members, and student volunteers, Rector Karataş underscored the vital role these organizations play in enriching the social, cultural, and intellectual ecosystem of the university.
Around 400 Student-Led Events Hosted Last Year
Reviewing recent milestones, Rector Karataş noted that ÇAKÜ student clubs successfully organized approximately 400 events during the 2025-2026 academic year, forming a vital pillar of the university's official annual calendar.
Rector Karataş emphasized his commitment to attending student-led functions whenever possible, noting that university leadership prioritizes direct engagement with student representatives across all campuses. He also commended student organizations for building inter-university partnerships that brought distinguished scholars, experts, and artists from across Türkiye to ÇAKÜ for academic symposiums, technical seminars, workshops, athletic tournaments, and cultural showcases.
Acknowledging Behind-the-Scenes Operations
Rector Karataş extended special recognition to the Department of Health, Culture, and Sports for coordinating the event and providing supportt for student activities year-round.
He specifically thanked Halil Yetim, Head of the Department of Health, Culture, and Sports, along with department staff and university technical crews, for their dedicated work in venue logistics, staging, audio-visual technical setups, and event operations that enable smooth execution of student initiatives.
“University Life Extends Beyond Classrooms and Exams”
Rector Karataş stated that they want student clubs to become stronger each year and make an even greater contribution to the university’s social, cultural, and academic life. He encouraged students to generate ideas, work together, be productive, and support one another.
Emphasizing that university life is about much more than attending classes, Karataş said that university life is an overarching experience where lifelong friendships are forged, innovative ideas take root, personal talents are discovered, and social responsibility is cultivated.
Karataş encouraged students to develop themselves in areas that interest them, make new friends, take part in different activities, and contribute actively to the university’s social life.
Top Student Clubs Honored with Distinction Plaques
Following his address, Rector Prof. Dr. Mevlüt Karataş presented achievement plaques to three standout student clubs in recognition of their exceptional activity volume, social impact, and performance during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Rector Karataş Visited Student Club Stands
Following the Promotion Day program, Rector Prof. Dr. Mevlüt Karataş visited the stands of the student clubs one by one.
Karataş spoke with students and learned about the clubs’ activities and plans for the new academic year, while also taking photographs with them.
Student Clubs Promotion Day provided an important opportunity for students to discover clubs that match their interests and to become actively involved in the university’s social, cultural, sporting, and academic life.
