Minister of Education Nazım Çavuşoğlu highlighted in his statements regarding Eastern Mediterranean University (DAÜ) that the university’s financial structure faces a serious issue. He shared that the salaries of some founding faculty members retiring from DAÜ amount to 720,000 TL. He pointed out that the state has taken on a financial burden of billions of lira to ensure the university’s existence. However, he emphasized that the current structure is not sustainable.
Çavuşoğlu expressed that DAÜ’s expenses exceed its revenues, which brings significant problems in the university’s management approach and union strategies. He stressed the seriousness of the situation, saying, “Since expenses are greater than revenues, there is a situation of a misguided understanding in management, and the union is complicit in this.”
Discussing salaries at the university, Çavuşoğlu noted that there are about 40 founders at DAÜ, with 10 to 15 being faculty members. Regarding retirement salaries, he stated: “In this context, the question arises of how the university’s financial structure can remain healthy with retirement salaries of 720,000 TL.”
He described these figures as astounding, criticizing, “Obama’s retirement salary isn’t even 720,000 TL.” The minister indicated that the government has made sacrifices concerning DAÜ’s financial issues, warning that as long as these salaries continue, the institution’s future may be at risk.
Çavuşoğlu mentioned that the state’s support for DAÜ exceeds one billion TL annually, highlighting that in addition to cash support, the government plays a significant role in the university’s tax obligations and severance pay. He remarked, “If this government had not made sacrifices, DAÜ would be on the verge of bankruptcy right now.”
He expressed that the state has provided support regarding DAÜ’s tax obligations and severance pay, stating, “The total resources provided by the state to DAÜ have reached approximately 6 billion TL. Some of this was through direct transfers, while the other part was provided through guarantees.”
The minister emphasized the need for the university to establish a sustainable financial structure while also highlighting DAÜ’s importance for the Turkish Cypriot community. Çavuşoğlu added that the necessary measures to sustain DAÜ include a healthy balance of income and expenses and the restructuring of the current setup.
Source: www.diyaloggazetesi.com
