Eastern Mediterranean University Business and Economics Faculty hosted famous economist and writer Prof. Dr. Mehmet Altan to discuss the topic entitled “The Crisis the Science of Economics Going Through” at a conference which took place at EMU Prof. Dr. Mehmet Tahiroğlu Hall.
The opening address of the conference was delivered by EMU Business and Economics Faculty Acting Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Besim, who provided his evaluations on global economic and financial developments. Following Prof. Dr. Besim, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Altan’s biography was presented to the audience. In his speech, Prof. Dr. Altan stated that interpretation is as important as information and added that information not interpreted or transferred does not carry any significance. Talking about 2 basic approaches as “officer scientists’ and “great scientists”, Prof. Dr. Altan put forth that great scientists have now changed the paradigm. Prof. Dr. Altan added that we are in an age when the society has transferred from physical power to brain power. Stating the difficulties encountered during this transition stage, Prof. Dr. Altan talked about the dramatic increase in the percentages of unemployed individuals. On 20 March 2015, Prof. Dr. Altan also attended round table meetings with academic staff members and students of EMU Business and Economics Faculty.
Prof. Dr. Altan Visited EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Necdet Osam
Prior to the conference, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Altan visited EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Necdet Osam and expressed his pleasure in being hosted in a prominent institution as such.
Prof. Dr. Osam stressed the importance the university gives in creating a platform bringing the students together with experts and thanked Prof. Dr. Altan for accepting their invitation. Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sözen, Vice Rector for Promotion Prof. Dr. Hasan Amca and Faculty of Business and Economics Acting Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Besim were also present at the meeting.
Who is Mehmet Altan?
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Altan is an academic, economist, journalist, and an author. Altan holds a BA in economics from Istanbul University (1979) and MA and Ph.D. from Paris Sorbonne University (1979-1984). He studied the relations between Turkey and IMF and Turkey’s relations with the USA and the Soviet Union. He was the daily Cumhuriyet’s Paris correspondent during his studies. A collection of essays that he wrote in Paris was published in a book called ‘Kanatli Karinca’, which received an award from Akademi Kitabevi in 1985.
Mehmet Altan has worked at the Faculty of Economics, Istanbul University since 1986, first as an assistant professor, then associate professor (1987) and full professor (1993). He wrote in the daily Sabah (1987-2006) and worked as an editor-in-chief in the daily Star until 2012.