Prof. Öktem Vardar

Öktem Vardar received his bachelor's degree from Robert College in 1966-71, his master's degree from 1971-72 and his doctorate from 1972-75 from University of California, Berkeley. He worked at Boğaziçi University, Faculty of Engineering between 1975-2004. He became an associate professor in 1981 and a professor in 1988, and was active in the fields of machine design, fatigue and fracture mechanics, and established the fracture laboratory. He served as the Vice Rector of Boğaziçi University between 1994-2000 and as the Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering between 2001-2004.

He also served as a member of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), a member of the Scientific Board of TÜBİTAK, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Feza Gürsey Institute, and a member of the Board of Directors of TÜSSİDE and UME. Between 2004-2010, he served as Vice Rector / Acting Rector of Işık University.

Since 2003, he has been a reviewer for the European Universities Association (EUA) Institutional Assessment Program and has been involved in the institutional assessment of 22 European universities. In 2011, he served as the Secretary General of Magna Charta Observatory. As the first rector of TED University in 2011-2015, he led the establishment of the University; since 2016, he has been a member of the board of trustees of TED University. Between 2018-2021, he served as a member of the Presidential Education and Training Policies Board.

Personal website: www.oktemvardar.com