PROF. DR. YILMAZ BUYUKERSEN

Prof. Dr. Yilmaz Buyukersen was born in 1936. He was among the first graduates of the Eskisehir Academy of Economics and Commercial Sciences. Following his graduation, he became assistant in the Department of Public Finance in the same year. He obtained his Ph.D in 1966 and in 1968, he became Assistant Professor. He was appointed as Vice-President of the Academy in the same year and in 1973, he was promoted to professorship. In 1976, he was elected as the President of Eskisehir Academy of Economics and Commercial Sciences. At the end of his presidency term in 1980, he was re-elected. In 1971, he started a research on using of the communication technology in education and training. The “Open Education Model for Turkey” project, which he developed for spreading education in 1973 was put into practice all over the country as an open education system by the Higher Education Board Law and Decree law No: 41 in 1982. Today, the “Open Education Faculty” has various departments and students not only in Turkey but also in many Western European countries reaching up to 800.000 in numbers. In order to meet the needs of such an enormous student body, the University has more than 70 liasion centers throughout Turkey and offices in Europe.

In 1982, following the re-organization of the universities by Higher Education Law, he was appointed as the Rector of the Anadolu University by the President of the Turkish Republic. At the end of his term in 1987, he was re-appointed by the President for a second term.

Upon winning the rectorship elections in 1992, he was re-appointed by the President for the third time. Following the ruling by Higher Education Board, stating “Rectorship more than 2 terms cannot be executed”, which was added to the Higher Education Council law; his rectorship duty was terminated in 1993.

Professor Buyukersen was also the President of the Higher Advisory Council to the Turkish Radio and Television between the years 1985-1993. Yilmaz Buyukersen has been the recipient of many honorary awards both in Turkey and abroad.

Professor Buyukersen has been the Director of the Institution of Communication Sciences at Anadolu University between 1993-1999. In April 18th,1999 elections, he was elected as the Lord Mayor of the Greater Eskisehir Municipality from the political party of DSP. Prof.Dr.Yilmaz Buyukersen, who chaired the Turkish Delegation of the European Council Local Authorities for 5 years, was elected as Lord Mayor of Greater Eskisehir Municipality for the second time from the DSP party list in the 28th March 2004 local elections. Being married, Professor Buyukersen has two children and a grand-daughter.