To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.
Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Behlül Üsdiken.
Behlül Üsdiken has been a member of Sabancı University since July 15, 1998. He has been a member of the Sabancı University School of Management (SoM) for 22 years, and an Emeritus Professor since January 31, 2020.
Behlül Üsdiken’s answers to our four questions are below.
What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?
B.Ü.: It is, unfortunately, a bitter memory. I still remember it nevertheless. It was on the day the first "Dean" Professor Muhittin Oral called me for an interview. I say "Dean" because the School of Management as it is known today didn't exist back then. In the beginning, the example of American universities was being followed in that management education would be a graduate program only. In that case, we would officially be under the Social Sciences Institute. Muhittin Oral was known as "Dean" nevertheless. At the time of my first interview with Muhittin Bey (February 1998, I think), they had not yet moved to the Karaköy building. They were working at Sabancı Center. Muhittin Bey, ever so polite, met me at the elevator door. As we walked through the hall, he said, "It is a sad day today." I asked why. He said, "We lost a colleague." I immediately knew who it was: Ayşegül Arsoy. I was right. Not many people will remember now, but Ayşegül used to be the late (Founding Secretary-General) Hüsnü Paçacıoğlu's assistant. She was also my PhD student at Boğaziçi University. She was a bright, promising person. She had an acute heart disease. We were nevertheless in contact about her dissertation. I knew she was going to the US to have an operation. On my first visit to Sabancı University, I learned that she had not made it. So it is a bitter memory, but it leads me to remember and honor Ayşegül Arsoy once again.
What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change?
B.Ü.: Apart from aging, the leading difference is that I have more publications. My most cited article is still one I wrote at Boğaziçi University, but some of the ones I authored at Sabancı University are quickly catching up. The increase in the number of my publications is partly due to Sabancı University's aspiration to be a "research university", to which end course load is kept low. Also important are the financial resources, the Personal Research Funds (PRF) provided to academics, and an extensive library and information technology infrastructure.
What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?
B.Ü.: The first thing that comes to mind is the emphasis on research and the resources provided. I hope that the university continues and improves these aspects in the years to come. As for me, it's difficult to make a projection for 20 years into the future. I continue writing. Since I no longer have the pressure to publish papers, I will turn to writing books when I am done with the projects I have.
Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?
B.Ü.: This is difficult to answer. Sabancı University was my opportunity to continue my academic career in the way that I wanted. It wasn't a rose garden, but it was my fortune. You may have heard of English author David Lodge. He is also a former academic. He made a name for himself with novels satirical of the academic world. I recently finished the second volume of his memoirs. It's called "Writer's Luck". And for me, Sabancı University was "Academic's Luck".