Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel

İrfan S. Günsel was born on 9 October 1981 in Nicosia. Mr. Günsel is the eldest son of the family. He completed his elementary, secondary and high school studies at the Near East College. As a hardworking and outstanding student, he was much appreciated by his teachers starting from the very first years of his educational career. He is one of the very first graduates of the Near East College.

İrfan S. Günsel started to his undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Law of the Near East University in 1998 and graduated from this faculty. As his outstanding well-developed academic skills and outstanding personal abilities have been regarded much during his studies, he was encouraged to carry out his postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Law. He carried out his MA studies at this faculty and obtained an MA degree in 2004. Immediately following his graduation, he started to another undergraduate program at the Department of Deck of the Faculty of Maritime Studies where afterwards he became a lecturer.

İrfan Günsel, continuing his academic career without pausing, started to a PhD program on International Law and eventually completed the PhD courses and conferred upon a PhD degree on International Law.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan Günsel, taking on significant responsibilities in the developmental projects of the Near East University, its institutions and foundations, has had a pioneering role in all projects, especially during the planning and establishment process of the Near East University Innovation Centre, and the Hospital of Near East University. As the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, he is the chief administrative staff of the Hospital of the Near East University at the moment.

Mr. Günsel, enthusiastically interested in the basic principles of automobile projection facilities, studied on the industrial projection stages of automobile production sector as well as leading to units in charge of establishment of the Museum of Classical Cars of the Near East University. İrfan Suat Günsel was in charge of planning and organization of overseas representative units of NEU, and in the meantime, led to improvement the facilities of Mersin and İstanbul representative offices.

During his intensive studies between 2004 and 2009, he carried out aforementioned projection facilities and administrative duties and, in this regard, he acted as the General Coordinator of the university. He was elected as the President of the Board of Trustees of the university in 2009, and since then he carries out both his administrative and academic studies accordingly.

30 April 2013, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel was awarded with International Arch of Europe Gold Quality Award on behalf of the Hospital of NEU at the 26th International Arch of Europe Convention held in Frankfurt, Germany.

19 June 2013, Golden Award was presented to İrfan S. Günsel in Rome on behalf of the Hospital of NEU for its quality and business prestige.

3 July 2013, “Best University Award in Golden Category of 2013” was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel in Switzerland.

21 September 2013, Assit. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel was presented with a Medal of Honour for providing the citizens of the Gagauzia Autonomous Republic with opportunities on health and education issues.

3 October 2013, Business Excellence Award of World Confederation of Businesses headquartered in Houston, Texas, the USA, was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel on behalf of the Hospital of NEU.

6 November 2013, Award for Investment in Advancing Institution Quality was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel on behalf of the Hospital of Near East University at the Congress held in the USA.

21 November 2013 , the Majestic Five Continents Award for Quality and Excellence of France-based Otherways Management Association was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel on behalf of the Hospital of Near East University.

8 December 2013,The European Award for Best Practices of the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR) was presented to Assit. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel on behalf of the Hospital of NEU.

20 March 2014, The Best Innovative University Award was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel on behalf of the Near East University in Dubai ArabLab event for its extraordinary achievements in producing technology products such as wheelchair that can move by power of mind and designed to make life of disabled people easier, EKG T-Shirt, making MS patients walk via an electronic cloth, smart hospital room, robotic football team, and unmanned aerial and marine vehicles.

27 April 2014, “The Best University of the Year Award” was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel, Chairman of Board of Trustees of NEU on behalf of the Near East University at the ceremony of 11th Gap Oscars.

3 July 2014, Achieving a dynamically growing image in modern healthcare, excellence in the healthcare services, and a competitive potential in global markets in accordance with European standard, the Near East University Hospital was deemed worthy for Europe Quality Award by Europe Business Assembly (EBA) that based in Oxford, England. During the internationally participated Socrates Award Ceremony, The Chairman of Board of Trustees, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan Günsel was honored with European Quality Award in Italy for outstanding success and his aspiration to achieve high quality in accordance with European standards.

21 September 2014, The Star for Quality Award that is awarded in accordance with institutional success; institutional quality; institutional innovation; excellence in services; technology; customer service; institutional prestige; ISO 9000 and QC 100 principles and criteria.Comprising all of the qualities mentioned above, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günselreceived the Star for Quality Award on behalf of the Hospital of Near East Universiy by Spain-based Business Initiative Directions (BID) at the 15th International Star for Quality Award Ceremony organized in Geneva Switzerland.

26 October 2014, Business Initiatives Directions (BID) granted the ‘International Technology and Innovation Award’ to Near East University for its solar-powered vehicle, NEU-RA-25, which was made by the Ar-Ge Teams of Near East University. The Award was presented to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Near East University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel at the Science Convention that was held in Paris.

3 November 2014, The Near East University was granted with the Ismail Bey Gaspıralı Special Jury Award for its significant contributions to the Turkic World in the field of education, culture and science. NEU Board of Trustees Chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel received the award on behalf of the Near East University.

6 February 2016, “Innovative Education Leader Award” presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel, Chairman of Board of Trustees of Near East University, at the 8th World Conferance on Educational Sciences, in Spain, in recognition of his outstanding and sustainable contributions to developments in education and scientific world.

May 28, 2016, An appreciation plaque was introduced to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel on behalf of the Near East University due to its institutional contributions to the launch of "Library for Everyone" project supported by Bill Gates Foundation in order to ensure more active participation of libraries of local governments in the social transformation process.