“There Is No Barrier; Every Challenge Is a New Beginning”

At an event held at our University on Thursday, January 8, Dr. Burak Uyanık—the first academic in Türkiye who was born with hearing impairment to complete a doctoral degree—met with our students and delivered an inspiring talk. In his speech entitled “There Is No Disability; Every Challenge Is a Beginning,” Dr. Uyanık addressed the concepts of disability, resilience, perseverance, and equal opportunity through striking examples drawn from his personal life and academic journey.

The event was conducted in an accessible manner with sign language interpretation provided by Çiğdem Öztop. Throughout the presentation, structural barriers faced by the Deaf community in education, academia, and social life were discussed, along with possible solutions.

This highly inspiring meeting for our students powerfully demonstrated that disability is not a limitation, but rather a social issue that can be overcome through appropriate support, determination, and inclusive approaches, thereby making a significant contribution to our Faculty’s vision of inclusivity and accessibility.