Organised by the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology, in collaboration with the EMU Psychology Students Club operating under the EMU Social and Cultural Activities Directorate, the 15th Psychology Days has been held with the theme "Love, Close Relationships, and Attachment" on 10-11 May 2023, at the Mustafa Afşin Ersoy Hall.
15th Psychology Days commenced on 10 May, 2023, at 9:00 am, with speeches by EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Dr. Deniz İşçioğlu, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Özarslan, and Department of Psychology Chair Prof. Dr. Fatih Bayraktar.
In her opening speech, the President of the EMU Psychology Students Club, Deniz Elitaş, pointed out that since the club's establishment, they have tried to raise awareness about the subjects studied in psychology and provide students with accurate and reliable information through various activities.
Department of Psychology Chair Prof. Dr. Bayraktar, emphasized in his speech that they started holding Psychology Days 15 years ago and since then, have accomplished significant achievements through great teamwork. Prof. Dr. Bayraktar expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the realization of the 15th Psychology Days.
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Prof. Dr. Özarslan, mentioned that society has been going through very dark times since 2020 and emphasized that choosing a theme so crucial to human relationships and social life was a timely decision. Prof. Dr. Özarslan, who pointed out the extreme importance of looking at the world through a positive lens, wished for the event to be beneficial for all participants.
In her speech, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İşçioğlu welcomed everyone to the 15th Psychology Days and emphasized that the theme of the event which is "Love, Close Relationships, and Attachment" means different things to everyone.
EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hocanın expressed his pleasure to be part of the event and underlined the importance of discussing aspects of psychology that affect every segment of life. Emphasizing that EMU, as an international public university in Northern Cyprus, is one of the few institutions that allows the discussion of free ideas in various fields, Prof. Dr. Hocanın stressed the extreme importance of maintaining and enhancing this. Expressing his belief that the 15th Psychology Days would host great discussions, Prof. Dr. Hocanın underlined that they would continue to support similar events in EMU. Emphasising that the department is conducting studies at an international level, Prof. Dr. Hocanın also mentioned that the undergraduate and graduate programs of the EMU Department of Psychology are garnering great interest with their strong faculty members.
Following the opening speeches, the 15th EMU Psychology Days commenced with presentations by esteemed speakers from both local and international backgrounds. Throughout the two-day event, academic speakers, psychologists, and sociologists delivered presentations, panels, and workshops on subjects including the neuroscience of love, romantic relationships, sexual health, love and sexuality in LGBTIQ+ individuals, and forgiveness. The 15th EMU Psychology Days attracted great interest from not only EMU students and academicians but also students from other psychology departments in Northern Cyprus.
