Netherlands poised to cancel status of Islamic university over rector’s discriminatory remarks


Date posted: September 17, 2016

Dutch Education Minister Jet Bussemaker announced that there is a parliamentary debate over the Islamic University of Rotterdam for cancellation of the “university status” of the institution due to Rector Ahmet Akgündüz’s repeatedly hateful and discriminatory remarks against Turkey’s minorities and the Gülen movement.

According to the amendment that Bussemaker is working on, the government will intervene if an educational institution does not perform its task of “promoting social responsibility.”

The Islamic University of Rotterdam announced earlier this week that it will no longer cooperate with education ministry watchdog NAVO’s investigation into the quality of the institution. NAVO launched another investigation into the institution because of Akgündüz’s remarks.

Bussemaker criticized Akgündüz’s remarks, saying the actions of the rector are in conflict with Dutch values and norms. “A rector does have a lot of academic freedom as figurehead of an institution, but it goes with great responsibility,” she said.

Source: Turkish Minute , September 18, 2016

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Turkey purge victims unable to find jobs, leave country

“It’s a kind of civil death,” Kerem Altiparmak, a human rights lawyer and political science professor at Ankara University told Los Angeles Times on Wednesday when describing how the lives of thousands of people change after the July 15 coup attempt.

The tragic story of a Turkish family fleeing to Greece from persecution

When the body of the 5-year-old Aylan Kurdi was found in the Greek island of Kos in 2015, Turkish president Erdoğan said: “What has drowned in the Mediterranean is not only the refugees. Humanity has drowned in the Mediterranean Sea.” However, President Erdoğan didn’t say a word about Turkish family’s tragedy, who were fleeing from the persecution of his own regime this time.

Fethullah Gulen and Gulen Movement Discussed at German Symposium

The Intercultural Dialog Association in Cologne organized a symposium titled “Fethullah Gulen who Encourages the Dialog Studies”. At a weekend in Cologne, many academics, members of the parliament, representatives of some NGO’s, Turks and Germans attended the symposium.

Religious leader: I was told to blame Gülen movement for police banning my group meeting

Alparslan Kuytul, president of the Furkan Foundation and leader of a religious group critical of the Turkish government, said he was advised to put the blame on the faith-based Gülen movement for a police intervention in a meeting of his followers in April and that the government would ultimately clear the way for his group to operate freely.

Neither Erdoğan nor EU the same after five years

Erdoğan is going to Brussels as the prime minister of Turkey who doesn’t even have ambassadors in three of its region’s important capital; Cairo, Tel Aviv and Damascus. A negotiation chapter was opened in November 2013 after a three-year freeze. Erdoğan had to sack the former EU minister from the cabinet because of the allegations in relation with a major graft probe in December 2013 and appointed Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu to that post.

Parallel vs. Persian structure within the Turkish state

Despite all these accusations, the Erdoğan government has not produced any evidence to substantiate his allegations of a parallel structure within the judiciary, police or any other state institution, nor of officials receiving orders from anywhere other than their own legal superiors, nor has he or his government brought any of these charges to court.

Latest News

Sacramento leaders gather for Iftar dinner in celebration of Ramadan

SEO Skill Suite: Tools for Keyword Research, Technical & Backlink Analysis

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

In Case You Missed It

White House concerned over arrest of Turkish journalists

African Initiative on Education for Peace and Development through Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue

Somali students caring for the Soma orphans

Erdoğan’s stance on Turkish Schools turns to hatred after corruption probes

Fighting poverty, ignorance and disunity in Ghana; the TUDEC experience

Gülen: Society not divided into Kemalists, Muslims in Turkey

Philippine army awards Kimse Yok Mu for aid and contribution to peace

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News