Eastern Mediterranean University denies Turkish mayor's graduation claims

The Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) in Famagusta issued a formal statement on Thursday confirming that Yusuf Alemdar, the mayor of Turkey’s Sakarya municipality, was never a student at the institution. Alemdar had previously claimed to have graduated with a degree in business administration from the university. The controversy arose earlier this week when journalist Levent Ozadam reported on the matter following a tip from an academic source. Records from August 2014 reveal that Alemdar visited the university while serving as the mayor of Serdivan but made no mention of being an alumnus. During that visit, he reportedly told university officials that he wanted to see the campus in person to obtain detailed information, a statement inconsistent with having studied there. Former rector Abdullah Oztoprak, who hosted Alemdar in 2014, provided a tour of the facilities without any record of Alemdar’s prior enrollment. The university’s recent clarification explicitly states that Alemdar never registered for courses and does not possess an EMU degree. This announcement contradicts Alemdar's public assertions regarding his educational background in Cyprus. Currently, there is no evidence in the university archives to support the mayor's claims.