LAU opens 2026-27 academic year with accreditation milestone

Lefke European University (LAU) has opened its 2026-2027 academic year at a ceremony in Lefke, with university officials, staff, local representatives, civil society leaders and invited guests in attendance, according to reports by Halkın Sesi and Yenidüzen.

The event focused on the university’s institutional accreditation and its stated progress in quality assurance and internationalisation. LAU said it is the first university in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to receive institutional accreditation, a distinction reported by the two local publications but not independently verified in the supplied evidence.

Board of Trustees Chair Enver Öztürk said the accreditation reflected the university’s quality culture, sustained work and collective effort over several years. He also said the achievement would increase LAU’s responsibility for its future development.

Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Yükselen said LAU had been placed in the 601-650 band of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027. The ranking placement was presented in the reports as a statement by the rector.

Yükselen also said LAU had retained its position as the most preferred higher-education institution in the TRNC for a second consecutive year. That status, like the ranking and first-accreditation distinction, is attributed to the university in the source reports.

The rector described LAU’s 36-year development as reaching an important stage in quality assurance, continuous improvement, internationalisation and institutional development. He said the university aimed to preserve its academic achievements while expanding its international activity through a quality-focused growth strategy.

During the opening event, LAU presented appreciation plaques to stakeholders who contributed to its AQAS institutional accreditation process.