At the “Değerli Hayatlar” talk program held at the Next Para Art Gallery, Prof. Dr. Engineer Levon Çapan had an engaging conversation with host Özge Çubuk. The program featured important details and insights about Prof. Çapan’s academic and professional life.
Prof. Dr. Çapan, born in 1943 in Istanbul, began his educational journey at Istanbul Saint Joseph High School. After spending a year in France, he enrolled in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. Graduating as a mechanical engineer in 1969, he began working as an assistant at the same faculty. After completing his doctoral studies, he became an associate professor in 1979 and a professor in 1986. Since then, he has worked at various institutions, including Trakya University, Sakarya University, Istanbul University, and Kocaeli University. After retiring in 2010 due to age, he continued working at TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center, participating in various projects.
Prof. Çapan shared his observations of students from his long years of teaching experience. He noted that he had the opportunity to work with brilliant students at all the universities where he served and emphasized that these students are the pride and future of the country. He expressed curiosity about the changes he observed in student profiles over the years and how transformations occurred.
Prof. Çapan noted a decline in the profile of university students starting from the 1970s. He attributed this to various factors, including the decreased quality of high schools and changes in the university entrance exam system. He emphasized that the old exam system for technical universities was intensive and lengthy, whereas the centralized exam system now includes simpler and shorter questions. Çapan pointed out that these changes negatively affected students’ understanding of scientific concepts and led to a noticeable decline in the level of education.
He observed that under the old exam system, students had in-depth knowledge, but the current simpler entrance exam questions do not adequately reflect this level, leading to various issues in the educational process.
Student Issues and Gaps in the Education System
During the interview, Prof. Çapan addressed some shortcomings in the current education system. He discussed how changes in the university entrance exam system have negatively impacted student profiles. Çapan noted that some students choose not to take the exams and elaborated on the resulting issues. Additionally, he highlighted problems such as the non-renewal of contracts for some university faculty members.
Prof. Çapan drew attention to the general decline in educational standards and emphasized the importance of technical staff. He pointed out that the country needs not only university graduates but also vocationally trained intermediate staff. In this context, he stressed the need to improve the apprenticeship and vocational training systems.
Prof. Çapan’s Concerns on Social Ethics and Personal Challenges
Prof. Çapan expressed his concerns about societal ethics, particularly highlighting how ethical issues such as cheating negatively impact students during the educational process and reflect on societal morality. He provided examples of how these issues manifest in society, including an incident of cheating he experienced at a parent-teacher meeting, which he interpreted as indicative of a widespread moral decline. Çapan emphasized how such behaviors can lead to injustices and problems across various segments of society.
He also shared insights into his personal challenges and reflections, particularly focusing on the economic difficulties he faced during his education in Paris. Çapan detailed his experiences of going to Paris at a young age, the challenges he encountered during his apprenticeship, and how these experiences contributed to his career. He discussed how these difficulties influenced his passion for engineering and the valuable lessons he learned throughout this period.
Prof. Dr. Engineer Levon Çapan, Özge Çubuk, Next Pera Art Gallery, 2024
