Halil Güven

Halil Guven (Halil Güven, in Turkish) is a Cypriot-born professor and the rector of Istanbul Bilgi University appointed in the academic year of 2009-2010. He received his B.S. degree from Boğaziçi University (Istanbul, 1978), his M.S. degree from Mississippi State University on Fulbright Scholarship (1981), and his Ph.D. degree from University of Houston, in mechanical engineering(1983). Alongside his 20+ articles in energy systems in peer-reviewed journals, Prof. Güven has edited books and published book chapters on globalization, leadership, clash of civilizations and education. Prof. Güven took part in Harvard Graduate School of Education's “Harvard Seminar for New University Presidents” in 2000, and speaks Turkish, English, and moderate Spanish and Greek.
Prof. Güven worked as assistant professor (1984–1988), associate professor (1988–1994) and as professor (1994–1999) at San Diego State University. He founded and directed two important centers at San Diego State University, namely the Energy Engineering Institute (EEI) (1986) on applied energy research for industrial and manufacturing facilities, and the Industrial Assessment Center (1990), financially supported by the US Department of Energy (USDOE), on evaluating energy usage by small to medium size industrial facilities. His work at EEI received ‘Energy Innovation Award’ from the US Department of Energy (1988). He served as vice-president for two terms (1988, 1989) and as president (1993) at Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), San Diego Chapter. Among many other awards, Prof. Güven received Energy Professional Development Award from AEE (1987), Teetor Educator Award from SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) (1992), and Distinguished Engineering Educator Award from San Diego Engineering Societies (1993) in recognition of “devoted services to the Engineering Profession and Community.”
Prof. Güven relocated to Turkey for the position of rectorship at the newly founded Bahçeşehir University, where he served for 4 years as the Founding Rector (1999–2003). At Bahçeşehir University, he established the International Institute of Leadership and Public Affairs (IILPA), and the first School of Government in Turkey, and received a Leadership Chair from UNESCO. During Prof. Güven’s tenure as rector, Bahçeşehir University gained wide acceptance within the Turkish higher education sector as an innovative university.
Between 2004 and 2007, Prof. Güven served as the Rector of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) in North Cyprus, where he increased the international recognizability of EMU—biggest university of the island with over 15.000 students from 65 countries, situated in an internationally unrecognized territory. During Prof. Güven’s tenure as rector, EMU gained acceptance into UNESCO’s “International Handbook of World Universities”, became a full member of European Universities Association (EUA), completed EUA’s Institutional Evaluation Program, and received ABET (US) accreditation for its engineering programs. In addition, at EMU, Prof. Güven established Centers of Excellence in Conflict Resolution, Peace Journalism and Woman Studies.
Prof. Güven was appointed as the rector of Istanbul Bilgi University in 2009. After joining the Laureate International Universities, Istanbul Bilgi University, which is renowned in Turkey for its strong social science orientation, continues to be a dynamic and innovative university. Istanbul Bilgi University aims at becoming a “comprehensive university” in the near future. Last year, University received licenses from the regulators for, and admitted the first group of students into, the Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, School of Health Sciences and the School of Applied Sciences. Also, Istanbul Bilgi University is further developing its leadership position in the following areas: Social sciences, social responsibility issues, environmental issues, and university-industry-local government relations. Istanbul Bilgi University is aiming at establishing a School of Peace Studies in 2011 and being a think-tank in producing conflict resolution and peace policies for Turkey and its immediate vicinity.

Edited Books

• GLOBALIZATION AND THE THIRD WORLD: A Study of Negative Consequences, Eds. B.N. Ghosh and H. Güven, Macmillan Palgrave, 2006.

• LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, Eds. A. Safty and H. Güven, The International Leadership Series, Universal Publishers, 2002. (Also published by Bahçeşehir University Press (ıstanbul) as NEW PARADIGMS IN LEADERSHIP, Eds. A. Safty and H. Güven, 2003.)

Chapters in Books

• U. Atikol and H. Güven, Energy Efficiency: Developing Countries, a chapter in ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ENERGY ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, Ed. B. Capehart, Taylor and Francis, 3 Volume Set, CRC Press, July 2007.

• H. Güven, Globalization and Clash of Civilizations, a chapter in GLOBALIZATION AND THE THIRD WORLD: A Study of Negative Consequences, Eds. Ghosh and Güven, Macmillan Palgrave, 2006.

• H. Güven, Civilizations and Natural laws: A Positive Sciences Perspective; a chapter in LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, Eds. Safty and Güven, (pp. 289–305) Universal Publishers, The International Leadership Series, 2002.

• H. Güven, Dialogue of Civilizations: Paradigms for Economic Development and Social Advancement; a chapter in LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, Eds. Safty and Güven, (pp. 306– 321) Universal Publishers, The International Leadership Series, 2002.

• H. Güven, Leadership in Education: Bahçeşehir University – An intercultural Model in Progress; a chapter in LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, Eds. Safty and Güven, (pp. 322–356) Universal Publishers, The Int. Leadership Series, 2002.

• H. Guven and R.B. Bannerot, A Comprehensive Methodology for the Analysis and Design of Parabolic Trough Collectors for Solar Energy Applications in India, a chapter in PROGRESS IN SOLAR ENGINEERING, Ed. Yogi Goswami, Hemisphere Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y., 1986.