Family, colleagues, and students gathered to honour Prof. Hayran 



Following the passing of Prof. Osman Hayran, Founding Chair of the Department of Public Health at the School of Medicine of Istanbul Medipol University and one of Türkiye’s leading academics in the fields of public health, epidemiology, and health management, a memorial ceremony was held at the South Campus Conference Hall.

Among those delivering remarks at the ceremony were President of Istanbul Medipol University Prof. Bahadır Kürşat Güntürk, Vice President Prof. Recep Öztürk, Founding President Prof. Sabahattin Aydın, Dean of the International School of Medicine Prof. Abdülkadir Ömer, Dean of the School of Medicine Prof. Aslı Çakır, Dean of the School of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture Prof. Hüseyin Atilla Dikbaş, School of Medicine faculty member Prof. Nesrin Emekli, Dean of the School of Medicine at Üsküdar University Prof. Haydar Sur, Prof. Hanefi Özbek and on behalf of the family, his daughter Dr. Ceren Hayran Şanlı.  

The ceremony was also attended by Vice President of Istanbul Medipol University Prof. Yasemin Yüksel Durmaz, Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Abdurrahman Çetin, members of Prof. Hayran’s family, his students and colleagues and numerous members of the academic community. 
 

PROF. GÜNTÜRK: WE WILL PRESERVE PROF. HAYRAN’S ACADEMIC LEGACY
President of Istanbul Medipol University Prof. Bahadır Kürşat Güntürk emphasized that Prof. Osman Hayran was remembered not only for his academic achievements but also for his wisdom, courtesy, and unwavering dedication to his profession. Stating that Hayran’s most enduring legacy lay in his contributions to the university and in the physicians and scientists he helped educate, Güntürk said:

“We are deeply grateful for the contributions he made to the development of our university. We will always preserve and uphold the academic legacy and values that he entrusted to us.”
 

PROF. ÖZTÜRK: WE HAVE LOST NOT ONLY AN ACADEMIC BUT AN INSTITUTION IN HIMSELF
Vice President of Istanbul Medipol University Prof. Recep Öztürk stated that Prof. Osman Hayran had established a distinct school of thought in the field of public health in Türkiye. Noting that Hayran contributed to the education of thousands of healthcare professionals and numerous scientists, Öztürk said that he would be remembered not only for the courses he taught and the works he authored but also for his understanding of medicine centred on the human being.

Emphasizing Hayran’s significant contributions to healthcare equity, public health, and epidemiology, Öztürk stated:

“He leaves behind thousands of students, dozens of scientists, and countless scholarly works. However, his greatest legacy is the understanding that united healthcare with justice and fairness.”
 

PROF. AYDIN: HE WAS A DEFENDER OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM
In his remarks, Founding President of Istanbul Medipol University Prof. Sabahattin Aydın reflected on his many years of professional collaboration with Prof. Osman Hayran. Aydın stated that Hayran distinguished himself not only through his scientific productivity but also through the importance he attached to freedom of thought and noted that he made substantial contributions to the university’s institutional development from its very foundation.

Aydın remarked that they had the opportunity to work in the same corridor during recent years and emphasized that Hayran continued contributing to academic production and scientific research until the final days of his life. He described Prof. Osman Hayran as an invaluable asset to the university through his knowledge, intellectual outlook, and scientific integrity. 
 

PROF. ÖMER: THE LEGACY HE LEFT BEHIND WILL BE CARRIED FORWARD BY FUTURE GENERATIONS
Prof. Abdülkadir Ömer, Dean of the International School of Medicine at Istanbul Medipol University, stated that Prof. Osman Hayran served at some of Türkiye’s leading universities throughout a professional career spanning nearly half a century and made substantial contributions to the development of health management as an academic discipline.

Drawing attention to Hayran’s scholarly productivity, Ömer noted that he left a lasting mark through hundreds of articles published in internationally indexed journals, numerous books, and the students he mentored. Ömer stated:

“Everyone who knew him will remember him not only for his strong academic identity but also for his humility, generosity, and love for humanity. The students he educated and the works he left behind will continue to carry his name into future generations.”
 

PROF. ÇAKIR: HE WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE ON THROUGH HIS STUDENTS AND SCHOLARLY WORKS
Prof. Aslı Çakır, Dean of the School of Medicine at Istanbul Medipol University, stated that Hayran guided countless students and academics through his educational philosophy and scholarly expertise. Emphasizing his important contributions to educational processes, assessment and evaluation systems, and the development of academic standards, Çakır remarked:

“We will continue to honour the memory of our esteemed professor through the students he educated, the academic studies he produced, and the scholarly works he entrusted to us.”
 

DR. CEREN HAYRAN: HE TAUGHT US THE VALUE OF WORK, PRODUCTIVITY, AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS
Dr. Ceren Hayran Şanlı, daughter of Prof. Osman Hayran, stated that her father never ceased working, producing, and learning throughout his life. She explained that he always placed respect for others, appreciation for hard work, and a strong sense of justice at the forefront of his values and described him as a constant source of inspiration for both his family and his students.

Noting that her father always approached differing viewpoints with respect, Hayran said that his most important piece of advice was to live a happy life. She stated:

“He would always say, ‘Whoever you are and whatever you do, be happy.’ He always made me feel that he stood behind me in every decision I made in life.”



PROF. SUR: HE HAD A TRULY ADMIRABLE CHARACTER
Prof. Haydar Sur, Dean of the School of Medicine at Üsküdar University, stated that his acquaintance with Prof. Osman Hayran dated back to 1992 and that Hayran remained in his memory through his academic rigor and unwavering commitment to fairness. Sharing an anecdote from his doctoral qualification process, Sur highlighted Hayran’s sensitivity to scientific integrity and justice.

Stating that Hayran gradually became an important part of his professional life, Sur remarked:

“That day, the person who defended my rights was actually Prof. Osman Hayran. At the time, he was someone I did not know personally, but he possessed a character that was truly worthy of admiration. Today, I feel both sorrow and gratitude.”
 

PROF. EMEKLİ: HE HAD A FORWARD-LOOKING VISION FOR HEALTH EDUCATION
Prof. Nesrin Emekli, a faculty member at the School of Medicine of Istanbul Medipol University, stated that she had known Prof. Osman Hayran closely since their years at Marmara University and had the opportunity to work in the same corridor with him for approximately ten years at Istanbul Medipol University. Emphasizing his efforts in establishing the School of Health Sciences at Marmara University and institutionalizing nursing education, Emekli noted that he possessed an advanced vision for health education.

She also highlighted the importance Hayran attached to community engagement activities, noting that fieldwork conducted in villages and science centres provided invaluable experiences for students. Emekli stated:

“Today, many practices that have become mandatory under the concept of social contribution were, in fact, already being implemented by Prof. Osman Hayran at that time. We can never fully repay his efforts and contributions to the field of healthcare.”
 

PROF. ÖZBEK: THROUGH HIS WORKS, HE REACHED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
Prof. Hanefi Özbek stated that he had studied Prof. Osman Hayran’s books with great care and observed the tremendous effort reflected in every line. He noted that these works had contributed to numerous academic studies throughout Türkiye and had ultimately reached hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals.

Özbek emphasized that Hayran was not only a professor to him but also a deeply valued person whom he regarded almost as a father. He said:

“We are experiencing the sorrow of losing him. It is an immense loss for all of us. I regarded myself as one of his students, almost as one of his children.”
 

PROF. DİKBAŞ: HE WAS A PIONEERING AND VISIONARY ACADEMIC
Prof. Hüseyin Atilla Dikbaş, Dean of the School of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture at Istanbul Medipol University, stated that Prof. Osman Hayran was a pioneering, visionary, and inspirational academic. Referring to their collaboration during the development of the graduate programme on the built environment and health, Dikbaş explained that Hayran’s perspective in this field provided valuable guidance for their work.

Dikbaş stated:

“Through his approach to the relationship between the built environment and health, he provided us with an extremely important framework. We continue our work today in accordance with the direction he helped establish. His interaction with the School of Medicine was highly instructive for all of us.”

WHO IS PROF. OSMAN HAYRAN?
After graduating from the School of Medicine at Hacettepe University, Prof. Osman Hayran completed his specialization in Public Health at the same institution. Throughout his professional career, he made significant contributions to the fields of public health, epidemiology, health policy, and health management.

Having served at Karadeniz Technical University, Marmara University, Yeditepe University, and Istanbul Medipol University, Hayran was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 1988 and that of Professor in 1994. He also served as Dean at the Schools of Medicine of Marmara University and Yeditepe University, making substantial contributions to the development of health management as an academic discipline.

Serving as Founding Chair of the Department of Public Health at the School of Medicine of Istanbul Medipol University since 2014, Prof. Osman Hayran left an enduring mark on the history of Turkish medicine and health education through hundreds of scientific articles, numerous books, and the generations of students he mentored.