Dean of Istinye University Faculty of Medicine and neurosurgeon Prof. Dr. Türker Kılıç has become the first Turkish neurosurgeon elected to the Board of Trustees of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS).
There are eight Turkish members in the World Academy of Art and Science. A member of the Academy since December 2021, Türker Kılıç has now been elected to the Board of Trustees.
The World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS) was founded in 1960 by prominent intellectuals including Albert Einstein, Robert Oppenheimer (known as the father of the Manhattan Project), Bertrand Russell and Joseph Needham (founders of UNESCO), Lord Boyd Orr (first Director-General of FAO), and Brock Chisholm (first Director-General of WHO), among many other distinguished scientists, intellectuals, and thought leaders.
The Academy serves as a forum for scientists, artists, and scholars committed to addressing humanity’s challenges in an objective, scientific, and global manner, independent of political boundaries. Its founding declaration states the Academy’s purpose as follows:
“Knowledge is not enough. Wisdom is required. Wisdom can only be achieved through an ethical orientation that serves the common good of humanity.”
WAAS stands as a call affirming that being a neurosurgeon is not only about “knowing,” but also about understanding, making choices, and taking responsibility. WAAS members come from diverse cultures, nations, intellectual disciplines, and professions, and are selected for their distinction in natural, technological, and social sciences, arts and humanities, various professions, and public service. Since its inception, the Academy has focused on addressing global social challenges.
In 2013, WAAS established the World University Consortium in collaboration with other organizations. Working together with WUC, WAAS organizes a series of international conferences on the future of education, curriculum development roundtables to foster new interdisciplinary subjects, and pilot projects in cooperation with experimental partner institutions. WAAS holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and consultative status with UNESCO.
Prof. Dr. Türker Kılıç expressed his gratitude to the Academy members for his election to the Board of Trustees.
