SOCIAL SERVICES

THE OFFICE OF HEALTH, CULTURE AND SPORTS

The Office of Health, Culture and Sports has the role of protecting the mental and physical health of the students of the university, as well as providing treatment for students suffering from illnesses. The office is also involved in providing accommodation, nutrition, facilities for employment and relaxation, as well as organizing a wide range of free time activities which encourage students to take up new interests. Improving both the state of health and social conditions of students also forms an important component of the office's work with the aim of helping them to become individuals who take good care of their mental and physical health, who can develop regular and self-disciplined working habits, and enjoy their leisure and entertainment activities.

The Office of Health, Culture and Sports is provided for the entire university community as a health institution for students, providing them with social and cultural facilities, sports activities and counselling, and which is also a practice and research unit working in support of the education process.

CULTURAL SERVICES

Cultural services are provided from within the Office of Health, Culture and Sports. With the number of student clubs increasing day by day, we helps students to make better use of their free time as well as planning, organising and co-ordinating social activities in accordance with the principle "cheerful and tolerant communication within the framework of love and mutual respect".

Akdeniz University encourages its students to join the many different clubs available and to take part in their activities. The aim is to help them to become aware of the social contribution they can make, and the personal development that will follow such as improving their social interaction, becoming individuals who will continue to research, investigate and explore, as well as being productive in finding solutions and sharing them with others.

STUDENTS' CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

There are a wide range of clubs in which students can gain experience of group tasks, and where they can meet as members and communicate, share their ideas, carry out research and work together. These clubs are based in the Olbia Cultural Centre, in the Office of Health, Culture and Sports, and in Faculty and College buildings and other parts of the campus. They are all equipped with the internet facilities, computers, and telephones.

Students' Clubs

1. Mediterranean Publicity Club.
2. Ancient Cultures Club.
3. Astronomy Club.
4. Atatürk's Ideology Club.
5. Akdeniz University Theatre Club.
6. Eurasia Research Club.
7. Press and Information Club.
8. Computer Club.
9. Cycling Club.
10. Bridge Club.
11. Mountaineering Club.
12. Dance Club.
13. Literature Club.
14. Team 399 Theatre Club.
15. Ecology Club.
16. Economics Club.
17. Electronics Club.
18. Philosophy Club.
19. Folk Dancing Club.
20. Photography Club.
21. Entrepreneurship and Career Club.
22. Golf Club.
23. Aviation Club.
24. Legal Research Club.
25. Juggling Club.
26. Bird-watching Club.
27. Cave Exploration Club.
28. Mathematics Club.
29. Mechanics Club.
30. Motor Sports Club.
31. Debating Club.
32. Music Club.
33. 'Oyun Evi' Theatre Club.
34. ÖBAK Health Sciences Club.
35. Student Scientific Research Club.
36. Painting and Handcrafts Club.
37. Rock Music Club.
38. Chess Club.
39. Anti-smoking Club.
40. Cinema Club.
41. Social Thoughts Club.
42. Underwater Sports Club.
43. Social Sensibility Club.
44. Turkish Folk Music Club.
45. Turkish Classical Music Club.
46. Turkish Club.
47. International Youth Club.
48. International Politics and Diplomacy Club.
49. Creative Arts and Theatre Club.
50. Sailing Club.
51. Agricultural Geology Club.
52. Sports Club.

THE INTERNATIONAL MEDITERRANEAN YOUTH FESTIVAL

The "International Mediterranean Youth Festival" has taken place with the participation of the students of Akdeniz University and their guests from abroad since 1977, and is celebrated in the month of May every year with the aim of preventing our rich national cultural values from vanishing in the modern globalised world. We aim to pass those values on to the next young generation, provide them with an opportunity to get to know each other, and to strengthen their ties of friendship.

HEALTH SERVICES

Health services for both the staff and students of Akdeniz University are provided at an outpatient clinic in the Medico-Social Centre. From there they may be transferred to other health institutions for further examination and treatment if necessary.

The costs of medication and treatment for students who have no social insurance provision for either themselves or family members (spouse or parents) are covered by the special budget by way of medical reports issued by the Health, Culture and Sports Department.

Psychological Consultancy and Guidance

The primary aim of the Psychological Counselling and Guidance Unit is to protect the mental health of students and personnel by means of individual psychotherapy. Psychological Consultation and Guidance Services are undertaken by psychiatrists, psychologists and social services experts.

Psychotherapy treatments can help individuals to feel more able to achieve their goals in life by enabling them to take the control of their emotions, thoughts and actions. The objective is to allow individuals to get to know themselves better, to decrease psychological stress if it is present, to eliminate behavioural disorders, and to enable the positive growth and development of personality.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Social Services are provided by the Office of Health, Culture and Sports in accordance with the Mediterranean University Student Scholarship and Social Services Application Directive. Social Service specialists in the department are engaged on vocational studies in order to solve the psycho-social and economic problems of students through the use of individual and group work techniques. It provides advisory and support services to assist students in motivation, adaptation, social sensitivity, problem solving, and improving self-sufficiency.

The work of the social services is carried out in Akdeniz University from a perspective of knowledge, skill and respect. Our practitioners are dedicated to the essential ethical values of confidentiality, equity, protection of the dignity of humanity, and with respect for the right to determine one's own destiny.

Social service applications carried out by the Directorate of the Social Services Department are as follows:

-to provide scholarships, free lunches for students who are socially and economically in need, and to seek new sources of help for them.

-to provide safe accommodation in and around the campus for the students who cannot or do not want to stay in the dormitories.

-to help students find part-time jobs during their period of education or after graduation, inside or outside the university, in order to support them economically and individually.

-to answer all kinds of questions from new students, to provide information about solutions to their problems, and to help students adapt to the university faster.

-to provide an advisory service which can address the psycho-social and sexual problems of students derived from their individual or social environments.

-to provide support for handicapped students, as well as initiating individual projects to address their worries about the future, and offering supportive and advisory services to ease their learning life

SPORTS

The sports facilities of Akdeniz University are the responsibility of the Office of Health, Culture and Sports. The campus facilities include football pitches and tennis courts, as well as playing areas for basketball, volleyball, handball, badminton, and beach volleyball. There is also a climbing wall, an indoor swimming pool and indoor sports stadiums to international standards.

Akdeniz University sports teams represent their university in the branches of athletics, badminton, tennis, basketball, snooker, mountaineering, football, wrestling, handball, skiing, volleyball, table tennis, rowing, swimming, beach volleyball, folk dancing and gymnastics. The university's sports teams are selected from among all the students of the university. The Office of Health, Culture and Sports organises sports competitions between faculties and schools at specific periods.

ACCOMMODATION

Student dormitories are places where the students of the university spend their time, study and find the right atmosphere to live peacefully together. Being on campus, the dormitories are under the control of the Higher Education Credits and Hostels Institution.

In accordance with agreements signed between the university and the local authorities, student accommodation is also provided by hotels and lodging houses around the university. The following dormitories are also provided outside the city centre to provide accommodation for students studying nearby; (Akseki Student Dormitory, Alanya Hamdullah Emin Pascha Dormitory, Elmalı Celal Mehmet Subaşı Girls' Dormitory, Korkuteli Student Dormitory, Kumluca Education Society Student Dormitory).

THE OLBIA CULTURAL CENTRE

The Olbia Cultural Centre, centre of social life on campus, is a place where both students and members of staff can experience the pride of being exclusive and special. Besides its socio-cultural activities, the Olbia Cultural Centre provides facilities such as shops, cafés, stationers, banks, ATMs, snooker rooms, gift shops, clothes stores, travel agents and hairdresser's. Within the unique architecture of the centre there is also an amphitheatre of 1,500 seats, and two culture rooms for 250 visitors each. With its many corners where live music can be enjoyed, there is the Culture Café where cultural studies are arranged and presented, as well as an art gallery and a handcrafts workshop.

The Olbia Cultural Centre was awarded the Aga Khan Architectural Prize in 2001 for its successful integration of the various architectural styles of the university buildings, and for its use of local building materials on a human scale with creative style.

CATERING

The catering facilities of the Mediterranean University are provided in the Central Cafeteria by nutrition experts who calculate daily calorie needs, and serve meals under the most hygienic conditions using only high-quality materials consistent with food safety. The Central Cafeteria was voted the best University Cafeteria in 2006 by a survey of the nation's university students.

TRANSPORT

The Akdeniz University Campus is situated within the boundaries of the Metropolitan Municipality. The campus area is 1.5 km away from the intercity bus terminal. The campus is close to the city centre, and there are no transport problems for the employees or students of the university because buses come and go at regular intervals from every part of the city centre.

The buildings in the campus area are all within walking distance of each other. Transport within the campus is provided by public transport buses, intercampus transport vehicles and bicycles belonging to university which were put into service in 2007 with the aim of achieving zero emission out of concern for the ecological balance.