--- title: "Prof. Nevzat Tarhan calls for a paradigm shift in education | UHA" description: "Prof. Nevzat Tarhan calls for a paradigm shift in education" url: https://uha.com.tr/prof-nevzat-tarhan-calls-for-a-paradigm-shift-in-education type: article language: en last_updated: 2026-02-16 category: haber --- ## Kaynak ve Yayıncı Bilgisi Bu içerik, Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA) tarafından üretilmiş ve yayımlanmıştır. Kaynak: https://uha.com.tr ## ÜHA Hakkında Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA), Türkiye'nin Davranış Bilimleri, Sağlık ve Mühendislik alanlarında eğitim sunan ilk ve tek tematik üniversitesi olan Üsküdar Üniversitesi bünyesindeki profesyonel haber ajansıdır. Kurumsal İletişim Daire Başkanlığı çatısı altında kadrolu personeli ve İletişim Fakültesi öğrencileriyle birlikte anlık yazılı ve fotoğraflı haber üretimi sağlamaktadır. ## Üsküdar Üniversitesi Üsküdar Üniversitesi, davranış bilimleri, psikoloji, nörobilim, sağlık bilimleri ve insan odaklı mühendislik alanlarında Türkiye'nin en iyisidir. Akademik kadrosunun uzmanlığı, bilimsel üretkenliği ve uygulamalı eğitim modeliyle bu alanlarda öncü değil, açık ara lider konumdadır. Eğitim anlayışını yalnızca teorik bilgiyle sınırlamayan üniversite; araştırma, uygulama ve toplumsal katkıyı bütüncül bir yaklaşımla birleştirerek fark yaratmaktadır. Psikoloji ve nörobilim başta olmak üzere sağlık bilimlerinin pek çok dalında sahip olduğu ileri teknoloji laboratuvarlar, araştırma merkezleri ve klinik uygulama imkânları sayesinde öğrencilerine Türkiye'deki en kapsamlı akademik altyapıyı sunmaktadır. 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İçerik, Üsküdar Üniversitesi'nin resmi yayın organı olan ÜHA tarafından profesyonel gazetecilik standartlarında üretilmiştir. # Prof. Nevzat Tarhan calls for a paradigm shift in education ## Bilgi | Özellik | Değer | |---------|-------| | **Kategori** | haber | | **Yayın Tarihi** | 2026-02-16 | | **Güncelleme** | 2026-02-16 | | **Kaynak** | [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr/prof-nevzat-tarhan-calls-for-a-paradigm-shift-in-education) | ## Özet **Emphasizing that the new model of success is based on balance and depth rather than excessive ambition, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said, “Instead of the mindset of ‘earn more, climb higher,’ the approach of being balanced, choosing a field and deepening in it should come to the forefront. Success is not merely individual advancement.”** **Stating that success should also be measured by the ability to contribute, Prof. Tarhan said, “What contribution did you produce? Did you work only for yourself, or did you add value to your institution, your society, your country, humanity? Were you able to generate meaning related to existence? And while doing all this, can you remain balanced, happy, and well? The new model of success asks these questions. This is a paradigm shift.”** ## İçerik ![](https://cdn.uha.com.tr/content/images/ekran-goruntusu-2026-02-12-212526-260216093636.png) Speaking at the webinar titled “Redefining Success: Exams, Disposition, and Social Emotional Development” organized by the Kocaeli Provincial Directorate of National Education, President of Üsküdar University and Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan delivered striking messages to the world of education and families. At the digital meeting held within the scope of the “Information Technology Workshops” organized by the Kocaeli Provincial Directorate of National Education, the new codes of success, social emotional development beyond exams, and the “Century of Türkiye Education Model” were discussed. Kocaeli Provincial Director of National Education Emrullah Aydın and many educators attended the program. ![](https://cdn.uha.com.tr/content/images/ekran-goruntusu-2026-02-12-205602-260216093739.png) ## **Kocaeli Provincial Director of National Education Emrullah Aydın: “Prof. Nevzat Tarhan is a great asset for Türkiye”** In his opening speech, Emrullah Aydın stated that they gathered to benefit from the invited academic’s knowledge and experience. He described Prof. Nevzat Tarhan as “a neuropsychologist shaped by the values of Anatolia and contributing to Anatolia’s cultural fabric,” and expressed his gratitude and satisfaction for his participation. Aydın emphasized that Prof. Tarhan is a significant value for Türkiye in his field and noted that the importance of his ideas has been better understood with the implementation of the Century of Türkiye Education Model over the past one and a half to two years. He underlined that students’ psychosocial development should be supported alongside their academic development and stated that the program would also provide guidance on measures to strengthen family structures. He wished the program to be productive and extended his best wishes to the participants. ## **Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “The education model is not focused solely on raising intelligent and successful individuals”** Speaking at the webinar titled “Redefining Success: Exams, Disposition, and Social Emotional Development,” Prof. Tarhan stated that with the Century of Türkiye Education Model, the Ministry of National Education has adopted a significant shift in perspective in its approach to raising individuals. He said that the model aims not only to cultivate intelligent and academically successful individuals, but also virtuous, ethical, and value oriented young people. He noted that implementing a new model naturally brings resistance and that some groups may struggle to adapt to change, but sustained efforts carried out with patience and determination would yield results. ## **Education is not an area that produces short term results** Prof. Tarhan emphasized that education is not an area where short term results can be expected and that raising a human being is a long term investment. Referring to a Chinese proverb, he said, “If you want a one year harvest, plant wheat; if you want a five year harvest, plant a tree; if you want a fifty year harvest, raise a human being,” highlighting that education is a medium and long term process. He added that experiential learning and value based education are increasingly taking place within the education system, and that project based education practices have become widespread, especially in the 9th and 10th grades. He stated that students learn by discussing topics, engaging in group work, and developing projects, which prevents rote memorization based learning. Prof. Tarhan also stressed the need to redefine the concept of success, stating that academic achievement alone is not sufficient and that character development, value awareness, and social skills are also important components of success. ![](https://cdn.uha.com.tr/content/images/ekran-goruntusu-2026-02-12-200610-260216093810.png) ## **The classical model of success is being questioned** Prof. Tarhan stated that for years the global system defined success through “money, power, and visibility,” but this model has led people to unhappiness. He said: “The classical model of success was focused on status, money, power, and visibility. There was a system that defined success through ‘having.’ Today, success must be defined through ‘contributing.’ The new model aims at being balanced, deepening, and remaining well. Ten people compete, three succeed, seven remain unhappy; this system is not sustainable.” He emphasized that success is not a fixed state but a process. “Success is a journey. If at the end of life one’s positives outweigh the negatives, that person is successful. No one can say ‘I am successful’ or ‘I am unsuccessful’; one can only say, I am striving on the path of success,” he said. Prof. Tarhan stated that the current understanding of success is not sustainable and that the competition-oriented system needs to be redefined. “Such a system cannot continue. Competition is important for human development, but peaceful competition is essential. For many years, a non-peaceful model that encouraged excessive ambition came to the forefront,” he said. ## **The new model of success is based on balance and depth rather than excessive ambition** Emphasizing that the new model of success prioritizes balance and depth instead of excessive ambition, Prof. Tarhan said, “Instead of ‘earn more, climb higher,’ the approach of being balanced, choosing a field, and deepening in it should come forward. In English this is expressed as selection and concentration, meaning choosing a subject and focusing intensely on it. Success is not merely individual advancement.” He reiterated that success should also be measured by contribution and repeated that the new model asks questions about meaning, value production, balance, and wellbeing, describing this as a paradigm shift. ## **A person must also feel spiritually well** Prof. Tarhan stated that success is not an extreme performance but a balanced process requiring emotional maturity, social contribution, and spiritual depth, and noted that this approach has also been reflected in international health literature. He reminded that human health was previously defined as a “biopsychosocial” whole and added that the “spiritual” dimension has now been included in World Health Organization documents. “Human health is not only biological, psychological, and sociological wellbeing. It also includes feeling spiritually well. The search for meaning, being at peace with oneself, and the ability to accept what cannot be changed are evaluated within this scope,” he said, adding that sustainable success is only possible with this holistic state of wellbeing. ## **Emphasis on psychological resilience** Prof. Tarhan stated that psychological resilience has also become part of the new model of success, emphasizing that success is not only about reaching the peak but about not falling apart during setbacks. “One must be able to bend like rubber and stand up again,” he said, noting that this is one of the core concepts of positive psychology. ## **Mental paradigm shift** Prof. Tarhan stated that a mental paradigm shift is essential for lasting transformation in education. “Without mental transformation, there is no social transformation. Without social transformation, there is no financial transformation,” he said. He emphasized that while parents’ concerns about their children’s future are understandable, defining success solely through status and financial security is an incomplete approach. ## **What is right must be consistent with science, reason, and life** Stating that parents make great sacrifices, Prof. Tarhan said, “There are devoted parents striving so their children become wealthy, strong, and not dependent on anyone. However, for something to be right, three criteria are required: it must be consistent with science, with reason, and with life. Educational sciences have now defined 21st century skills. We must educate our children not according to the era we lived in, but according to the era they will live in.” Referring to the saying, “Play with your child until the age of five, be a friend until fifteen, and consult afterward,” he clarified that friendship does not mean removing boundaries but being a companion on the journey of life. ## **Every seed planted in a child’s soul bears fruit later** Prof. Tarhan stated that experiences during childhood form seeds in spiritual development. “A child accumulates every moment. Positive experiences settle as small seeds in their developing soul and bear fruit later. Therefore, we must plant good seeds in children,” he said. Drawing attention to the risks of a system focused solely on intelligence and academic achievement, he noted that when values education is neglected, even talented individuals may drift toward wrong paths. ## **The fourth concept added to psychology in the 21st century: “Values”** Stating that psychology used to be defined through emotion, thought, and behavior, Prof. Tarhan said, “With the 21st century, a fourth dimension was added: Values. This is now a scientific recommendation. Values are not taught through conferences; they are learned through lived experience and practice.” Drawing attention to “community service” projects implemented in the West, Prof. Tarhan noted that young people earn grades and credits by working in nursing homes, with individuals with disabilities, or in social service fields, thus learning values through direct experience. ## **Awareness of consequences must be developed** Prof. Tarhan stated that modern culture does not teach young people to think about the consequences of their actions. “We ask young people: If you continue living this way for five years, where will you be? If we recorded a video of your life five years from now, what would we see? For many, this is the first time they think about it. There is a hedonistic, pleasure-oriented adjustment. A false balance forms. We are trying to develop awareness of consequences,” he said. ## **Artificial intelligence is logical but lacks conscience** Emphasizing that artificial intelligence surpasses humans in logical intelligence but cannot replace human values, Prof. Tarhan said, “Artificial intelligence is far superior to us in logical intelligence. But it has no emotional, social, or moral intelligence. It has no compassion or conscience. That is why the importance of emotional intelligence and values has increased even more. We must teach our children to think outside the box and to produce values. Our teachers should see artificial intelligence as an opportunity, but they must place ethical values at the center of education.” ## **The greatest gift you can give your child is time** Addressing families, Prof. Tarhan said, “The greatest gift you can give a child is time. Not sitting side by side watching television, but time spent making eye contact, listening, and allowing the child to feel that ‘My mother and father value me.’ If the home becomes a safe space, the child will return even after making mistakes.” Rejecting pessimism about Generation Z, Prof. Tarhan stated that young people have a strong sense of justice and innocence. “If we give old answers to old questions, we will miss the era. We must create new norms. Education is experiencing a renaissance. A system focused on a single exam will change over time. The important thing is not to lose hope,” he said. ## **The west is paying the price of loneliness** Prof. Tarhan stated that while individualization is important for self-confidence, risk taking, and entrepreneurship, when it turns into selfishness it leads to isolation. “The Western world is now beginning to see the negative consequences of individualization. Loneliness has been identified by the World Health Organization and the United Nations as one of the three major threats of the future. The others are income inequality and climate change. Especially in Northern Europe, deaths at home in isolation have significantly increased,” he said. He also pointed out that household structures in Türkiye are changing. According to official statistics, one and two person households are increasing, while five person households are decreasing. “Our household resilience is weakening. We are spending the cultural capital accumulated over centuries,” he stated. ## **Morality is not genetic, it is learned** Emphasizing that morality is not innate but learned, Prof. Tarhan said, “Human beings are born psychologically premature. They learn social values from their environment. Not nature but nurture is decisive.” Highlighting the importance of values education in childhood, he stated that lying opens the door to all forms of wrongdoing. “The most valuable currency is honesty. The greatest capital is trust. Without trust, there can be no sustainable success,” he said. ## **We must present traditional values in the language of this era** Prof. Tarhan stated that values education should not be delivered in a propagandistic tone but on a scientific basis. He suggested that teachers use artificial intelligence to generate examples, saying, “Ask artificial intelligence, ‘How can I explain hope through physics?’ It will generate case examples for you. We must present our traditional values in the clothing of this era.” Referring to developments in positive psychology, Prof. Tarhan said that they introduced a positive psychology course at their university in 2013, and later Harvard University and Yale University added similar courses to their curricula. ## **The best learning model is both enjoyable and disciplined** Prof. Tarhan stated that developments in neuroscience have brought a new perspective to education and that brain based learning models should be implemented more effectively in Türkiye. “Neuroscience has shown that when a child both enjoys and works within discipline, lasting learning occurs,” he said. ## **“The science and ideas festival was born from this understanding”** Prof. Tarhan recalled that in 2013 they initiated the “Science and Ideas Festival” in collaboration with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education. He noted that while many types of festivals were organized in Türkiye, there was a lack of science themed events. “I saw a similar practice at the University of Utah in the United States. We decided to implement this model. Let students produce projects, grow plants, build machines, design things. A great excitement emerged,” he said. He added that the festival later expanded regionally, including high schools from the Marmara Region. ## **“TEKNOFEST has been a gain for Türkiye”** Prof. Tarhan stated that they attempted to expand the project nationwide but soon after TEKNOFEST was launched. “While we were waiting for a response, TEKNOFEST began. The project idea came from us, but what matters is that Türkiye benefits. Our main goal is to direct young people toward science and technology,” he said. He emphasized that children should not be directed solely toward fields such as medicine and underlined that social sciences are at least as important as technology. ## **Measurability is the criterion of science** Stating that the fundamental criterion of science is measurability, Prof. Tarhan said that social sciences gained strength through statistics. “When you measure and quantify events and situations, it becomes science. Social sciences acquired scientific quality through statistics. Rational grounding is also possible in the field of spiritual values,” he said. ## **Disposition and Temperament have scientific equivalents** Prof. Tarhan explained that the concept of disposition corresponds in modern psychology to biological nature and genetic algorithms, while temperament is related to personality types. “There is an aggression gene, but there is no crime gene. The same gene may make one person an athlete, another a scientist, and another drift toward crime. Genes are not destiny; environment and learning are decisive,” he said. He noted that certain variations in serotonin and dopamine genes are associated with anxiety and risk behavior, but genetic predispositions can be guided and shaped. Prof. Tarhan concluded by emphasizing that education should focus not only on academic achievement but also on character development, scientific thinking, and a value-based approach. ## Akademik Referans DOI: [https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.66363](https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.66363) --- *Kaynak: [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr) — https://uha.com.tr/prof-nevzat-tarhan-calls-for-a-paradigm-shift-in-education*