Organized by Kastamonu University and within the framework of the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) University Conferences, the conference titled "Turkey and the World in the Age of Digitalization: Communication and Cybersecurity," featuring TÜBA Principal Member Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arslan as the speaker, was held on April 17, 2025, in the Sezai Karakoç Hall of the Central Library.
The event was attended by our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, TÜBA Full Member and Acting Dean of Medipol University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arslan, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Ömer Küçük and Prof. Dr. Selahattin Kaymakcı, academicians, and many students.
At the program's opening, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arslan informed the participants with the TÜBA trailer.
Digitalization and Future Technologies
After watching the trailer, Prof. Dr. Arslan took the floor and said that digitalization is taking place in the world and Turkey and underlined that digitalization will be effective in agriculture, health, education, and administration in the coming years.
Stating that communication technologies change every 10 years, Prof. Dr. Arslan said that objects are connected via the internet, and even the human brain will be connected to the internet soon. Stating that continuous studies are being carried out to use the human brain more functionally, Prof. Arslan underlined that everything from education to agriculture and from water to soil will be digitalized in this process.
"Whoever controls the data, controls the world"
Prof. Dr. Arslan stated that countries working to integrate the physical and cyber worlds and investing in this area will gain great power in the future.
Prof. Dr. Arslan stated that countries working to integrate the physical and cyber worlds and investing in this field will gain great power in the future. Drawing attention to the fact that wars are no longer fought with firearms, Prof. Dr. Arslan emphasized the issue's importance by saying, "He who controls data controls the world." Stating that satellites have been sent into space to collect data in America, Prof. Dr. Arslan emphasized that countries implement various data collection and management policies.
5G and Cybersecurity Concerns
Pointing out that mobile phones and free applications used for communication purposes are not very innocent, Prof. Arslan said that individuals should be aware of how these applications should be used.
Stating that communication and information technologies continue to gain more importance daily, Prof. Arslan underlined that wireless or mobile communication technologies dominate every aspect of life, becoming the primary driver of information technologies. Prof. Arslan said that the technologies that enable user-friendly and fast communication at the current point have evolved towards a dimension that includes objects with 5G and increases the diversity of applications with 6G, and emphasized that different communication needs have started to guide technologies with 5G.
Prof. Dr. Arslan continued his speech as follows: "Recent developments all over the world have revealed that much different information belonging to the communication environment and users will be accessible together with the data transmitted in communication systems after 5 G. It is evaluated that the intensive collection and sharing of this information will create cybersecurity problems in the long term. In addition to focusing on data and communication channel security, there is a need for studies on the protection of media information and cybersecurity. Academic studies on cybersecurity and technology development will be even more important in the coming years."
Turkey's Future and Human Resources Potential
Stating that serious scientific studies are being carried out in the field of communication in Turkey, Prof. Dr. Arslan underlined that all kinds of economic and human resources should be used to have a say in the information wars of the future and to create the necessary infrastructure. Calling on students who want to work in future communication technologies and cybersecurity, Prof. Dr. Arslan said that Turkey has sufficient human resources in this field and that only young people should be encouraged.
The conference ended with a gift presentation to Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arslan by our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, and a photo shoot. In the program, the visual prepared by the Artificial Intelligence Coordinatorship of our University using artificial intelligence tools was presented to Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arslan.
2025 TÜBA Conferences Continue
"Turkey and the World in the Age of Digitalization: Communication and Cybersecurity,“ themed ”Turkey and the World in the Age of Digitalization: Communication and Cyber Security“, will continue in May with Prof. Dr. İzzet Öztürk's ”Vision of a Climate-Resilient and Water-Sensitive City." In October and November, our University will host Prof. Dr. Fikret Şahin's “New Generation Regenerative Medicine Products and Applications” and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Aydın's “Sustainable Management of Water Resources” conference.
