The guest of honour at this year’s Liberal Arts Commencement Ceremony was Hande Özdamar Tığlı, Head of the Rector’s Office, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Türkiye.

St Mary’s has been working for many years with Turkish academics and has hosted Turkish students in the past on the Erasmus programme.

Hande’s visit aimed to open a dialogue about strengthening these links and exploring the possibility of student and staff exchanges in the future.

While in St Mary’s, Hande engaged in a series of meetings with Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ, Chair of the Board of Governors of the College, Professor Peter Finn KSG, Principal of the College, and Professor Gerard McCann, Coordinator of International Activities.

Hande was accompanied on the trip to Belfast by her daughter Ada.