Vecdi Diker, Who Conceived the Idea of METU: A 1962 Testimony by Hüsameddin Güz

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Published in 1962 in Türkiye Mühendislik Haberleri (Engineering News of Türkiye) and included in the Chamber of Civil Engineers’ “Professional Portraits” series, the article by Hüsameddin Güz records Vecdi Diker’s determination to establish a modern and planned organization during the transition from the Directorate of Roads and Bridges to the General Directorate of Highways. The first machinery fleet procured through military aid, the contemporary institutional structure, and the responsible training of young engineers are presented as the core elements of this transformation. The text also notes that Diker turned his focus toward technical education and industry; as he expressed in his own words, “I have now devoted my interest to technical education and industry.” In line with this vision, he put forward the idea of establishing Middle East Technical University (METU) and played an active role in securing support for this initiative both from Turkish statesmen and from the United Nations. The Türk Traktör initiative is likewise mentioned as part of the same comprehensive understanding of national development. On this occasion, we respectfully commemorate Hüsameddin Güz and Vecdi Diker, who shaped the engineering vision of the Republic and pioneered the founding idea of METU.

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Vecdi Diker, Hüsameddin Güz, Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü

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https://hdl.handle.net/11511/118512

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METU Bellek, Multimedia