• Prof. Dr. Özay H. Oral is a preeminent Turkish Cypriot electrical engineer, scholar, and visionary university administrator.
  

• After completing his doctorate at the Middle East Technical University (METU), he rose through the academic ranks to full professorship and held senior leadership roles as Department Chair and Vice‑Rector, alongside engaging in research at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Manchester. 
• In 1986, he played a pivotal role in founding Bilkent University, serving as its inaugural Provost and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences. 
• Subsequently, from February 1992 to April 2003, he served as the founding Rector of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), where under his stewardship the student body expanded from a few thousand to over fifteen thousand, new postgraduate and doctoral programs were launched, and campus infrastructure was significantly enhanced (emu.edu.tr). His leadership in engineering education and his influential contributions to control systems were recognized by his selection as an IEEE Fellow in 1995 and subsequent elevation to IEEE Life Fellow. In recognition of his dedication to academic excellence, EMU’s central library was named in his honor.