Prof. Cihan Cobanoglu, Ph.D.

From Istanbul to the Provost's Office

I grew up in Istanbul, the son of a taxi driver. A government scholarship brought me to the United States, where I earned my master's and doctoral degrees at Oklahoma State University after completing my undergraduate studies at Cukurova University in Turkey.

Over three decades in American higher education, I have served as a professor, center founder, dean, endowed chair, and now provost, while teaching and partnering with universities across the globe. Throughout my career, my work has centered on one question: how can technology, and now artificial intelligence, make business, hospitality, tourism, and education better for people around the world?

Today, as Provost of Virscend University, I lead academic programs that prepare students from around the world for a changing global economy. My focus is on bringing artificial intelligence into the classroom in meaningful ways: using AI to personalize learning, designing assessments that build real skills, and preparing future business leaders to work alongside AI with confidence and good judgment. I believe global education and technology together can open doors for students everywhere, just as education once opened doors for me.

Education changed my life. Helping it change others' lives is the work I care about most.