Turkish students graduate in mime as university shuts down department

ISTANBUL

The Istanbul University State Conservatory has decided to stop admitting new students to its Mime Department, leaving its class of 2018 no choice but to “graduate in mime” and release a special video marking the occasion.

The university had formed its Mime Art Department under Vecihi Ofluoğlu in 2006. However, after 12 years the conservatory decided to stop admitting new students, starting from next year.

Ofluoğlu, who has educated over 100 students from the department in the past decade, resigned from the university in May but vowed to organize one last graduation ceremony.

“Unfortunately, the university administration did not let us have a graduation ceremony. But artists can always find a solution,” he told his students this week, according to local media reports.

Ofluoğlu and his students organized their own graduation ceremony in mime this week. The video, which went viral on social media, shows the students wearing imaginary robes and caps to mark their graduation.