Türkiye plans to increase the number of joint university models abroad, particularly in Turkic states such as Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, according to Council of Higher Education (YÖK) President Erol Özvar.
Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025, held at the NEST Congress Center in the Belek tourism region under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and hosted by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Özvar told Anadolu Agency (AA) that one of YÖK’s main goals is to share Türkiye’s higher education expertise with neighboring and international communities.
He said that a joint university was established last year in Baku, Azerbaijan, featuring programs from three of Türkiye’s top universities and that it currently serves Azerbaijani students. A similar model was recently launched in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, under the name International Turkic States University.
In line with President Erdoğan’s directives, Özvar said YÖK is working to extend this model to other countries across the Turkic and Islamic worlds. Talks are ongoing to develop new joint universities in additional regions.
“Türkiye has reached a strong position in higher education,” he said, adding that the country is eager to share this knowledge with others through institutional partnerships. “Our aim is not limited to a few universities; we are working to send more of our institutions abroad.”
Özvar also emphasized the importance of academic exchange, noting that these initiatives support the mobility of Turkish faculty members. “Our lecturers and academic staff are already engaging in international work through these models,” he said.
Özvar pointed out that Turkish universities are increasingly visible internationally, not only through joint institutions but also via bilateral collaborations and research projects.
“Today, Turkish universities are more present than ever on the global academic stage,” he said. He also underscored the role of Turkish universities in training young professionals who are shaping the country’s future.
“Our graduates, engineers, doctors and experts in various fields, are taking on significant roles,” he said. “For example, nearly 98% of the engineers in Türkiye’s defense sector are graduates of Turkish universities. We didn’t import these engineers; we trained them here. And now, they are leading progress in defense, health care and many other sectors.”