CoHE President Visits TRNC

November 1, 2017 / Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

CoHE President SARAÇ: "We would like to see this place as an island of higher education. If the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus gets stronger in this field, it will also help make Turkey stronger."

CoHE President SARAÇ: "YODAK will start to evaluate the universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in January. If they ask for CoHE's help about the evaluation, we, as CoHE, will be more than happy to offer our help in every way we can."

CoHE President SARAÇ: "We believe that qualitative growth and quality improvement are as important as quantitative growth in higher education. Therefore, it is CoHE's priority to develop the higher education institutions in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the best way."

CoHE President Prof. Dr. M. A. Yekta Saraç made a one-day visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to hold high-level talks and meet with the rectors of the universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus that were given quotas by the Council of Higher Education.

Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, Deputy President of CoHE, and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Şişman, Executive Board Member of CoHE, accompanied CoHE President Saraç in the visit. They first met with Dr. Özdemir Berova, National Education and Culture Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. CoHE President Saraç noted that qualitative growth and quality improvement were as important as quantitative growth in higher education and that YODAK would start to evaluate the universities in the TRNC in January. He stated that CoHE is ready to help YODAK in every way possible if YODAK asks for help about the evaluation of the universities. "We would like to see this place as an island of higher education. If the TRNC gets stronger in this field, it will also help make Turkey stronger. It is CoHE's priority to develop the higher education institutions in the TRNC in the best way," said he.

National Education and Culture Minister Özdemir Berova said that the number of students in the TRNC was over 106,000. He stated that they were in a continuous cooperation with the Council of Higher Education in higher education and that 60,000 students came to the Northern Cyprus from Turkey through CoHE. Berova said that the embargo laid on the TRNC, the greatest obstacle of the TRNC, was able to be lifted through higher education with the support of Turkey and said that the close cooperation between Turkey and the TRNC was strengthened with the protocol.

After the meeting with the National Education Minister of the TRNC, CoHE President paid a visit to TRNC Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün in his office. They discussed the current status of higher education between the two countries.

Following the meeting with Prime Minister Özgürgün, CoHE President Saraç and the accompanying delegation met with TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı in the presidential office. They briefed President Akıncı on the coordinated activities of CoHE and YODAK in higher education.

The CoHE Delegation had a meeting with Prof. Dr. Akile Büke, President of the Higher Education Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation and Coordination Council (YODAK), and the members of YODAK.

The CoHE delegation met with the rectors of the universities in the TRNC, which were given quotas by CoHE. They discussed the recent developments in the Turkish higher education system and had talks on the topics that would contribute to the development and strengthening of higher education in the TRNC.

The CoHE delegation also stated that CoHE was ready to help in every way possible if YODAK asked for help about the evaluation. It was also noted that the cooperation between CoHE and YODAK was already projected with the current international agreement.

CoHE President Saraç and the accompanying delegation departed for Turkey in the evening.