November 18, 2025

A “Memorandum of Understanding” aimed at strengthening cooperation in higher education and scientific fields across the Turkic world was signed between the Council of Higher Education (CoHE) and the Turkic Academy.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the Council of Higher Education, CoHE President Prof. Erol Özvar stated that in the coming years, a “Turkic World Higher Education Area” covering the entire Turkic world will be established. “We are currently taking its founding steps,” he added.

Özvar emphasized that the Memorandum will make cooperation in higher education across the Turkic world more institutional and goal-oriented. He explained that they aim to strengthen human resource capacity and systematize knowledge and expertise sharing through joint seminars, forums, workshops, and academic meetings across member states of the Organization of Turkic States.

Highlighting that one of the key pillars of the Memorandum is strengthening academic recognition, improving quality assurance processes, and supporting joint accreditation efforts, Özvar said: “In line with the vision of the Turkic world, we are further advancing our cultural, scientific, technological, and academic collaborations and building new bridges in higher education. This cooperation framework—which includes joint degree programs, technical expertise exchanges, mutual sharing of research findings, and the facilitation of personnel mobility—will elevate scientific interaction among the member states of the Organization of Turkic States to a more advanced level.”

Özvar also emphasized that one of their priorities is to support the member states of the Organization of Turkic States in achieving the goals and objectives set out in the “Turkic World Vision 2040” document and said, “As the Council of Higher Education, we will continue to support the Turkic Academy.”

President of the Turkic Academy Prof. Mustafayev: “We strive to carry out, across all Turkic states, the major work that the Council of Higher Education accomplishes in Türkiye.”

President of the Turkic Academy, Prof. Shahin Mustafayev, stated that the Memorandum would be a significant step not only for the Turkic Academy and the Council of Higher Education but also for all scientific and educational institutions of the Turkic world.

Noting that strong cooperation will be needed in establishing the Turkic World Higher Education Area, Mustafayev emphasized that the Memorandum would greatly contribute to this process.

“We, as the umbrella organization, strive to carry out across all Turkic states the major work that the Council of Higher Education performs in Türkiye. Our cooperation greatly supports this effort,” he said.

Following the speeches, CoHE President Prof. Erol Özvar and President of the Turkic Academy Prof. Shahin Mustafayev signed the Memorandum of Understanding.