- President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar: “The proposals we presented in Shusha received the support of our leaders at the Gabala Summit.”

- “The support given to our proposals for the establishment of a Turkic World Higher Education Area Database, an agency responsible for diploma recognition and equivalency, an OTS Higher Education Foundation, and a Turkic World Higher Education Area Quality Assurance Agency is highly valuable.”

- “Establishing the Turkic World Higher Education Area with its institutions and principles, and ensuring that it functions effectively, is a shared responsibility for all of us.”

June 8, 2026

The proposals put forward by the Council of Higher Education played a central role in shaping the agenda of the 9th Meeting of Education Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).

Held in Turkistan, Kazakhstan, the meeting addressed a range of common higher education challenges in an increasingly interconnected world, with particular emphasis on the establishment of a Turkic World Higher Education Area.

In his address to the meeting, President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar noted that progress is being made on the initiative to establish the Turkic World Higher Education Area, as outlined in the declaration adopted at the 12th OTS Summit held in Gabala on October 7, 2025. “As agreed by our heads of state, establishing the Turkic World Higher Education Area with its institutions and principles, and ensuring that it operates actively and effectively, is a shared responsibility for all of us,” he said.

Özvar stressed the importance of accelerating the necessary work and informing heads of state about developments at the next summit. “I believe we will make meaningful progress in this regard,” he added.

Recalling the four proposals presented by the Council of Higher Education at the 8th Meeting of Education Ministers held in Shusha, Özvar stated that they included the establishment of a Turkic World Higher Education Area Database, an Agency for Diploma Recognition and Equivalency, an Organization of Turkic States Higher Education Foundation, and a Turkic World Higher Education Area Quality Assurance Agency. He emphasized that these proposals were designed to strengthen alignment and cooperation among the higher education systems of OTS member states.

Highlighting the support expressed by the leaders of OTS member countries for the creation of the Turkic World Higher Education Area, Özvar stated: “Thanks to your support and our cooperation, it was possible for our leaders at the Gabala Summit to endorse the vision of establishing a Turkic World Higher Education Area.”

Özvar also announced that the Council’s proposals had been thoroughly examined by the Union of Turkic Universities (TURKUNIB) and that member states had agreed to hold technical meetings while taking their respective national legislation into account.

- Support for an Orhun Exchange Program Fund

Özvar stated that the Council supports TURKUNIB’s proposal to establish a dedicated fund for the Orhun Exchange Program, noting that such a mechanism would serve objectives similar to those envisioned for the previously proposed OTS Higher Education Foundation.

He explained that the fund could help promote student and academic mobility and stressed the need for member states to develop a common framework governing contribution from development partners and the private sector. Özvar also expressed support for the establishment of a permanent secretariat within TURKUNIB.

- Türkiye Continues Joint University Initiatives

Emphasizing the importance Türkiye attaches to higher education cooperation within the OTS, Özvar noted that both the Khoja Ahmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University and the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University continue to operate successfully.

He also stated that the Türkiye-Azerbaijan University, established in 2024, is continuing its academic activities and recalled that, within the framework of cooperation with Kazakhstan, Gazi University has decided to open a branch campus in southern Kazakhstan.

Özvar further noted that four Turkish universities are currently delivering academic programs at the International University of Turkic States in Tashkent, established through cooperation between Türkiye and Uzbekistan, and that quotas have been allocated for students from every OTS member country.

He stressed that cooperation in higher education across the Turkic World extends beyond inter-university relations and highlighted the strategic significance of the memorandum of understanding signed with the Turkic Academy for scientific and academic integration.

Concluding his remarks, Özvar stated that the establishment of the Turkic World Higher Education Area would represent a significant investment in shared human capital, scientific competitiveness, and future generations.

Emphasizing the importance of educational cooperation among OTS member states, he expressed confidence that the meeting would produce concrete and valuable outcomes and thanked the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan for its gracious hospitality.