September 19, 2025

The President of the Council of Higher Education, Erol Özvar, visited Kyrgyzstan on September 17-18 with a delegation led by Deputy President Cevdet Yılmaz to attend the 12th Session of the Kyrgyz-Turkish Intergovernmental Joint Economic Commission (JEC) and hold various meetings.

The Turkish delegation visited the Urkun Monument, a symbol of the Kyrgyz people's struggle for freedom, and the grave of author Cengiz Aytmatov. They also attended an event marking the 30th anniversary of the Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Manas University and visited the Embassy in Bishkek.

On the second day of the visit, the 12th KEK Meeting was held in Bishkek, chaired by Deputy President Cevdet Yılmaz and Kyrgyzstan Cabinet Chairman Adilbek Kasymaliyev. In his speech, Özvar stated that they wanted to take solidarity in the fields of education and science in the Turkic world to a higher level, pointing out the importance of developing relations with Kyrgyzstan.

Özvar emphasized that they are working on concrete projects to strengthen cooperation in higher education within the framework of the action plan agreed upon between the two countries. He stated that one of the prominent projects in this context is the postgraduate education of public officials. Özvar said, “We plan to provide long-term education programs at the master's and doctoral levels in Türkiye for Kyrgyz public officials.”

Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education, attended the Kyrgyzstan-Türkiye Manas University 2025-2026 Academic Year Opening Ceremony together with Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Higher Education and Innovation Baktiyar Orozov. In his speech, Özvar stated that Kyrgyzstan-Türkiye Manas University is an institution that embodies the will of the Turkic world for a shared future, saying, “Every course taught, every research conducted, and every event organized here contributes to the common heritage and goals of the entire Turkic world. Kyrgyzstan-Türkiye Manas University has become not only a regional but also a global brand.”

“We are experiencing a strong rise in higher education”

Emphasizing that Türkiye is experiencing a strong rise in higher education, Özvar said, “6.8 million students are studying at 208 Turkish universities. The number of international students has exceeded 337,000.”

Emphasizing that more Turkish universities are securing top spots in international rankings every year, Özvar continued:

"According to the latest rankings, five Turkish universities are among the world's top 500, while 11 are in the top 1,000. This rise reflects not only academic achievements but also Türkiye's international vision. As the Council of Higher Education, our goal is to ensure that Turkish universities are ranked among the top 200 in the shortest possible time and then among the top 100.

“A strong candidate for the EHEA Secretariat in Istanbul”

Stating that the Council of Higher Education is an active member of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), Özvar emphasized that they have made significant progress in areas such as quality assurance, mutual recognition of diplomas, and student and faculty mobility within the framework of the Bologna Process.

Announcing that Istanbul is a strong candidate for the long-term EHEA Secretariat planned to be established in 2027, Özvar said, “Istanbul's hosting of this mission will be a strategic gain not only for Türkiye but also for the entire region, especially the Turkic World.”

Özvar noted that they would like to see a similar body to the EHEA established within the Organization of Turkic States as the Turkic World Higher Education Area, and expressed that Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan could engage in strong cooperation for this purpose.

“We have become a center of attraction in the field of higher education in the Islamic world.”

Stating that they have established joint programs, student exchanges, and double degree agreements with many Islamic countries, Özvar said that thanks to these collaborations, young people from different regions are studying under the same roof in Türkiye, adding, “Türkiye has become a center of attraction in the field of higher education in the Islamic world.”

Pointing out that Africa is one of the regions Türkiye has focused on most in recent years and that bilateral agreements have been signed with many African countries, Özvar said, “Tens of thousands of young people from Africa are studying at Türkiye universities; after graduation, they contribute to the development of their countries and serve as voluntary ambassadors of friendship between their countries and Türkiye.”

“We will be at the center of global change and transformation”

Özvar stated that the Council of Higher Education will continue to pursue its goal of being at the center of global change and transformation in strategic areas with a proactive approach and the same determination in the coming period.

Explaining that the successes achieved so far are a strong source of hope for the future of Türkiye and the higher education system, Özvar said, “We will be very pleased to share our capacity and expertise with Kyrgyzstan and our other brother countries.”