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The progress achieved by Turkish diplomacy over the past 23 years presents a remarkable picture when expressed in numbers. The number of foreign missions, which stood at 163 in 2002, has now reached 257, placing Ankara fourth among the countries with the most extensive diplomatic networks in the world. This development, which may well be described as a form of “diplomatic education,” has paved the way for a powerful initiative: the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, one of the world’s largest diplomatic gatherings. One of the prominent session titles at the most recent forum, held in 2025, was “Building the Future in a Fragmented World: The Transformative Power of Education.”
In 1983, during Turgut Özal’s premiership, one of the key pillars of Türkiye’s global engagement was the vision of hosting foreign students. Launched that same year under Özal’s leadership, the “Great Student Project” formed the first link in a network of goodwill ambassadors that has spread across the world over the past 40 years.
This project marked one of the earliest indications that Türkiye was moving toward a human-centered foreign policy, not merely an economic or political one. Between 1983 and 1992, a total of 7,855 international students completed their education in Türkiye on scholarships, marking the first concrete example of education diplomacy in practice.
Particularly noteworthy was the scholarship program launched between 1992 and 1993, under agreements with five Central Asian countries, which brought 10,000 students (7,000 for higher education and 3,000 for secondary Education) to Türkiye. This represented the first and most significant expansion of the Great Student Project in the region.
The first cohorts of students from the Turkic states of Central Asia have since become an army of virtuous goodwill ambassadors who hold important positions across many fields, including education, art, sports, bureaucracy, economics and diplomacy. They prioritize Türkiye’s interests while advancing their own countries’ development, embodying the win-win principles that define Türkiye’s educational diplomacy.
Actors of education diplomacy
Turkish education diplomacy, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), and the Turkish National Agency (UA), is currently experiencing a golden age.
Building on the strong legacy of the Great Student Project, YTB has become one of the driving forces behind the Century of Türkiye vision, boasting over 350,000 graduates today. These graduates not only become accomplished professionals upon returning to their home countries but also act as enduring goodwill ambassadors for Türkiye.
Meanwhile, the Turkish National Agency represents Türkiye with national pride and professional vision through the “Study in Türkiye” brand at international platforms such as NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the European Association for International Education (EAIE), and the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE). Through these programs, over 60,000 Turkish students each year have the opportunity to engage with educational institutions across 33 European countries and beyond, gaining valuable international experience while enhancing Türkiye’s global academic visibility.
Furthermore, the Turkish Maarif Foundation serves as an important bridge facilitating international students’ access to Turkish higher education, while the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) ensures that education and culture remain enduring legacies in Türkiye’s “heartland.” Together, these institutions strengthen Türkiye’s soft power by conducting education diplomacy through effective, competent channels.
Turkish universities in Central Asia
The vision of cooperation with the Turkic Republics of Central Asia, initiated in the 1980s under Özal, continues to be realized today by Türkiye’s educational institutions. What began as “temporary embassies” through student mobility has evolved into “permanent embassies” represented by well-established institutions throughout the region.
Key milestones of this academic presence include the International Turkmen-Turkish University in Turkmenistan, the Türkiye-Azerbaijan University in Azerbaijan, the Ahmet Yesevi University in Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University in Kyrgyzstan.
By 2025, another major institution will join this list: The International Turkic States University in Uzbekistan. Established under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, with the dedicated efforts of YÖK, this university carries special symbolic meaning. Its rector, professor Bahadır Turaev, appointed by Uzbekistan, is one of the first graduates of the Great Student Project initiated by Özal, an embodiment of more than four decades of continuity in Türkiye’s educational diplomacy.
Turkish higher education initiatives in Uzbekistan continue to shape the roadmap of education diplomacy in Central Asia. Projects of the University of Health Sciences in Bukhara and Samarkand, along with academic contributions from METU, ITU, Hacettepe and Ege Universities to the establishment of the International Turkic States University, represent key pillars of this partnership.
Moreover, Inönü University’s collaboration, particularly in sharing its globally recognized expertise in liver transplantation with institutions across the Turkic world, has emerged as one of the most effective drivers of Türkiye’s growing educational diplomacy. Its partnerships with Tashkent State Medical University, Bukhara State Medical University, and Tashkent Medical Academy Urgench Branch constitute strategic steps in transferring Türkiye’s medical expertise to Central Asia.
In particular, the cooperation between Inönü University and the International Turkic States University is significant as the latter’s first international partnership. This collaboration not only strengthens academic solidarity among universities in the Turkic world but also adds institutional depth to Türkiye’s vision of education diplomacy.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
