MAKÜ expanded strategic collaborations at the 5th Turkish-Arab Universities Congress in Tunisia

Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ) participated in the 5th Turkish–Arab Universities Congress, which brought together over 100 universities from Turkey and the Arab world, and subsequently in the Turkish Universities Promotion Fair held in the capital Tunis. MAKÜ was represented by International Relations Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ömer Gürkan Dilek and Lecturer Dr. Sezai Zeybekoğlu from the International Relations Coordination.

On October 10–11, 2025, panels were held on themes of cooperation in higher education, digital transformation, sustainability, and strengthening youth-focused programs at the congress hosted by Tunis El Manar University.

YÖK President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, Turkey’s Ambassador to Tunisia Ahmet Misbah Demircan, Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Munzer Belid, President of the Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils Prof. Dr. Abdulmecid Binamare, Secretary General of the Association of Arab Universities Amr ez-Zad Selam, and President of the Eurasian Universities Union (EURAS) Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın attended the opening program.

In his speech, Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar emphasized that new networks and joint research projects to be established between universities will activate regional potential, highlighting that Turkey’s institutional capacity in higher education is increasingly strengthening.

Prof. Dr. Özvar also emphasized the point Turkey has reached in higher education, stating, “With over 200 universities and more than 8 million students, Turkey holds a strong position internationally. We aim to deepen our relations with the Arab world and increase the global effectiveness of our universities.”

The MAKÜ delegation held bilateral meetings with university representatives from many countries, primarily Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Iraq, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Sudan, and signed various cooperation protocols.

Intense interest from Tunisian youth in the MAKÜ stand

On October 12, 2025, 35 universities from Turkey participated in the Turkish Universities Promotion Fair, and the event was visited by approximately 2,000 Tunisian youths throughout the day.

The MAKÜ stand received intense interest. Candidates were provided with comprehensive information about the university’s applied education model, micro-qualification opportunities, international exchange opportunities, and research infrastructure. Visitors who received information about Burdur’s student-friendly living conditions showed great interest in the opportunities offered by MAKÜ.

MAKÜ aims to transform its contacts in Tunisia into permanent collaborations in line with its internationalization strategy. The protocols signed in this direction will be supported by student mobility and joint project outputs in the upcoming period.