Çankırı Karatekin University (ÇAKÜ) Rector Prof. Dr. Harun Çiftçi, accompanied by a delegation, visited several key Turkish institutions in Tbilisi, Georgia, including the Turkish Embassy, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) Office, the Yunus Emre Institute, and the Maarif Foundation. The visit aimed to explore potential areas of cooperation and strengthen academic and cultural ties between Türkiye and Georgia.
Visit to the Turkish Embassy
The delegation’s first stop was the Turkish Embassy in Tbilisi, where discussions centered on potential areas of cooperation. Turkish Ambassador to Tbilisi, Ali Kaan Orbay, expressed his appreciation for ÇAKÜ’s dynamic academic structure and its active internationalization efforts. He emphasized the embassy`s readiness to support initiatives aimed at fostering international cooperation in Georgia, while highlighting Türkiye`s ongoing efforts to enhance its global presence.
Visit to the TIKA Office
The next visit took place at the Tbilisi TIKA Office, where Rector Çiftçi underscored the importance of strengthening collaborations with institutions such as TIKA, which embody Türkiye`s internationalist mission. He highlighted ÇAKÜ`s nearly 2,000 international students and reiterated the university’s commitment to advancing academic, educational, and innovative initiatives in line with the internationalization goals outlined by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The Rector also drew attention to the strong public sentiment towards Türkiye in Georgia, emphasizing the importance of leveraging this goodwill for mutual benefit. He thanked the TIKA representatives for their warm hospitality and expressed hope that the visit would foster fruitful collaborations for both ÇAKÜ and Georgian stakeholders.
Tbilisi TIKA Coordinator, Zeynep Bayrak, expressed her pleasure at the visit and provided insights into the agency’s extensive work in Georgia. She highlighted the nearly 750 projects undertaken by TIKA, covering sectors such as education, health, and vocational training. Bayrak also noted TIKA’s contributions, including the renovation of an infection hospital in Batumi and various initiatives to support people with disabilities. She further emphasized Georgia’s positive perspective towards Türkiye and identified significant potential in sectors like agriculture and animal husbandry.
Visit to the Yunus Emre Institute
The ÇAKÜ delegation also visited the Yunus Emre Institute in Tbilisi, where Rector Çiftçi discussed potential academic partnerships. He emphasized that ÇAKÜ is committed to supporting international projects aligned with Türkiye’s cultural diplomacy goals. Zekeriya Gültekin, Coordinator of the Yunus Emre Institute, explained that the Institute’s mission is to promote cultural interaction and foster tolerance, guided by the universal messages of Yunus Emre. Gültekin shared that the Institute operates in 66 countries and plays a pivotal role in cultural diplomacy. He also outlined the Institute’s activities, including offering Turkish language courses and the “My Preference is Turkish” initiative, which promotes Turkish language education in Georgian schools. Gültekin expressed interest in continuing discussions with universities such as ÇAKÜ to further develop joint projects.
Visit to the Maarif Foundation
The final stop of the ÇAKÜ delegation was the Maarif Foundation’s Georgia Office. Rector Çiftçi, marking his first visit to Tbilisi, highlighted the university`s tradition of fostering strong consultative relations with institutions connected to Türkiye. He expressed confidence that these consultations would lead to meaningful and productive projects. The Rector also emphasized that ÇAKÜ has established a broad network across 85 countries and is ranked among the top five Turkish universities in Erasmus+ participation. He noted that ÇAKÜ has strengthened its relations with neighboring countries and currently hosts students from over 30 countries.
Dr. Faruk Tekşen, Director of the Maarif Foundation Georgia Office, shared that the Foundation had been operating in Georgia since 2017 and had successfully navigated challenges posed by the pandemic. He noted that nearly 300 students are currently enrolled in two schools, with an ongoing international accreditation process. Tekşen also discussed the Foundation’s efforts to make Maarif Schools more attractive and its work in fields such as health and tourism. He emphasized that cooperation with universities like ÇAKÜ is key to furthering Türkiye-Georgia relations and strengthening educational and cultural ties. Tekşen concluded by expressing gratitude for the visit and reaffirming the Foundation’s commitment to ongoing collaboration.
The visit to these key institutions reinforced ÇAKÜ’s commitment to fostering international partnerships and cultural diplomacy. Rector Çiftçi expressed his gratitude for the warm receptions and reiterated that the university is eager to continue collaborating on projects that contribute to the mutual benefit of both Türkiye and Georgia.