CoHE President Özvar Visits Turkmenistan
May 24, 2025 / Turkmenistan
CoHE President Erol Özvar paid a three-day visit to Turkmenistan on May
21-23 at the official invitation of Minister of Education of Turkmenistan
Jumamyrat Gurbangeldiyew.
In Ashgabat, Özvar and the accompanying delegation participated in meetings
with Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Turkmenistan Bayramgul
Orazdurdyeva and Education Minister Jumamyrat Gurbangeldiyev.
In his speech, Özvar stated that the relations between Türkiye and
Turkmenistan have been strengthened by the close ties of friendship and
fraternity between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President of
Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Chairman of the People's Assembly of
the National Council Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Özvar stated that they are
working to fulfill their responsibilities in the field of higher education
within the framework of this common political will. He reminded that
Türkiye was the first country to recognize Turkmenistan's independence and
opened an embassy in Ashgabat.
Reminding that a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of
higher education was signed between the two countries during the visit of
Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov to Türkiye in 2023, Özvar stated that with
the cooperation within the framework of the common vision of the leaders of
the two countries, the challenges faced on a regional and global scale can
be overcome with solidarity.
Özvar emphasized that his visit was very productive in his evaluation after
the meetings: “Türkiye and Turkmenistan will cooperate on joint diplomas
and academic branches in the fields of informatics, AI, smart agriculture,
energy engineering and health education. Information and experience will be
shared on strengthening the research infrastructures of universities. The
Türkiye-Turkmenistan Universities Forum will be organized starting from
this year. Experience will be shared on quality assurance and
accreditation. The Joint Working Committee will start convening this year
to implement the issues agreed upon during the talks.”
As part of his visit to Turkmenistan, Özvar and the accompanying delegation
attended the Turkish Cuisine Week event organized under the auspices of
Emine Erdoğan and hosted by Ahmet Demirok, Ambassador of Türkiye to
Ashgabat. He also visited the Embassy in Ashgabat.
CoHE President Erol Özvar also visited universities in Turkmenistan as part
of his visit. Özvar and the accompanying delegation were welcomed at
Turkmenistan's biggest university, Mahtumkulu Turkmen State University,
where students performed Turkish songs and poems. Mahtumkulu University
Rector Orazgeldi Kakabevic Övezsahedov emphasized the development of
cooperation between Turkish and Turkmen universities. Özvar emphasized that
higher education is the most important element that will reinforce the
relations between the two countries, which are progressing exceptionally
well in many areas.
Özvar and the accompanying delegation then visited the Dovletmammet Azadi
Turkmen National Institute of World. At the institute, Turkish is taught as
a professional language as well as other foreign languages. During his
meeting with Maral Mämmetberdiýewna Kuliýewanyň, the Rector of the
Institute, Özvar stated that they would provide the necessary support to
the institute in teaching Turkish if needed.
Özvar returned to Türkiye after completing his visit to Turkmenistan. hE
was accompanied by CoHE Deputy President Prof. Haldun Göktaş, and CoHE
Executive Board Members, Prof. Naci Gündoğan and Prof. Hüseyin Karaman.