31 October 2025 14:00

Minister Tekin held bilateral meetings during UNESCO's 43rd General Conference, organized for the first time in Central Asia with the participation of over 5,000 representatives and academics from 194 countries. The bilateral meetings addressed the development of educational relations, the updating of existing agreements on cooperation in the field of education, and the identification of new areas for joint programs.

Minister Tekin, as part of the bilateral meetings, first met with Iran's Minister of Science, Research, Technology, and Higher Education, Simaei Sarraf. Highlighting the importance of relations between the two countries, Tekin stated, "Türkiye and Iran are two brotherly countries that get along exceptionally well and set an example for the world. Furthermore, developments in the region make it necessary for Türkiye-Iran relations to reach an even better point. We also desire to strengthen our relations with Iran and bring them to a better point."

Minister Tekin noted that some of the agreements on cooperation signed with Türkiye's neighboring countries in the 1950s no longer adequately reflect today's rapidly evolving educational dynamics. He emphasized that joint degree programs, educational activities conducted electronically, and international practices face difficulties in finding a legal basis within the existing agreements. For this reason, Tekin stressed the importance of revising cooperation in the field of education at a pace commensurate with the demands of friendship and brotherly relations.

Iranian Minister Sarraf also stressed the need to reach new agreements on cooperation, noting that developments in the field of education are progressing very rapidly. Highlighting that relations between Iran and Türkiye are among the strongest bilateral ties in the world, Sarraf stated that a large number of Iranian university students study in Türkiye, and likewise, Turkish students continue their education in Iran.

"We wish to strengthen our relations."

Minister Tekin also met with Pakistan's Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training, Wajiha Qamar, reminding that around 100 students were hosted in Türkiye last week through an event organized by the Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara. Tekin noted that both countries agreed on the significant benefits of sharing their experience and expertise, highlighting vocational and technical education as one of these fields. He added that Türkiye would be pleased to share its experiences in this field.

Minister Wajiha Qamar also expressed Pakistan's desire to strengthen joint educational initiatives, stating, "Türkiye always stands by Pakistan in all fields, and for this we are grateful. I also met with Pakistani students, and they expressed their gratitude as well. We are ready and very pleased to maintain our relations with Türkiye in all fields, including politics, economics, and education."

"We Wish to Benefit from Türkiye's Experience in the Field of Educational Technologies"

As part of his bilateral meetings, Minister Tekin held his final meeting with Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Education and Science, Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva.

Emphasizing the importance of developing cooperation in the field of education with the Turkic world, Minister Tekin noted that some previous agreements need to be revised. Highlighting the rapid developments in the field of education, Tekin stated, "While sharing our experience, we must continuously improve ourselves and these relations. Our colleagues have finalized an international agreement, which can be signed either in Ankara or in Bishkek."

Minister Tekin stated that the Turkish Maarif Foundation is rapidly continuing its activities in Kyrgyzstan and emphasized the importance of these institutions. He noted that the Ministry places special emphasis on artificial intelligence, continues to build the necessary infrastructure in this field, and organizes activities with students and teachers to advance technology. "The world is developing very rapidly, and educational technologies are evolving at an unprecedented pace," Tekin said. "While keeping up with these developments, local elements must not be neglected, and ethical considerations cannot be overlooked. We monitor these advancements in both our programs and textbooks, integrate local components, and include ethics in our curriculum. Every year, we print and distribute approximately 200 million textbooks free of charge in our country. Furthermore, all these textbooks are recorded in an online portal. Applications that transform the data in textbooks and programs into practical skills are made electronically accessible to our children. We are ready to share all of these experiences with Kyrgyzstan. Additionally, we have begun to expand the use of artificial intelligence in education, and we are ready to cooperate in this field as well."

Kyrgyz Minister Kendirbaeva stated that they wish to further enhance their already strong relations with Türkiye, particularly in the field of education. She noted their support for the common language project, emphasizing that it would make an important contribution to bilateral cooperation. Kendirbaeva added that they closely follow and highly appreciate Türkiye's use of artificial intelligence and technology in education, and expressed their desire to work together in this field as well. "We expect Türkiye's support in the use of technology in the field of education. We wish to cooperate on unmanned aerial vehicles and in training young technicians," Kendirbaeva said.

Invitation from Tekin to Ministers to the "Education Technologies Summit" and the "1st Education Diplomacy Forum"

In addition, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin invited all the ministers with whom he held bilateral meetings to the Türkiye Education Technologies Summit and the 1st Education Diplomacy Forum, to be held in Istanbul in June 2026. As part of these meetings, Minister Tekin and his counterparts also exchanged gifts.

These meetings attracted attention as a demonstration of Türkiye's determination to transform its educational diplomacy into a new global sphere of influence, centered on the sharing of knowledge, technology, and values.