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Nev Online
The Rector of Istanbul Nişantaşı University, Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Komsuoğlu Çıtıpıtıoğlu, together with the Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ece Salihoğlu, attended the 5th Arab Higher Education Congress held in Tunis, Tunisia, on October 10–11, 2025.
The event was hosted by the University of Tunis El Manar in collaboration with the Association of Arab Universities (AARU) and EURAS (Eurasian Universities Union). The congress brought together rectors, academics, and representatives of higher education institutions from Turkey and Arab countries.
Opening Sessions and Key Themes
In the opening session, Prof. Mondher Belaïd, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia; Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK); Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of AARU; and Prof. Mustafa Aydın, President of EURAS, emphasized the importance of strengthening regional academic cooperation.
The congress began with an honorary keynote speech titled “Transforming Higher Education for a Changing Global Landscape” delivered by Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar.
Throughout two days, the congress addressed the transformation of higher education under four main themes:
The overarching goal of these sessions was to strengthen knowledge, student, and value exchange between Arab and Turkish higher education systems and to institutionalize joint doctoral programs, research centers, and dual-degree structures.
Rector’s Address on Internationalization
In the panel titled “Internationalization, Reputation & Global Engagement”, our Rector Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Komsuoğlu introduced Istanbul Nişantaşı University and emphasized the need to redefine the concept of internationalization in higher education.
She noted that for years, success had been measured through signed protocols or the number of cross-border students, yet these figures did not truly show whether knowledge was being shared or creating transformation.
Prof. Komsuoğlu underlined that real internationalization is a reciprocal process of learning, co-thinking, and co-producing within institutions, and stated:
“The essence of the university of the future lies in creating shared value together.”
She further highlighted that the future of higher education would be shaped not by individual excellence but by common purpose and collaboration, recaling the region’s historical tradition of scholars exchanging letters, translations, and debates:
“We must adapt that tradition to our age—building academic networks based on trust, shared ethics, and open access.”
New Partnerships and Visits
On the second day of the congress, numerous Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between Turkish and Arab universities. New projects were developed in the fields of student exchange, academic research, and joint publications.
Istanbul Nişantaşı University signed new cooperation agreements with leading regional universities on sustainability, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence, establishing important project partnerships.
During bilateral meetings with other university rectors, Prof. Komsuoğlu exchanged ideas on academic diplomacy, open science, joint PhD programs, and student-centered education.
The program concluded with visits to the Faculties of Science and Medicine at the University of Tunis, followed by participation in the Study in Turkey 2025 Fair, whr our university had the opportunity to promote its academic projects, research collaborations, and international partnership opportunities.