CoHE President Özvar Attends World Education Forum
May 22-26, 2022 /
London
CoHE President Erol Özvar visited the United Kingdom on 22-26 May 2022 to
attend the World Education Forum held in London and to hold official talks.
Özvar was accompanied by CoHE Deputy President Prof. Rahmi Er, CoHE
Executive Board Member Prof. Naci Gündoğan and Secretary General Süleyman
Necati Akçeşme.
The forum was held with the participation of high-level representatives
from 116 countries. The challenges and opportunities encountered in
education during and after the pandemic were discussed. Digital equality,
technological developments and innovations were also discussed in the
panels held in nine sessions, and the participants looked for answers on
how to use resources more effectively and establish a stronger, supportive
and good education system.
In his interview to Anadolu Agency in London, CoHE President Özvar stated
that the forum, which was organized for the seventh time this year, was one
of most important meetings held in the world right after the COVID-19
pandemic. He said that the forum was beneficial for the participants and
added, “We came together with the top-level administrators from different
regions, cultures and countries of the world to contribute to the higher
education, secondary education and primary education offered in our
countries during the pandemic. We shared the measures regarding these
issues."
He noted that, as CoHE, they shared and talked about the efforts and
measures put forward by Turkish universities during the pandemic and said,
"From this point of view, the meeting was an environment where
administrators working on higher education in different regions shared
their ideas, thoughts, experiences and practices. We benefitted from the
meeting."
"Our perspective in the new period will not be limited to Türkiye"
He noted that the forum offered him the opportunity to meet with his
counterparts from Africa, the Middle East, the Turkic World, the Far East
and South America and stated that they discussed the ways to bring
universities and lecturers together in the future.
Özvar stated that CoHE’s perspective in the new period would not be limited
to Türkiye, and that they wanted to establish much closer relations with
many regions of the world including Europe, the Americas, the East and
Africa in the future.
- Emphasis on international collaborations
Özvar stated that universities and lecturers attached more importance to
cooperation with their international colleagues both in terms of education
and training, and joint project development after the pandemic.
"We believe that the global visibility of Turkish universities could only
increase more through international cooperation and interactions. If we do
this, I think that is when we will have the opportunity to share the
knowledge that Türkiye has put forward in terms of international prestige,
first with its close environment and neighbors, and then gradually with the
other countries,” he said.
Özvar stated that Türkiye provided education opportunities to Turkish
citizens and young people who had been forcibly displaced from their
countries. He said that this was one of the issues that they focused on the
most and that they had a favorable impression on these issues.
"We want to direct students to the top universities in the world"
"Some of our students who want to do their graduate studies through
scholarships provided by the Council of Higher Education and our state come
to the UK to study. In this regard, it is also tremendously important for
us to be in close contact with the universities in the UK,” CoHE President
Özvar said.
He stated that it was among their priorities for Turkish students to gain
specialization. He said that he would come together and talk to Turkish
students doing their graduate studies during the official talks they would
hold in London. He emphasized that they did not want to be limited to only
one country in education abroad, and that they had determined a strategy
which would direct students to the top universities in the world in various
fields of expertise as much as possible.
"Our National Assembly has the power of amnesty"
Özvar answered the questions of Anadolu Agency's reporter about student
amnesty and said, "Our National Assembly has the power of amnesty. The
works on amnesty will be carried out according to the will of our
President. As CoHE, we will share all kinds of knowledge and experience
with all our stakeholders, whether it is general amnesty or partial
amnesty. I can clearly say that we will openly express the view of the
higher education administration on this issue when requested. If the
National Assembly shows a willingness on this issue, CoHE will never fail
to share its views about it."
- Meetings with International Representatives
CoHE President Özvar and the accompanying delegation held some meetings in
London on the occasion of the World Education Forum.
Özvar met separately with Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Federal Minister of
Education and Vocational Education of Pakistan, Dr. Saleh Algool, the
Deputy Minister of Vocational and Technical Education of Libya, and their
accompanying delegations.
- Visit to TRT World’s London Office
Özvar also visited TRT World’s London Office. He visited the studios of TRT
World, Turkey's first international news platform broadcasting in English,
and chatted with the reporters and other employees.
CoHE President Özvar and the accompanying delegation returned to Turkey
after wrapping up talks in the UK.