CoHE Briefs African Ambassadors on Residency Procedures of
International Students
CoHE President Özvar met with the ambassadors of 32 African countries
at the 3rd Consultation Meeting with the Ambassadors of African
Countries.
Erol Özvar: "We aim to ensure that the international students, who will
come to our country to receive higher education, deal with simplified
procedures during the period which starts with university acceptance
letters and is concluded with residence permits."
"We will soon sign a memorandum of understanding between the Council of
Higher Education and the African Union to expand our cooperation in the
field of higher education across the African continent."
December 12, 2023
CoHE President Erol Özvar invited the African ambassadors to a meeting to
further strengthen the current academic relations with African countries,
to discuss potential cooperation opportunities and to inform them about the
Cooperation Protocol on Residence Permit Applications for International
Student signed between the Council of Higher Education and the Presidency
of Migration Management of the Ministry of Interior. The Protocol aims to
provide fast and effective services to international students.
The 3rd Consultation Meeting with the African Ambassadors was attended by
CoHE President Erol Özvar, ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of 32
African countries, Head of Migration Management, Atilla Toros, and
representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"We aim to create permanent and sustainable procedures"
In his opening speech, Özvar stated that they aimed to create permanent and
sustainable procedures in line with the legislation on international
students and said:
"We aim to ensure that the international students, who will come to our
country to receive higher education, deal with simplified procedures during
the period which starts with university acceptance letters and is concluded
with residence permits. While the Council of Higher Education, the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and the Presidency of Migration Management have duties
and responsibilities in this regard, we consider you, the African
embassies, as stakeholders in this process."
He said that the protocol was prepared in line with the feedback received
by the Council of Higher Education from embassies, students, institutions
and other stakeholders and added, "We aim to ensure that the international
students, who prefer our country for higher education, carry out their visa
procedures smoothly and obtain their residence permits after they arrive in
Türkiye."
"We will expand our cooperation across the African continent"
Özvar said that Türkiye was increasing its cooperation with the African
Union as it was improving its bilateral relations with African countries.
"We will soon sign the memorandum of understanding between the Council of
Higher Education and the African Union in order to expand our cooperation
in the field of higher education across the African continent. I invited
H.E. Prof. Mohamed Belhocin, the African Union Commissioner for Education,
to Türkiye. I hope that this visit will take place as soon as possible and
we will increase our bilateral relations in the field of higher education
to the level of the African Union. As the Council of Higher Education, we
will continue to support the development of our relations with the African
continent in every field."
- Atilla Toros, Head of Migration Management: "We need to explain the
opportunities provided by this protocol to students"
Atilla Toros, Head of Migration Management at the Ministry of Interior,
said: "The best way to prevent irregular migration is to manage regular
migration well. We need to explain the opportunities provided by this
protocol to the students correctly. For this reason, your cooperation and
support are of great importance. I encourage you to take precautions before
students are caught in an illegal situation. You are the key to
facilitating this process."
H.E. Majok Thiep, the Dean of African Ambassadors and Ambassador of the
Republic of South Sudan to Ankara, also expressed his appreciation for the
organization of such an important meeting. "With this meeting, we will have
the opportunity to take a step forward together on issues related to visa
and residence permits of international students, especially African
students. We will take concrete steps for our international students. There
will be a win-win cooperation between the African peoples and Turkish
people. These students will become cultural ambassadors between Türkiye and
Africa in the future. I assure you of our support in terms of cooperation,"
he said.
Özge Kaplan, Head of Residence Permits Department at the Presidency of
Migration Management, also made a presentation on the protocol.
Following the presentation, CoHE President Erol Özvar and Migration
Management Head Atilla Toros answered the questions of the ambassadors.
Afterwards, H.E. Aden Houssein Abdillahi, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps
in Türkiye and the Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti to Ankara, said;
"We think that the problems and concerns of our students will be eliminated
with this new protocol. We had two meetings with Erol Özvar and we aim to
find a permanent solution to all our problems. I would like to thank him on
behalf of the institution."
After the meeting, CoHE President Özvar took a photo with the ambassadors.