• Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Marcin Kulasek: “The memorandum of understanding will strengthen the position of both Polish and Turkish science”
• Erol Özvar: “Our universities possess significant potential to work together in the fields of education, research, and innovation”
• Cooperation agreements were signed between the universities of the two countries in various fields

May 9, 2026

Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Marcin Kulasek stated that the memorandum of understanding signed between Türkiye and Poland on cooperation in higher education would strengthen the position of both Polish and Turkish science.

Through the memorandum of understanding, the two countries aim to develop joint projects in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, digital technologies, energy transition, health sciences, and biotechnology.

The memorandum also envisages joint scientific research, exchange of experience, and the establishment of scientific consortia in areas including energy transition, innovative industrial technologies, sustainable agriculture, digitalization, artificial intelligence, public health, and biotechnology.

In addition, the agreement aims to facilitate the sharing of legislation, regulations, higher education structures, and related experiences governing higher education; as well as the establishment, implementation, and development of joint undergraduate and graduate degree programs between higher education and research institutions in both countries in accordance with the relevant legal frameworks.

Increasing the educational and internship mobility of academic staff and researchers at higher education and research institutions in the two countries through specific programs, short-term initiatives, and thematic summer schools is also among the objectives.

- Joint grant programs will be developed

Commenting on the agreement, Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Marcin Kulasek stated: “The memorandum of understanding we signed will strengthen the position of both Polish and Turkish science.”

Noting that the two countries aim to develop joint projects and joint grant programs, including those funded through European sources, Marcin Kulasek said: “This partnership will expand not only in the field of science but also more broadly between our economies.”

Rector of the University of Gdańsk Prof. Piotr Stepnowski stated that relations had entered a new phase following the first Türkiye-Poland Rectors Forum held in Ankara last year, saying: “This development demonstrates that the steps we took in Ankara have entered a completely new era.”

President of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland Prof. Bogumiła Kaniewska also stated that Türkiye is among the countries with which Polish universities maintain the most intensive cooperation. Kaniewska said: “Many Turkish students complete full-degree programs in Poland, and we conduct joint research projects.”

- “An important step forward in relations between the two countries”

President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar stated that the cooperation developed in recent years in the fields of economy, industry, energy, and defense would also be advanced further in higher education.

Özvar said: “Our universities possess significant potential to work together in the fields of education, research, and innovation.” He emphasized that the signed memorandum of understanding would provide new momentum for cooperation in higher education and scientific research, while also representing an important step forward in relations between the two countries.

He stated: “This document provides a solid framework for cooperation between the two countries in the fields of higher education and scientific research. Our next priority should be to transform this framework into concrete actions.”

Meanwhile, within the scope of the 2nd Poland–Türkiye Rectors Forum, cooperation agreements on various subjects were signed between universities from the two countries.