- Council of Higher Education President Özvar: “We aim to establish the concept of ‘disaster-ready universities’.”

- “We will encourage the establishment of ‘Disaster Risk Management Coordination Units’ at Turkish universities.”

March 4, 2026

As part of March 1–7 Earthquake Awareness Week, a cooperation protocol was signed between the Council of Higher Education and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) during a meeting held under the theme “A Disaster-Ready Türkiye from Primary to Tertiary Education

Speaking at the signing ceremony held at AFAD headquarters, Council of Higher Education President Erol Özvar stated that the protocol represents not only a technical cooperation agreement between the two institutions but also an institutional expression of the country’s determination to become a society that is more resilient, prepared, and aware in the face of disasters.

Emphasizing that the protocol is also an important step toward long-term, systematic, and sustainable coordination between universities and public institutions, Özvar continued:

“We possess significant human, scientific, and institutional capacity with 208 Turkish universities located in every province of our country, approximately 187,000 academics, and more than 6 million students. This capacity can play an active role in spreading disaster awareness, fostering a culture of risk reduction, and supporting search-and-rescue and humanitarian aid efforts after disasters. The strong response demonstrated by our universities following the February 6 Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes—referred to as the ‘Disaster of the Century’—was the clearest evidence of this. The contributions of our universities to recovery efforts during this period have strongly reflected the social responsibility of higher education.”

– “The aim is to increase disaster awareness”

Özvar noted that the cooperation protocol signed between the Council of Higher Education and AFAD is highly significant in terms of institutionalizing this experience. “The main objective of the protocol is to increase disaster awareness in our higher education institutions, systematize efforts aimed at reducing disaster risks, promote a culture of volunteerism, and strengthen the disaster preparedness capacity of our universities,” he said.

Özvar also stated that the protocol will make it possible to expand disaster awareness training, develop courses, modules, and academic content in the fields of disaster management and risk reduction, encourage student communities aligned with the AFAD volunteer system, and establish accredited teams.

– “We will ensure effective coordination with AFAD”

Özvar announced that concrete steps—such as conducting at least one drill per year on university campuses and developing field applications and simulation programs—will also be implemented within the scope of this cooperation. “Our aim is to establish the concept of ‘disaster-ready universities.’ We will encourage the establishment of Disaster Risk Management Coordination Units within our universities, treat disaster management and risk reduction as priority areas, and ensure an effective coordination mechanism between AFAD and our universities,” he said.

Özvar added that he believes the protocol will create a strong and sustainable model of cooperation that can serve as an example in the field of higher education and disaster management.

AFAD President Ali Hamza Pehlivan stated that cooperation between the two institutions would make a significant contribution to making provinces more resilient to disasters.

– “We will translate scientific knowledge into practice through R&D projects”

Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi noted that the protocol will strengthen preparedness capacity for disasters and emergencies while also contributing to disaster management processes from primary to tertiary education.

Çiftçi explained that the protocol outlines the fundamental framework for training, volunteerism, drills, joint R&D projects, and academic activities to be carried out at universities. “At the same time, we aim to conduct disaster awareness training across the country within a common framework. Universities will be encouraged to introduce courses and modules on disaster management, risk reduction, and volunteerism, while disaster-themed elective courses across different disciplines will be expanded. While supporting postgraduate research and thesis studies, we will also translate scientific knowledge into practice through joint R&D projects,” he said.

Following the speeches, the cooperation protocol was signed by Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi and Council of Higher Education President Erol Özvar.

After the signing ceremony, certificates were presented by Çiftçi and Özvar to universities accredited in the field of Urban Search and Rescue.