- 150 Science Café events were held in more than 70 provinces across all regions of Türkiye

- Palestinian students, academics and university administrators shared their experiences directly with the public

- The situation in higher education in Gaza was brought to Türkiye through live connections and short films

- CoHE President Erol Özvar: “Preserving education and science in Gaza is a shared responsibility of humanity”

September 28, 2026

The “Solidarity with Gaza Universities Program,” launched on World Peace Day on September 1 under the coordination of CoHE’s Office of Science Communication, brought people across all regions of Türkiye together with Palestinian academics and students.

Throughout September, more than 150 Science Café events were held in more than 70 provinces across all regions of Türkiye, with the participation of more than 100 universities. The gatherings addressed various aspects of the efforts of students in Gaza to continue their education, academics to pursue their scientific work, and universities to preserve their future.

The events extended beyond university campuses, bringing academics, students and members of the public together. Palestinian students and academics studying and working in Türkiye participated in the events both in person and through live connections. Videos sent by students studying in Palestine, along with short films depicting the destruction in the region, provided first-hand accounts of the conditions facing higher education in Gaza and what people there have experienced.

- Universities in Gaza addressed the people of Türkiye

One of the first gatherings of the program was hosted by Gaziantep Islam Science and Technology University under the title “From Gaziantep to Gaza: Science, Solidarity and a Shared Future.” CoHE President Erol Özvar and Palestinian Minister of Education and Higher Education Amjad Barham joined the program online.

The gathering was also attended online by Prof. Assad Yousuf Assad, President of Gaza Islamic University; Prof. Salam Al-Agha, President of Al-Aqsa University; Prof. Hasan Abu Jarad, President of Gaza University; Prof. Alaa Muhammed Matar, President of Isra University; Prof. Ayman Subh, President of Al-Aqsa University; and Prof. Mohammad Mushtaha, President of University College of Applied Sciences. With the direct participation of Palestinian university administrators, the meeting addressed the current state of academic life in Gaza, efforts to sustain education, and potential areas of cooperation between universities.

- A short film depicted the university before and after its destruction

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University held a Science Café event entitled “Sustaining Science Amid Destruction: Education and Academic Life in Gaza” at the Rize Municipality Square Social Facility.

Assoc. Prof. Abdulgani Bozkurt, a faculty member in the Department of International Relations at the university, and Lecturer Dr. Zeyd Ishakoglu, a Palestinian-born graduate of the university and an academic at Trabzon University, took part in the event as speakers.

A short film prepared by an academic working in Gaza and sent to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University was screened during the program. The film presented the university before and after its destruction within the same narrative and conveyed to participants the conditions under which academic life is being sustained in Gaza.

The discussion covered the political and social circumstances of Gaza from 1967 to the present, the impact of developments following October 7 on higher education and social life, and the academic ties that universities in Türkiye could establish with Palestinian students and academics. Ishakoglu also shared his educational journey from Palestine to Rize and his expectations from universities in Türkiye.

- Palestinian students and academics shared their experiences

The experiences and accounts of Palestinian and Gazan students and academics were given particular prominence at the Science Café gatherings. At the “Higher Education in Gaza” event held by Erciyes University, Prof. İhsan Yacoub Deek and Lecturer Duha Kamal Saleh Shaqalah were hosted as guests. At Karadeniz Technical University’s “Being a University in Gaza” gathering, Dina Aqra and Prof. Asa’d Yusuf Asa’d also took part.

At two “Being a University Student in Gaza” events held by Süleyman Demirel University, Prof. Bassam Abu Hamad, Basel El Eila, Yousef Yousief, Sally Saleh, Nadwa Nabres, Mahmoud Moghaeed and Haya S. A. Abokwaik spoke to participants. Dr. Suad Ghaben, Dr. Abdelrahman Eid, Dr. Nahed R. Eid, Rana Elbasha and Dr. Nour Awad took part in Tarsus University’s panel entitled “Higher Education, Science and Perspectives for the Future in Gaza.”

Hasan Kalyoncu University brought Palestinian participants together with audiences at gatherings entitled “Israel’s Genocide in Gaza Through Photographs” and “Being a University Student in Gaza,” while Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University held an event entitled “Being a University Student in Gaza Through the Accounts of Our Palestinian Students,” under the slogan “No Blackboard, No Desk, No Giving Up!” At Ondokuz Mayıs University’s “Gaza: Education, Science and the Future” gathering, a live connection was established under the title “A Family’s Voice from Gaza: Education, Life and the Future.”

Prof. Khaled Sosy, Dr. Zaher J. Haddad, Dr. Basam Abo Hashesh and Ismail A. Abu Hein joined Bursa Technical University’s event entitled “The State of Higher Education in Gaza” online. TRT World Gaza correspondent Abdulvahab Hamad also contributed via a live connection to Yozgat Bozok University’s “Being a Student in Gaza” gathering.

- Gaza discussed through diverse themes ranging from science to the arts

As part of the program, universities brought the struggle to sustain education and science in Gaza to the public agenda through original events addressing the issue from different disciplinary perspectives.

Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University organized “White Coat Under Siege: Continuing Medical Education in Gaza”; Dokuz Eylül University held “Producing Science for Humanity in Gaza”; Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University organized “Digital Games and Animation with a Focus on Gaza”; and Ege University held “Science, Hope and the Future from Ege to Gaza.”

Istanbul Technical University organized “Being a University in Gaza: Science, Solidarity and Reconstruction”; Eskişehir Osmangazi University held “Being a Student in Gaza” and “Let the Kites Fly, Let the Sky Belong to Children”; Lokman Hekim University organized “From Gaza to Ankara: A Bridge of Science and Solidarity”; Iskenderun Technical University held “The Class Continues: Being a University in Gaza”; and Ankara Social Sciences University organized “A Candle Against the Darkness: An Academic Tent in Gaza.”

Istanbul Aydın University organized five events, including short film screenings. Alongside screenings of “I Am From Palestine,” “Hide & Seek” and “A Day in the Tent,” the university also held programs entitled “Science in the Reconstruction of Gaza” and “Academic Life and Education in Gaza: Journalism and Media Experiences.” Düzce University also organized three separate Science Café events addressing the themes of children, education, hope and collective memory.

- The struggle for education became a symbol of hope and resilience

At events held in different cities across Türkiye, university administrators, students and members of the public drew attention to the challenges facing education in Gaza. The struggle to continue education despite all difficulties was highlighted as a symbol of hope and resilience.

Speaking at Mersin University’s “Being a Student in the Shadow of Genocide—Science Café for Gaza” event, Rector Prof. Erol Yaşar said they had come together to use the bright side of science and education as a shield against darkness. A Palestinian student who spoke at the event said that although their schools had been destroyed, their dreams had not been destroyed, and although they had lost their books, they had not lost their path.

Kayseri University Rector Prof. Kurtuluş Karamustafa emphasized that the university is a stronghold of free thought, human dignity, science and faith in a brighter future.

A high school student who attended the “Being a University in Gaza: Science, Memory and Resilience” event at İnönü University drew attention to the fact that children much younger than them in Gaza continue their education in tents despite severe conditions. The student said that the photographs shown at the event helped them better appreciate the value of the safe educational opportunities they have.

Members of the public attending the gatherings at Düzce University also described bringing the events in Palestine to public attention as a humanitarian and moral responsibility.

Speaking at the Science Café event organized by Ankara University, Rector Prof. Necdet Ünüvar emphasized that universities are responsible not only for producing knowledge but also for keeping humanity’s shared conscience alive. A Palestinian speaker said they would repay the support they had received by producing science, working and contributing to society.

At the event held at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Rector Prof. Hüseyin Dalgar stated that despite the destruction of classrooms and laboratories in Gaza, people were waging a major struggle to sustain life.

At Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University’s “Being a Student in Gaza” gathering, Palestinian student Kerem Saleh explained the importance of education for the Palestinian people, saying, “We have no army, no aircraft, we have nothing, but our only weapon is the pen, education. Education is stronger than weapons.”

- Science Cafés brought universities and society together

The gatherings held in city squares, social facilities and various public spaces made visible the universities’ mission of contributing to society alongside their roles in education and research. Participants had the opportunity to hear about the state of higher education in Gaza directly from academics, students and speakers with first-hand experience, and to ask their questions either face to face or through online connections.

Through the gatherings held throughout September, the program aimed to bring the voices of Palestinian students and academics to wider audiences and strengthen solidarity between universities in Türkiye and the Palestinian higher education community.

- Özvar: “Our universities have become bridges between Gaza and Türkiye”

CoHE President Erol Özvar said the Solidarity with Gaza Universities Program once again demonstrated that universities are not merely institutions that produce knowledge, but also structures that assume social responsibility and uphold humanity’s shared values.

Özvar stated that the struggle to sustain higher education in Gaza under extremely difficult conditions demonstrates the indispensable role of education and science in human life. “We see our universities as bridges carrying the voices of academics and students in Gaza to Türkiye, and the solidarity of Türkiye’s academic community to Gaza,” he said.

“We opened the doors of our universities to society through Science Cafés. We brought Palestinian students, academics and university administrators together with our citizens,” Özvar said, emphasizing the importance of conveying what is happening in Gaza to the public through first-hand accounts, online connections and academic exchanges.

Özvar stated that the solidarity of universities in Türkiye with Palestinian higher education would continue to grow, adding, “It is the shared hope of all of us that universities in Gaza will be rebuilt, students will be able to return to their education, and academics will be able to resume their scientific work. As the Council of Higher Education, we will continue to do our part to ensure that this solidarity develops into lasting academic partnerships.”