- Mauritanian Minister praises Turkish higher education:

- "Studying in France used to be the trend, but today studying in Türkiye is highly valued."

- "We would like to see a Turkish university established in Mauritania."

- President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar: "We can establish an umbrella university in Mauritania by bringing together academic programs from Türkiye's leading universities."

- The Council of Higher Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania sign a Memorandum of Understanding.

June 27, 2026

The Council of Higher Education (CoHE) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in higher education.

Prior to the signing ceremony, held at Yıldız Technical University, President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar met with Professor Yacoub Ould Moine, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and his accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, Minister Moine remarked: "When we were students, studying in France was considered the ideal choice. But times have changed. Today, studying in Türkiye is highly valued."

Describing this as a valuable opportunity, Minister Moine expressed Mauritania's wish to establish a Turkish university in the country, noting that such an institution would attract students not only from Mauritania but also from neighboring countries across the region.

Responding to the proposal, Özvar said: "We could explore the possibility of offering academic programs from Türkiye's distinguished universities in Mauritania."

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Özvar welcomed the strategic proposal to establish either a Turkish university in Mauritania or, as an initial step, a Turkish faculty within the University of Nouakchott. "Your constructive commitment to allocating land or facilities on the campus of the University of Nouakchott, together with the strong interest shown by the Mauritanian people in learning Turkish, is highly encouraging. We are ready to evaluate this visionary proposal from a long-term and strategic perspective."

- "A Strategic Roadmap for Concrete, Dynamic, and Modern Cooperation"

Özvar described the Memorandum of Understanding as the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations. "We view this Memorandum of Understanding not merely as a legal document but as a strategic roadmap that will pave the way for concrete, dynamic, and modern cooperation between our universities," he said.

He noted that both sides had agreed to expand the mobility of students and academics and to develop joint undergraduate and graduate programs. Özvar also stressed the importance of cooperation in digital higher education. "We will share the experience of Turkish higher education in digital transformation with our Mauritanian friends," he said.

- Establishing the Legal Framework for Cooperation

The Memorandum of Understanding establishes the legal framework for direct cooperation between the higher education institutions of the two countries and for the implementation of future subsidiary agreements.

Under the agreement, the two sides will also cooperate in establishing joint distance learning platforms and virtual classrooms, sharing e-learning technologies, and supporting the digital transformation and modernization of university services in Mauritania.

The memorandum further provides for increasing student and researcher mobility through annual scholarship quotas, organizing joint cultural activities between universities, and developing Turkish-language curricula for scientific and technical purposes in Mauritania.