28th-Term Istanbul Member of Parliament Halis Dalkılıç was the guest of Istanbul Aydın University’s Difference Makers Academy. In this sincere gathering, students had the opportunity to ask questions they were curious about.
Halis Dalkılıç candidly shared his political experience, life journey, and views on public service. His motivational messages and constructive advice to young people further strengthened the inspirational dimension of the program.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın thanked the Honorable Member of Parliament for his kind participation and valuable contributions, noting that such meetings make significant contributions to the development of students’ vision.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın had a comprehensive interview with Kamuran Abacıoğlu, President of Ekovitrin Media Group, in which the effects of international student mobility on Türkiye’s future were discussed. The conversation included evaluations on Türkiye’s position in international higher education, its education export capacity, and the global competitiveness of its universities.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın emphasized that Türkiye’s universities are increasingly taking a stronger place internationally through their academic strength, the productivity of their scholars, and the quality of education they offer. He stated that the growing global interest in higher education is a concrete indicator that the right vision is being pursued.
Highlighting that Türkiye holds great potential in international student mobility, Prof. Dr. Aydın expressed his strong belief that Türkiye will soon rank among the world’s top ten countries hosting the highest number of international students.
The interview concluded with important insights shedding light on Türkiye’s vision for higher education and its internationalization strategies.
With the participation of Chairpersons of Boards of Trustees of universities, the ‘Education Services Evaluation and Consultation Meeting’ was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın and hosted by the Service Exporters’ Association (HİB).
The current challenges of foundation universities — a major strength of Türkiye in service exports — proposed solutions, and planned activities for the upcoming period were comprehensively addressed. Evaluations focused on the internationalization of higher education institutions, improving educational quality, and strengthening Türkiye’s position in education services exports.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın stated that a highly productive and guiding consultation platform had been formed with the contributions of the Board of Trustees’ Chairpersons, stressing the importance of collective wisdom in enhancing quality and global competitiveness in education.
The 39th General Assembly Meeting of the Standing Committee for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership of Local and Regional Authorities (COPPEM) was held online with the participation of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın. The 2025 activities, ongoing collaborations, and the roadmap for the upcoming period were discussed comprehensively.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın highlighted the importance of projects aimed at strengthening cooperation among local and regional administrations in the Euro-Mediterranean basin, underlining that mutual exchange of experience on sustainability, water management, and regional development carries critical value for the region. The meeting continued with evaluations conducted from a multi-stakeholder and collective-wisdom perspective.
During the ‘Euro-Mediterranean Dialogues’ session held following the General Assembly, the experiences shared by Governor of Gaziantep Kemal Çeber on inter-institutional coordination, responsibilities of local administrations, and strengthening social resilience served as an important reference not only for Türkiye but for the entire Euro-Mediterranean region.
In another session organized within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean Dialogues, Istanbul Aydın University Rector’s Advisor Prof. Dr. Zafer Aslan delivered the opening address and evaluated the water crisis in European and Mediterranean cities and rural areas in all its dimensions.
At the MÜSİAD High Advisory Board Meeting, developments in the global economy, Türkiye’s economic outlook, evaluations regarding 2025, and the expectations of the business community for the upcoming period were comprehensively addressed.
The meeting concluded with constructive consultations focusing on mutual evaluations and targets for the new term.
At the December Board of Directors Meeting of the Service Exporters’ Association (HİB), the activities implemented and collaborations developed throughout 2025 were evaluated in detail.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın emphasized the importance of sustainable growth in service exports and stated that new initiatives to strengthen Türkiye’s global service export capacity would constitute strategic priorities in the coming period. Policies and areas of work to enhance competitiveness in international markets were also discussed.
At the December Board of Directors Meeting of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK), assessments were made regarding the accurate analysis of changing global trade dynamics, while strategic approaches to strengthen the competitiveness of the business world were discussed.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın emphasized the importance of efforts that facilitate Türkiye’s access to new markets, reinforce its international influence, and consolidate its position in the global economy. It was noted that activities conducted with the objective of integrating the country’s production, investment, and trade capacity with the world would continue with determination.
With the participation of Küçükçekmece District Governor Mustafa Anteplioğlu and Küçükçekmece Mufti Hasan Hüseyin Palabıyık, the December Board Meeting of the Küçükçekmece City Council was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın at İkitelli Cemevi.
At the final meeting of the year, the district’s priorities and initiatives aimed at strengthening the city’s future vision were discussed. Activities to enhance social participation, new project proposals contributing to local development, and planning for the year 2025 were evaluated comprehensively.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın underlined that Küçükçekmece would achieve a stronger future through a governance model shaped by collective wisdom, emphasizing the determination to engage in dialogue, produce together, and construct a common future for the city.
With the participation of H.E. Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, TİM President Mustafa Gültepe, and leading sector representatives shaping Türkiye’s national branding vision, the opening of the TURQUALITY Vision Meeting and Branding Conference was held.
The event reviewed the twenty-year journey of the branding support program and addressed success stories that have contributed to Türkiye’s global brand vision. Comprehensive evaluations were made on strategies to enhance the global competitiveness of knowledge-intensive sectors, particularly service exports, education, healthcare, design, and creative industries.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın expressed his gratitude, first and foremost to Minister of Trade Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, to TİM President Mustafa Gültepe, and to all stakeholders contributing to this important journey. He emphasized that the TURQUALITY champions advancing Türkiye’s brand strength make significant contributions to the nation’s global competitiveness vision.
During the conference, Istanbul Aydın University was granted an award in the TURQUALITY Champions category as the higher education institution achieving the highest level of service exports in Türkiye. Expressing that the university received this success with great pride, honor, and responsibility, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın underlined that the award stands as a concrete reflection of the commitment, vision, and determination of the Aydın family striving toward the ideal of ‘a stronger and more advanced university.’
The December Board of Directors Meeting of the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED) was held, during which UNIMED’s institutional functioning, membership processes, and strategic topics regarding the future of the union were comprehensively discussed.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın particularly shared evaluations on upcoming period activities, planned projects, and initiatives aimed at strengthening regional cooperation. New initiatives to increase interaction among universities across the Mediterranean region, joint research areas, and mechanisms supporting academic solidarity were among the key agenda items of the meeting.
