The January meeting of the Istanbul Aydın University Batı Thought Platform was held under the leadership of former Vice Prime Minister Prof. Dr. Yalçın Akdoğan. The President of Istanbul Aydın University Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın was present at the meeting, and this month’s guest was Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Antalya MP, Head of the Turkish Delegation to NATO PA and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey.
During the meeting, Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu made comprehensive assessments on Turkey’s global vision and addressed critical issues such as Turkey’s relations with the European Union, regional and global balances, new dynamics in foreign policy and strategic cooperation. He also offered important perspectives by sharing his views on strong diplomacy, effective leadership and Turkey’s rising role in the international arena.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın thanked Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu for adding value to the meeting with his participation and stated that the valuable ideas he shared will shed light on future discussions.
President of Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, visited Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, to hold various meetings. On the first day of the three-day visit, he met with Uzbekistan graduates of the university at the IAU Office in Tashkent. During the meeting, the success of the graduates in their professional careers and their sectoral experiences were evaluated, and the vision of Istanbul Aydın University to create a strong alumni network in the global arena was once again emphasized. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın stated that the success of the graduates is the greatest source of pride, expressing his satisfaction with their ability to reflect their academic qualifications in their careers.
On the second day of the visit, President Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, visited Dr. Olgan Bekar, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Tashkent as part of his contacts in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. At the meeting, projects and new opportunities that will strengthen the strategic cooperation between Turkey and Uzbekistan were discussed, and a fruitful evaluation was made on cooperation for the development of educational and cultural relations between the two countries. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın emphasized the importance of increasing academic and commercial cooperation between the two countries and stated that the work to be carried out in this direction will be of great benefit to both sides. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın expressed his gratitude to Dr. Olgan Bekar, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey in Tashkent for his kind hosting and hospitality and expressed his belief that the strong ties of friendship between Turkey and Uzbekistan will become stronger day by day.
Later, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın held a meeting with Mr. Davron Vakhabov, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan. At the meeting, the development of trade cooperation between Turkey and Uzbekistan, the realization of joint projects in the field of education and the promotion of entrepreneurship were discussed. The parties exchanged ideas on the steps that can be taken to strengthen economic and academic cooperation between the two countries. After the meeting, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın thanked Mr. Davron Vakhabov for his hospitality and expressed his belief that the strong communication between the two countries will create new opportunities.
On the same day, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın met with Prof. Dr. Islambek Rustambekov, Rector of Tashkent State University of Law and discussed strengthening academic cooperation between the two universities, implementing joint projects and increasing international education opportunities in the field of law. At the meeting, joint work in scientific research and strategies to improve the quality of education were evaluated. Expressing his gratitude to Rector Prof. Dr. Islambek Rustambekov, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın stated that international academic cooperation is one of the most important elements that support sustainable development in education.
At the end of the second day of his visit to Tashkent, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın had a productive meeting with the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovations of the Republic of Uzbekistan Mr. Kongratbay Sharipov. Prof. Dr. Aydın expressed that they look forward to the valuable participation of Uzbekistan universities and the Minister in the Eurasian Higher Education Summit (EURIE), which will be held for the tenth time in this year. During the meeting, important decisions were taken to develop academic cooperation between universities in Turkey and Uzbekistan, to implement joint projects and to increase student-academic exchange programs. It was aimed to make significant contributions to the higher education system in the region, especially by sharing mutual knowledge and experience in quality assurance systems. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın expressed his sincere gratitude to Mr. Kongratbay Sharipov for his hospitality and valuable contributions to education.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın made important statements to the press on the future of global education on the third day of his visit to Tashkent. In an interview before the “Internationalization, Research and Quality Management in Global Universities: Approaches to Sustainable Development Goals Workshop” hosted by Tashkent State Transport University of Uzbekistan, it was emphasized that universities should not only develop international collaborations but also integrate these processes into their corporate culture. Stating that universities are not only institutions that transfer knowledge, but they should also be positioned as research centers that lead social transformation and produce solutions to the problems of the future, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın said that the workshop is a big step in terms of contributing to global education policies and sustainable development goals with a common vision.
On the same day, the Eurasian Association of Universities (EURAS) Academy was held with the participation of more than 100 rectors. The event, hosted by Tashkent State Transport University, brought together Vice Ministers of Higher Education and Transport, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Tashkent Dr. Olgan Bekar and leading figures from the academic community. While many important issues from education to economy, from climate change to green energy were discussed at the meeting, it was emphasized that cooperation should be strengthened in order for universities to become more innovative, sustainable and solution-oriented structures. In his speech here, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın stated that universities should go beyond being institutions that only transfer knowledge and become structures that lead social transformation. Prof. Aydın expressed his gratitude to the Deputy Ministers of Higher Education and Transport, Turkish Ambassador to Tashkent Dr. Olgan Bekar, the administration of Tashkent State Transport University and all academic partners for contributing to the organization.
At the end of the day, he visited Target Schools in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, and met with their valuable students. In the intimate conversations where education, career planning and leadership issues were discussed, the determination, goals and excitement of young people about the future attracted attention. Prof. Dr. Aydın pointed out that the future will be shaped by young people who dream big dreams and step into these dreams with courage, and emphasized the importance of setting strong goals, constantly improving oneself with the equipment to keep up with the changing world, and moving forward with determination. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın thanked Behzat Jalilov, Founder of Target Schools, for hosting the meeting and everyone who contributed to the organization and shared his belief that young people will make the world a better place by following their dreams.
UFRAD Franchise Association organized the first Board of Directors Meeting of 2025 at Hilltown Shopping Mall Rilly Brasserie, hosted by Board Member and Gönül Kahvesi CEO Kemal Yardımcı.
At the meeting, held with the participation of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, the performance of the franchise sector in 2024 was evaluated in detail, while strategic plans were made on the targets for 2025. Road maps for developing markets, projects to support members’ national and international growth processes, and steps that will contribute to the sustainable development of the franchise ecosystem were discussed.
In addition, the preparation process of Franchise Istanbul Expo 2025, the new opportunities it will offer to the sector and the advantages it will provide for the participating companies were evaluated in a comprehensive perspective.
After the Board meeting, UFRAD members came together at the Round Table Meeting. In this session, with the participation of leading brand representatives of the franchise sector, the national and global development of the franchise system, strategies for entering growing markets, digital transformation processes and innovative approaches were discussed. Information about Franchise Istanbul Expo 2025, one of UFRAD’s vision projects, was provided, valuable opinions were exchanged on collaborations and exhibition events that will increase international participation, and the steps to be taken for the strong growth of the franchise ecosystem and its expansion to wider markets with sustainable business models were consistently highlighted.
Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) Administrative Meeting was held under the presidency of President Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, with the participation of the university’s administrative staff.
At the meeting, the future goals of the university, the projects to be realized in the new period and innovative practices for students and graduates were discussed in detail. While the studies to be carried out in order to further improve the academic and administrative processes of the university were evaluated, the strategic steps to be taken in line with the understanding of excellence in education were also discussed.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın emphasized that the contributions of the administrators are of great importance in the constant development of the university and thanked the administrative team for their dedicated work.
The January Board of Directors Meeting of the Services Exporters Association (HIB) was held with the wide participation of sector representatives. HİB Board Member Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın also attended the meeting.
At the meeting, 2025 goals and strategic plans were discussed in detail, while efforts to increase Turkey’s strength in services exports and innovative steps for the future of the sector were emphasized. Policies and collaborations to increase global competition power in the sector were evaluated, and projects that will make the growth of service exports sustainable were discussed.
The January Board Meeting of the Eurasian Universities Union (EURAS) was held under the presidency of EURAS President Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın.
During the meeting, current developments in the field of higher education were evaluated and the strategic goals of the union for 2025 were discussed. The steps to be taken to strengthening regional academic collaborations, producing sustainable projects in education and creating globally competitive universities were planned in detail.
EURAS emphasized that it will continue to contribute to the world of education by increasing international academic cooperation and thanked all members who contributed to the meeting. The Union stated that it will continue its work with determination with the mission of building a stronger and sustainable academic future.
The January Executive Board Meeting of the Foreign Exchange Earning Working Group of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) was held with the participation of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın and sector representatives.
During the meeting, strategic plans for Turkey’s foreign currency earning sectors were reviewed, while comprehensive evaluations were made on the dynamics of global trade and export targets. By analyzing the current economic situation, projections for the future were created and concrete steps were determined to increase foreign trade. DEİK Foreign Exchange Earning Working Group emphasized that it will continue to draw an important road map to support Turkey’s economic growth and increase foreign exchange earnings by establishing stronger collaborations with the business world. It was emphasized that efforts will continue with determination in order to strengthen the country’s economic structure and increase its competitiveness in the global market.
The 2024 Ordinary Financial General Assembly Meeting of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) Business Councils held with the participation of Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye and Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Labor and Social Security of the Republic of Türkiye.
At the meeting, attended by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, the importance of strong cooperation in Turkey’s economic development and global trade was emphasized, while the strategic goals, financial structure and future projects of the business councils were discussed. DEİK once again demonstrated that it continues to work with determination with the aim of contributing to sustainable growth and export-oriented investments.
Following the general board meeting, the Commercial Diplomacy Award Ceremony was held. At the ceremony, business people, organizations that contribute to international cooperation and economic diplomacy, and entrepreneurs who successfully represent Turkey in global trade were awarded. It was emphasized that commercial diplomacy is not only essential for economic development, but also one of the fundamental pillars of building strong international relations. In light of this vision, DEİK stated that it will continue its efforts to develop effective collaborations on a global scale and strengthen Turkey’s position in international trade.
The workshop titled “Institutional Strengthening and Strategic Goals” of the Turkiye Anti-Smoking Association (TSSD) was hosted by Istanbul Aydın University.The workshop, chaired by the General President Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, brought together members of the association, academics, and experts in the field. During the workshop, comprehensive discussions were held to determine more effective strategies in the fight against smoking and to strengthen the institutional structure of the association. Participants shared ideas on developing innovative and sustainable projects to reduce smoking rates. In addition, the steps to be taken to raise social awareness in the fight against smoking and national policies were evaluated in detail.
Among the strategic goals of the association, issues such as preventing smoking among young people, supporting smokers to quit, and promoting a culture of smoke-free living came to the fore. Participants agreed on concrete steps towards education, awareness-raising and public policies in line with these goals. In addition, the importance of increasing collaborations was emphasized in order to TSSD to carry out stronger projects in the international arena.
While it was pointed out that the decisions taken at the workshop will create a more effective and comprehensive road map in the fight against smoking, the determination of the association in this field was once again strengthened.
Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) President Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın attended the “Islamic World Education and Science Organization” event held in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın made a speech on the importance of Arabic as a language at the event, which was attended by important names such as the Vice President of Mauritius, Minister of Tourism, Minister of Development and the Ambassadors of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Prof. Dr. Aydın, his speech followed with great interest, emphasized the role of Arabic in the world of education and science, and highlighted the need to strengthen academic cooperation in the Islamic world.
Within the scope of the event, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, representing Turkey’s power and academic studies in the field of global education, played an active role in the organization by continuing his contacts to increase international cooperation.
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Istanbul Aydin University Chairman of the Board of Trustees / BIL Holding and BIL Education Institutions Chairman of the Board of Directors / Cyprus Science University Honorary President
