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.
