ORHUN PROCESS EXCHANGE PROGRAM IS NOW AT SERVICE OF THE TURKIC ACADEMIC WORLD!
Developed by the Turkic Council Turkic University Union, the student-lecturer exchange program entitled ‘Orkhun Process’ has come to the implementation phase after the negotiation and adoption of the ‘Draft Regulation of the Turkic Council Turkic University Orkhun Exchange Program’ and other relevant documents during the meeting hosted by the Chair-in-Office of the Turkic University Union Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Manas University (KTMU) on 6-7 April 2017 in Bishkek.
As it is known, common culture, language and historical unity constitute the pillar for the cooperation among the Turkic states, which is successfully embodied within the Turkic Council. This feature distinguishes the Turkic Council from other regional cooperation mechanisms. The Second Summit of the Turkic Council held in Bishkek in 2012 was devoted to "Education, Science and Cultural Cooperation", which is a concrete indication of this situation. Since then, our Ministers of Education held 4 meetings and made decisions on the implementation of a number of projects.
A number of meetings were held in this regard. The Directive of the Turkic University Union and the Guidelines for the Creation of a Higher Education Area were adopted within the scope of the Turkic University Union, which has started its activities in 2013, aiming to increase cooperation among the member institutions in the field of higher education. Тhe exchange programs for students and lecturers, which became known as "Orkhun Process", started to be implemented soon.
The said Regulation and other related documents, that constitute the legal basis of this process, were prepared following the field visits of the Turkic Council Technical Committees, that have reviewed and reported on the infrastructure and process approaches of the member universities regarding the exchange programs, the coordination of the Turkic Council and the devoted work of the Chair-in-Office KTMU. The official basis of the Orkhun Process will be completed after the documents, adopted at the meeting held on 6-7 April 2016 in Bishkek, will be approved by the Turkic Council Ministers of Education.
The pilot project of the Orkhun Exchange Program will start in the first place for the undergraduate students of Department of International Relations, Department of Political Science, Department of International Relations and Political Science starting from 2017-2018 academic year. Bilateral protocols between the participating universities have been signed in this regard.
The acceptance of this Regulation and the signing of the bilateral protocols constitute an important milestone for the Turkic Academic World. Indeed, the project, which is now open for immediate implementation, will gradually assume a stronger pattern after the completion of the legal ground with which the project will eventually become a prestigious brand of the Turkic Academic World. The Turkic Council and the Turkic University Union will continue to work with determination in this endeavor.
