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A private Turkish university opens in
Iraqi Kurdistan region
22.10.2008
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October 22, 2008
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan region "Iraq",—
As relations normalize between Turkey and Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG) in "northern Iraq", Turkey
has followed in the footsteps of the US, France and
Lebanon in establishing a university there.
Diplomatic relations between Ankara and Erbil, the
capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region,www.ekurd.net
were almost frozen after
the foundation of the regional Kurdish government
there and Massoud Barzani's election as its
president. Recently the relations have seen a period
of thaw, and some of the walls between the two
parties have been brought down, Barzani explained
Tuesday after his meeting with Turkey's special
envoy to Iraq, Murat Özçelik. Ankara emphasizes the
importance of "silent diplomacy" with the Kurdish
government in this regard. |
Turkish Ishik University in Erbil, the Iraqi
Kurdistan's capital. |
Along with the breaking
down of walls has come the building of bridges
between Turkey and its Iraqi Kurdish neighbours.
Ishik University, newly opened by the Turkish
Fezalar Educational Co. in Erbil, is one of those
bridges. Fezalar has been active in education in the
region for 14 years and has 10 schools in Erbil,
Sulaimaniyah and Kirkuk. The university is now
accepting student registration, and classes will
begin in mid-November.
The idea to open a university came from the families
of students who had attended other Fezalar schools,
said Talip Büyük, the corporation’s general manager,
at a press conference on Tuesday in Erbil. “We have
had 788 students graduate from our schools,www.ekurd.net
and for a few years the
families have been strongly encouraging us to open a
university,” he added. Eventually Fezalar decided to
raise the topic with Kurdistan region’s education
officials, who backed the proposal. During the press
conference Büyük spoke of the success of the Fezalar
schools and noted that Fezalar students won medals
at several international intramural scientific
competitions.
Local Kurdish media showed great interest during the
press conference and in particular asked whether the
university’s opening would contribute to improving
relations with Turkey. In response, Büyük emphasized
that the institution’s aim was to focus on
scientific educational and success. His words were
echoed by Professor Salih Hoşoglu, chosen to be the
university rector, who said that their main mission
was to educate students at world standards.
“We are pleased with the success of all Fezalar
schools and believe that Ishik University will also
be successful,” said Himdad A. Muhammad, the
Kurdistan’s Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research director of private education.
As for relations with Turkey,www.ekurd.net
he said: “These are
political issues and we are dealing with scientific
studies and education. But we are happy with the
latest developments. We hope the opening of this
university will contribute to the improvement of
relations.”
University to open with four departments:
The university will have four departments:
dentistry, engineering, economics, and
administrative sciences and education. Rector
Hoşoglu explained that there would be English
preparatory classes to fulfill the requirement that
foreign universities in northern Iraq offer
education in English. “Demand from students to
enroll at Ishik is high, and we need to open evening
programs to meet it,” Büyük said, mentioning also
that the university would only be accepting students
with the highest scores on the ministerial higher
education entrance exam.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
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