ARTICLE
MARCH-APRIL 2011
Towards
educational
cooperation:
Turkey and the
Arab world
in higher
education
ARTICLE IN BRIEF: Turkey plays a
key role in its region and the greater
Middle East. However, this influence
needs to have a firm foundation. Turkey
should develop relations with its neigh-
bors not only in economic and political
terms but also in the field of education.
Educational cooperation will allow both
Turkey and its neighbors to build a joint
future. Through shared endeavors on
educational issues, the region will move
closer to a more powerful global role.
76
İbrahim Özdemir
Rector, Gazikent University
I
n the early 21st century, I traveled across
Morocco for over three weeks. I later
moved on to Egypt, subsequently adding
Iraq and Syria to this long route. I made
sure during these trips that I had extensive
conversations with the young people I
encountered. I still remember my chat with
the youngsters in Tahrir Square and Umm
Kulthum Café. The image of a young man who
responded to my optimism, suggesting that the new
century will be an age of hope for Muslims, by recall-
ing that he had nothing to eat tomorrow – implying
that there was no need for him to ponder the next
century – still lingers in my mind. I searched desper-
ately for him when I watched the news coverage on
Al Jazeera showing the Egyptian revolution in Tahrir
Square. I was sure that he and his friends were there
to experience the historic moment.
My first impression of the Arab youth was that
life itself: “the only constant is change.” In the current ences shape the future;
they got nothing useful out of the education they
globalizing world, no further evidence is needed to awareness of social change, human life, environ-
received. The curriculum and method were outdat-
confirm the magnitude and scope of the change and ment and nature;
ed and unable to do anything practical to improve
transformation. The new millennium introduced a the ability to improve interaction, cooperation
their skills or lifestyle.
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (d.
new understanding that the world is making progress and discussion skills;
at an unprecedented pace. This new era has been the ability to utilize information and communi-
1900) is still popular among young people around Universities are cen-
labeled with bold statements, including post-industrial cation technologies; improvement of ability to acquire
the world. The primary reason for his extensive
society, postmodern world and transition period. and generate knowledge through research;
ters of political activi-
popularity is his strong emphasis upon change and ties as well as intellec-
Everything is changing, even change itself. It is difficult an effective and participatory citizenship style. tual thinking. A pro-
freedom, as well as on the potential of the youth to
shape and formulate the future.
to estimate the rate and speed of transformation. The first four goals focus on thinking and values, ductive relationship
Everything is interconnected and interactions are whereas the following two concentrate on skills and between Turkish and
His reliance on the snake metaphor in an attempt Arab universities will
becoming more complex and intricate. the last on actions. Taking responsibility for one’s
to explain the change is both interesting and impor-
Change also influences the way education institu- actions and being open to motivation in the applica- nurture a culture of
tant. The snake has been indispensible part of stories, inventive intellectual
tions operate. The traditional function of schools is to tion of one’s skills require awareness and further thinking and creative
sagas and mythologies since Adam and Eve. In his
famous statement “The snake that cannot shed its
provide young people with the tools they will need in thought. In some cases, however, actions take priority. political activity.
the future. To achieve this, educators have to be aware Skills emerge via actions, student awareness and a
skin perishes,” Nietzsche refers not only to the need
of the world they are living in. They should also be new type of comprehension that in turn leads to new
for change but also to the subject of that change. The
aware of the expectations young people may hold. actions. Unless this happens, the younger generations
one who needs to sponsor the change is the one who
However, it is difficult to predict what sort of world will become a source of trouble for a country.
has to survive. When the mission for change is out-
our children will grow up in. Therefore, the ability to In fact, French futurist Jacques Attali warned us a
sourced to others, the change can occur only to the
deal with uncertainty appears to be the most vital skill few years ago: “It’s today that we decide what the
extent the powerful allow. From a Darwinian perspec-
for the future. For this reason, the goals of a modern world will be in 2050 and it’s today that we prepare
tive, in such a case change would mean the survival
and high-quality education should be to ensure stu- what the world will be in 2100. Depending on how we
and domination of the powerful. It is possible to better
dents and young people acquire the following skills: behave, our children and our grandchildren will live in
understand the global change and transformations by
The ability to focus on the future; a livable world or they will live hate us to death.”
reference to this explanation.
comprehension of the world as a whole; However, we did not have to wait until 2050 or
Philosopher Heraclitus, who lived around 500
understanding that present decisions and prefer- 2100 to experience the impacts of change. The global
B.C., eloquently explained the place of change within
77
 MARCH-APRIL 2011
The European Council winds of change and the impact of globalization
held an extraordinary have influenced the way the people think and
session on March 11, behave. The authoritarian rulers of the Arab coun-
2011, to discuss devel- tries who always thought they would not be influ-
opments in Libya and
enced by the wave of change faced this cruel reality.
northern Africa, set-
We all witnessed that leaders who failed to leave a
ting the political
stance and priorities sustainable world to their people and take responsi-
for future EU policy bility have to step down from office in embarrass-
and action. ment and shame. I am not accusing anybody. Quite
PHOTO: REUTERS
the contrary, I would like to draw attention to the
possibility of cooperation with the Arab countries
within the field of higher education under the condi-
tions dictated and created by the process of change.
Turkey realized the salience of globalization and
change long before the Arab world, mostly because of
historical and institutional ties with the West. Owing
to this relationship, it introduced dramatic reforms and
structural changes. Turkey’s efforts to better under-
stand the process of modernization and
Westernization in the wake of the 1839 Royal
Tanzimat Decree and Turkey’s eventual EU bid con-
solidated its determination to renew and transform
the way it perceives the world. Most of the radical
changes were legitimized and justified within this con-
text. This process of change has become visible in a
number of fields, including the economy, foreign poli-
78
cy, education and social security. For instance Turkey,
which once viewed its neighboring countries as a
threat to its national security, has recently initiated a
policy of “zero problems” with these countries,
launching a brand new era. Both sides win during this
process, thanks to the strong bilateral ties forged, and
start to enjoy the benefits of relative peace and stabili-
ty. It is clear this new style played a visible role in
Turkey’s ability to survive the global financial crisis.
Despite these bold steps, Turkey’s relations with
the Arab world in the field of education are still insuf-
ficient. While visa requirements are lifted and land-
mines are cleared along borders, there still remain
serious obstacles and prejudices when it comes to
education. A number of issues, including recognition
of degrees and qualifications and cooperation in the
field of education, deserve greater attention and con-
sideration. Interestingly, businessmen are much more
successful than scholars in advancing cooperation with
Arab countries. It is time to develop firm collaboration
with the Arab countries in the field of education. It
should be noted that many European countries have
already taken action on this matter.
I should note that by “Arab world” I refer to 22
countries, including Morocco, Yemen and the Gulf
states, and the 350 million people living in this vast
land. The most visible characteristics of this geogra-
phy, host to a number of religions and civilizations
throughout history, are under development, poverty,
unemployment, environmental issues, ethnic issues,
migration, violence and internal conflicts. Research
sponsored to date by international organizations,
including the Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) and the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) underline that lack of education is the big-
gest problem in this region. This serves as the major
source of other imminent problems.
High-quality education and human capital
Many thinkers, philosophers and prophets, includ-
ing Confucius, Moses, Muhammed, Plato, Alfred
North Whitehead and Jürgen Habermas, stressed the
importance of education for humanity. Humanization,
civilization and possession of a future are all made
possible by education. Above all, education is a funda-
mental right to which all men and women are enti-
tled. Social development is ensured via high-quality
education. Likewise, better health services, greater
participation in social activities and enjoyment of fun-
damental rights are possible via education.
This suggests that education is a matter of survival
for any nation in the 21st century. In a world of inter-
connectedness and interdependence characterized by
high technology and enhanced means of communica-
tion, education appears to be the most important
issue. It is not possible for countries ignoring the
importance of education to gain full economic and
political independence. In addition, high-quality edu-
cation and investment in human capital is necessary to
enjoy the benefits of the globalization process.
Classical economists considered the natural
assets of a country. The most famous example of this
approach was Adam Smith (1723-1790), who insti-
tutionalized this in his seminal book, “The Wealth of
Nations.” Smith held that a nation’s wealth depends
on the amount of assets it needs for survival.
However, this has significantly changed in the cur-
rent information age. Prominent economists have
expanded their perspectives, concluding that the
wealth of a nation is actually calculated by well-edu-
cated and productive people. For this reason, this
sort of asset is named human capital.
The concept of human capital gained further
prominence and popularity in the late 1950s and early
1960s. Famous economists, including 1979 Nobel
Laureate Theodore Schultz (1902-1998), relied on the
capital metaphor in an attempt to place emphasis
upon the role of education in economic growth.
They argued that people have developed a set of
capabilities and skills by making an investment in
their education, which will become a source of reve-
nue in the long run. This investment may be also
useful for the national economy, contributing to
economic growth.
The OECD reports underline that human capital
has a number of economic and non-economic bene-
fits, including better health, longer life expectancy and
greater participation in society. From an economic
perspective, the case is fairly different. The benefits of
human capital positively affect the wealth of the
nation as well as the individual. On an individual
level, income increases with better education; in some
OECD countries (including Denmark and New Turkish Foreign
Zealand) the annual income of college graduates is 25 Minister Ahmet
percent higher than that of non-graduates. This figure Davutoğlu (center)
is as high as 120 percent in some countries. with his Italian and
Swedish counterparts
This suggests that education is the key to resolving
Franco Frattini (left)
global problems and achieving a state of sustainable and Carl Bildt (right),
development. To do this, education and training sys- by the Bosporus. The
tems should be redesigned to ensure they will
three were in İstanbul
improve pupils’ innovative skills. Furthermore, they on March 4-5, 2011 to
attend a conference on
have to be able to teach students how to adapt to
changing economic and social conditions, renew Europe’s economic
growth.
themselves and become flexible in a globalizing world. PHOTO: REUTERS
 MARCH-APRIL 2011
In short, education has an inherent power to
transform national economies, nurture tolerance and
social cohesion and create a sense of global citizen-
ship. Therefore it is no exaggeration to argue that
education is the key to the future of Middle Eastern
countries. As eloquently stated by Dr. Don Olcott,
chief executive of the Observatory of Borderless
Higher Education (OBHE); the nations of the Middle
East need to sense the power of education to trans-
form life, cities, nations and regions, and to realize
that efforts ignoring the importance of education will
be inconclusive and ineffective.
A problem that concerns us all
In a globalizing world, problems affect both the
countries in which they erupt and the entire interna-
Organization for tional community. The high rate of unemployment
Economic Cooperation among the Arab youth will eventually cause more
and Development serious problems for the entire globe, including terror,
Secretary-General human trafficking, drug abuse and so on. For this rea-
Angel Gurría speaking
son, the resolution of the problem of lack of education
at an event in London
on March 16, 2011. in the Arab world should be handled globally. Turkey
PHOTO: REUTERS has the responsibility to address this problem, given its
historical ties and common past with the region. The
resolution or irresolution of these problems will of
course also affect Turkey’s future.
While Turkey appreciated the requirements and
trends of economic globalization and maintained
firm ties with its neighbors, it failed to do the same
80
with respect to the field of education. The growing
trade volume with the nearby countries is evidenced
by an 11.4 percent increase in trade in 2010, despite
the global financial crisis. Businessmen in Gaziantep
alone make exports to more than 180 countries; the
share of the Arab states in the total amount of these
exports is greater than 50 percent. The sustainability
of the strong performance of Turkish foreign policy
depends on education – higher education in particu-
lar. This was emphatically confirmed by OECD
Secretary-General Angel Gurría.
As a result of global developments as well as its
EU bid, Turkey has introduced some bold reforms in
the field of education. I believe Turkey’s efforts to
share its experiences with nearby countries will have
constructive results for the entire region.
Shaping the future through education
The precursor to today’s EU was founded with the
coming into effect of Treaty of Paris in 1952, establish-
ing the European Coal and Steel Community. The
goal was to maintain economic cooperation between
member states. The heads of states who considered
themselves responsible for the future of Europe
believed the continent would have a better future if
they built upon economic and social fundamentals.
However, Jean Monnet, a French statesman
known for his contribution to the establishment of
European unity, reportedly said before he died that
he would rather build a European community on
education and culture, given that everything was
actually connected to science, education and culture.
Monnet’s concern has proven to be legitimate, as
evidenced by the EU’s failure to devise a common
educational and cultural identity. In consideration of
this gap, EU leaders have recently intensified efforts
to achieve cooperation in the field of education. The
Lisbon Strategy of 2000 sought to advance industry-
university cooperation, whereas the Bologna Process
initiated in 1999 attempted to open a new era in the
field of higher education.
The ministers for education who signed the
Bologna Declaration on June 19, 1999, set the main
goal of the declaration as seeking to create a common
area of higher education in Europe by the end of 2010.
The preamble to the declaration implies policy makers
were eager to fulfill Monnet’s political will and
requests: “A Europe of Knowledge is now widely
recognised as an irreplaceable factor for social and
human growth and as an indispensable component to
consolidate and enrich the European citizenship, capable
of giving its citizens the necessary competences to face
the challenges of the new millennium, together with an
awareness of shared values and belonging to a com-
mon social and cultural space.”
The following excerpt on the future of the EU
is also interesting: “The importance of education
and educational cooperation in the develop-
ment and strengthening of stable, peaceful
and democratic societies is universally
acknowledged as paramount, the more so in
view of the situation in South East Europe.”
It is therefore safe to argue that advance-
ment of Turkey’s economic and political rela-
tions with Arab countries in a democratic,
stable and peaceful manner depends on the
sustainability of these relations and achieve-
ment of cooperation in the field of education.
There are some other reasons to focus on
education and research as part of our bilateral ties
with Arab countries. Turkey is the only Muslim
country in NATO and the only Muslim democratic state
in the OECD. The EU bid and Turkey’s involvement in a
number of EU and other European institutions is also
significant. In short, Turkey needs to share its experience
of modernization and democratization with its nearby
countries and, in turn, to benefit from their experiences.
State of education in the Arab world
The first document to objectively discuss the state of
education in the Arab world, the probable reasons for the
situation and recommendations to resolve the problems
was the Arab Human Development Report in 2002. The
report is particularly important, since it was drafted by a
group of courageous Arab researchers under the auspices
and sponsorship of the UN. The report’s content was not
likely to have pleased Arab rulers, underlining that the
underdevelopment in the Arab world was attributable to
a lack of education, democratic deficit and eagerness to
keep the people out of the political processes.
Interestingly, the report content verified the evalua-
ILLUSTRATION: CEM KIZILTUĞ
tion by famous Islamic scholar Said Nursi in a notable
sermon he delivered in Damascus, where he listed the
reasons for the underdevelopment of the Arab world.
Nursi upheld that while the European world made
progress, the Islamic world had ceased to advance due
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 MARCH-APRIL 2011
to six inherent afflictions: hopelessness, disconnec-
tion with the truth and reality, love of enmity,
unawareness of the divine ties connecting fellow
Muslims, epidemic repression and observation of
individual interests – or selfishness.
Muslim societies should move their attention in
dealing with their problems away from an individu-
al or territorial basis toward a framework of cooper-
ation. This is why I refer in the title of this essay to
cooperation focusing on education. It is also inter-
esting to note that at a time when the reasons for
the underdevelopment in the Muslim world were
sought in the imperial ambitions of the Western
nations, Nursi performed self-criticism, noting that
the biggest enemy of the Islamic nations was lack of
education and knowledge.
The said report makes reference to the prob-
lems Arab leaders are displeased with, suggesting
that the solution to these problems should be built
upon education. To this end, two major issues
stand out: democracy and the status of women.
The Arab world lacks a democratic experience and
deprives women of their fundamental right to edu-
cation. Some Arab leaders took the report seriously
The leaders of Egypt
and Tunisia, Hosni
Mubarak and Zine El
Abidine ben Ali, have
already been over-
thrown by public
unrest in their coun-
tries.
PHOTO: REUTERS
82
and introduced some reforms to their education
system accordingly, while the majority remained
indifferent to its recommendations.
A UNESCO-sponsored meeting held in Beirut on
Jan. 19-23, 2007, was another endeavor focusing on the
state of education in the Arab countries. The meeting
was attended by the education ministers of the Arab
states. The speech UNESCO Assistant Director General
for Education John Daniel delivered at the opening was
both interesting and important. Daniel, relying on
examples from the experience of the Western world,
explained that the actual reason for the current state of
underdevelopment in Arab world was the Arab men-
tality itself. In fact, the title of his speech was enough to
stress the core of the problem: “Education for all in the
Arab world: past, present and future.” Daniel under-
lined the following points in particular:
Despite ongoing problems, the Arab world has a
rich intellectual past.
The Muslim world is the origin of the tradition of
the quest for knowledge and intensifying efforts for a
better understanding of the world.
A thousand years ago the Arab world was the
most developed part of the world.
Education Minister
The Arabs have been leaders of knowledge and security and the elimination of hunger. Nimet Çubukçu (cen-
science in many fields. The population growth rate is also cause for ter) attends the
Daniel upheld that the current situation is not alarm. Under current projections, the population in General Council of the
attributable to Islam or traditions, but should be the Arab world will reach 385 million by 2015. This Higher Education
explained by lack of a democratic culture and the means the rulers have to secure employment for 50 Board on Feb. 17, 2011.
domination of dictatorial regimes. The Arab million young people by 2020. YÖK President Prof.
Yusuf Ziya Özcan is
Knowledge Base 2009 report confirms this finding. One in three in the Arab world is illiterate,
particularly interested
According to this report, knowledge and freedom can- despite the allocation of 5 percent of GDP and 20 per- in turning Turkey into
not thrive without the other. Knowledge, in both its cent of budget to education in the last four decades. In a regional hub for edu-
enlightenment and developmental aspects, is freedom total, 60 million people are illiterate. Two-thirds of cation.
PHOTO: AA
itself. The report makes the following points: these 60 million are women.
Arab countries have the greatest unemploy- About 9 million children in Arab countries are
ment rates in the world; the average in the Arab unable to go to school at all; a huge number of chil-
world in 2009 was 14.4 percent, whereas the world dren also do not attend secondary schools, jeopardiz-
average was 6.3 percent. ing economic growth and sustainable development.
One in five persons in the region lives below the Arab countries do not allocate sufficient funds
poverty line ($2 per day). Almost half of the popula- to research and development; this naturally affects
tion is deprived of basic needs. innovation and invention. In most Arab states the
The number of people suffering from malnu- funds allocated to research and development activi-
trition due to unemployment is growing in Jordan, ties represent no more than 0.3 percent of GDP.
Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and The amount reserved for scientific research per
Yemen. In the event the current trend continues, head in Arab countries is $10, whereas it is $33 in
the Arab world will fail to meet its goals on food Malaysia and $1,304 in Finland.
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MARCH-APRIL 2011

The quality of college education is poor.
The number of publications by Arab scholars
is small.
The number of registered patents is also low.
Arabs read relatively less because of the high
rate of illiteracy, poor education, poor purchasing
power and cultural factors.
The presence of different education models in
Arab countries leads to serious problems in education
systems.
The curriculum is outdated and ideological.
The teachers are not qualified.
The methods are outdated; new technology is
not used in education
What these findings state is obvious: the Arab
world lacks a youth with the necessary competence
and skills to offer solutions to the existing prob-
lems, introduce innovations and deal with the
ILLUSTRATION: CEM KIZILTUĞ
growing problem of unemployment. The 2009
report refers to three major reasons for the current
situation: lack of democracy and freedom, the poor
status of women, and the inability of uneducated
women to contribute to society and the economy.
The report issues a strong call to the Arab coun-
tries: Act now and start a dialogue with countries
that are better than you! Turkey can also respond
to this call – and it should.
What can be done?
To start a new era with Arab countries, the Higher
Education Board (YÖK) needs to take action. In its
present form the board was designed to deal with
internal issues. A renovated YÖK would be able to
serve as a guide for both Turkey and the entire region.
In addition, it should share with Arab countries the
experience acquired through the Bologna Process and
Turkey’s EU membership bid.
To do this, the current situa-
tion should first be properly
identified. This could be done by
holding official visits to Arab
countries in an effort to gain first-
hand experience and apprecia-
tion of their education systems.
The most up-to-date report on
this subject is the Arab Human
Development Report 2009 that I
referred to above. Sadly, the
number of detailed and objective
reports concluded by our schol-
ars on Arab countries is too
small. Comprehensive studies
should be sponsored and promoted in this field.
Even though it still struggles with some prob-
lems, Turkey has introduced some bold reforms in
the field of higher education. The EU membership
bid, inclusion in the Bologna Process, OECD mem-
bership and other global endeavors promoted sig-
nificant change in the country in the field of educa-
tion. As a result of this transformation, a number of
private and state universities were founded. This
iate campuses in Arab states. The US, EU and
Australia have already taken action in this respect.
Agreements and protocols signed with Arab
countries regarding education should be updated,
and proper measures should be taken to ensure rec-
ognition of qualifications. Diplomas granted by
Turkish universities are not recognized in some Arab
countries, while YÖK still rejects degrees awarded by
some Arab universities.
Our universities should promote freedom and
universal values, and be ready to embrace the differ-
ent cultures, religions and languages represented by
international students; the customs, attire and tradi-
tions of people from all backgrounds should be
respected in colleges. In addition, Turkey is the only
Muslim country represented in the Bologna Process;
this is a great advantage that needs to be used. The
value of the diplomas received from Turkish univer-
sities should be better underlined.
The central exam that international students had
to take for admission to Turkish universities was can-
celled last year; this is a positive development, but
something more should be done. Instead of short-
term college fees, Turkish universities should adopt a
long-term strategy focusing on the future and sus-
tainable development. Global trends should be taken Support for projects developed by young aca- In traditional Islamic
into consideration when fees are determined. demics focusing on regional development; Turkey’s culture, mosques are
Cooperation could be maintained with Arab countries experience in the EU process could serve as a strong not only places of wor-
in the following fields to modernize higher education: ship; they are also
incentive.
forums for socializing,
Mutual visits to ensure a greater degree of Project specifications requiring cooperation education and discus-
familiarity and cooperation; proper steps to make between students and scholars from different coun- sion. With mosques
sure rectors, professors and researchers from Arab tries in the region; plurality and greater participation losing this function,
states have firsthand experience of education and should be considered during the process. religious education has
research in our country. Summer schools, joint workshops and conferenc- become monopolized
A conference on the current situation. es, as well as research projects, would be promising by madrasas – or secu-
Encouragement of Arab postdoctoral scholars to larized altogether.
attempts to maintain close cooperation between uni- PHOTO: REUTERS
carry out research in our universities; this will have a versities in the region. These endeavors would help
positive impact on our education system as well as the students and academics in the region get to know
national economy. each other, explore common denominators and real-
Considering work and travel firms play a sig- ize their capacity to work together and offer plausible
nificant role in sending students to Western states, solutions to existing problems. A process of dialogue
they could be encouraged to do the same with and cooperation with Arab countries, sponsored by
respect to the Arab states. Turkey and focusing on education and research,

should be taken as Turkey’s response to the global
demand for education.
Bearing in mind that higher education is being
internationalized, Turkey could build joint campuses in
the region, or Turkish universities could construct affil-
Sponsorship and support for young academ-
ics in the region.
Establishment of regional research and educa-
tion networks; cooperation between universities
toward social development in the region.
would consolidate the view and feeling that peoples
in the region have a common future of peace and
stability. For this reason, resolution of the chronic
educational problems in the Arab world is crucial for
international society and world peace.

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