Joint initiatives ,which are ranging from the empowerment of women and youth to gender equality, quality education, and sustainable cities and communities, will be carried out in numerous areas under the cooperation protocol signed between Near East University and the International Association of Women in Sustainable Development (USKD).
Near East University, which transforms its scientific work into societal benefit, has added a new partnership to its portfolio across various fields. Through the protocol signed with USKD, joint activities will be conducted within a broad framework encompassing education, research, projects, scientific publications, and academic events.
According to the protocol, signed by Near East University Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan and USKD Chairperson Ayla Alkan, joint projects, research initiatives, and scientific publications will be implemented. Shaped around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, these efforts will focus on quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, and partnerships for the goals.
Joint projects aimed at empowering women and youth will be developed!
The collaboration between Near East University and USKD covers a wide scope of activities, ranging from the development of quality education programs that support women and youth in adapting to the changing labor market to strengthening women’s participation in decision-making mechanisms. The protocol aims to develop joint projects focused on encouraging women’s entrepreneurship, strengthening women’s cooperatives, increasing access to social, academic, and economic opportunities for disadvantaged groups, and building more resilient, eco-friendly, and inclusive communities. Within the scope of this collaboration, which allows the parties to plan additional joint activities based on emerging needs, plans are in place to conduct work across various fields, including sustainability, gender equality, the preservation of cultural heritage, and environmental awareness.
Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan: “We attach special value to this collaboration that places women at the center.”
Stating that they prioritize transforming the signed protocol into a collaboration that yields tangible results and makes a real-world impact, Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan said, “As a university, we place great importance on societal collaborations. Universities should not merely be institutions that provide education. They should be entities that contribute to society through the knowledge and projects they generate. We consider societal contribution as the foundation of our ‘fourth-generation university’ approach and aim to translate the value we create into real-world impact.”
Noting that Near East University is resolutely pursuing its goals in international university rankings, Prof. Dr. Tüzünkan emphasized the special value they place on this collaboration centered on women. “We are committed to providing every form of support and contribution to this partnership. We aspire to realize a collaboration that functions effectively, produces tangible outcomes, and creates new value.”, said Tüzünkan.
Ayla Alkan: “We are honored to have Near East University as a partner on our journey.”
Ayla Alkan, Chairperson of the Board of the International Association of Women in Sustainable Development (USKD), a group operating with nearly 15 years of civil society experience, said, “We are an active and productive association. We successfully completed our first project funded by the Ministry of Interior and are now working on our second. A new project, in which we are participating alongside leaders from six civil society organizations across Turkic Republics as part of the ‘Women Leaders of Turkic States Sustainable Development Program’, also constitutes a significant part of our work. We also maintain collaborations with international federations and institutions. We strive to reduce social inequalities across all sectors.”
Expressing their aim to strengthen women’s roles in sustainable development and support them in achieving a stronger position by adapting to a changing world, Alkan said, “In today’s world, where everything changes and digitizes rapidly, we want to reach more women with our initiatives by keeping a close watch on innovations. We aim to take the lead in boosting the courage of entrepreneurial women and strengthening the networks between them. This is the vision that drives us.”
Highlighting the importance of the role women play in sustainable development, Alkan added, “We will continue to raise awareness through our work. In this context, we highly value the protocol we have signed with Near East University. We are honored to have Near East University, an institution that is growing rapidly and achieving significant rankings globally, as a partner on our journey.”
