Lattakia - Syrian and Turkish universities signed on Saturday a number of agreements on joint scientific research, overseeing higher education dissertations, participation in scientific conferences between the two sides, exchanging scientific publications and students exchange in the field of building capacities.
The agreements signed during the Forum of Syrian and Turkish university rectors held on Saturday in Tishreen University included an agreement between Tishreen University, Gaziantep and Harran, one between Damascus and Mardin Universities, and three between al-Baath University with Istanbul, Gaziantep, and Mardin Universities respectively.
Minister of Higher Education Ghiyath Barakat said the agreements enable more students from either country who want to pursue their studies on their own expenses to study at other state universities, as well as allowing more students to study at Turkish universities in new specializations.
In an interview to SANA, Rector of Istanbul University Zeynep Cigdem Kayacon underlined the importance of the forum in supporting regional and local cooperation with Middle Eastern countries.
''We are working to enhance relations with these countries because of what they have in common with Turkey, and the meetings between Syrian and Turkish universities will support mutual cooperation," she added.
Rector of Damascus University Wael Moalla said the conference translates the recently signed agreements in higher education, allowing Syrian and Turkish universities an access to the available opportunities in the scientific, research and educational fields, indicating that 17 Turkish and 5 Syrian state universities are participating in the meeting.
For his part, Rector of Aleppo University Mohammad Nizar Akil said holding the forum is important to solidify friendship and cooperation ties between the two friendly countries.
He added the forum paves the way for another conference on Syrian-Turkish scientific research in February.
Akil also indicated that the conference discussed cooperation prospects between Syrian and Turkish universities as well as MA and PhD projects and research centers that the two sides can benefit from.
Earlier, Syrian-Turkish Universities' Rectors Forum kicked off on Saturday at Tishreen University in Lattakia.
The forum discusses the implementation of cooperation agreements signed between Syria and Turkey during the first meeting of Syrian-Turkish High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council last month.
During the opening of the Forum, Syrian Minister of Higher Education Ghiath Barakat said that the rapidly developed relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries in the framework of the Syrian-Turkish High-level Strategic Council express both countries' desire to consolidate bilateral relations.
He added that the Forum embodies the political and popular will to boost the Syrian-Turkish relations, asserting that the Forum translates what has been agreed upon into reality.
He went on saying that the Forum would upgrade the level of higher education, cooperation and scientific research between the universities in both countries in addition to drawing the possible strategies of joint work to meet the aspirations of both sides.
Barakat affirmed that signing agreements in the domains of higher education and scientific research would further enhance the scientific and cultural cooperation between the two countries on a firm and integrated basis.
The agreements to be signed stipulate the mutual recognition of scientific certificates issued by the educational institutions in Syria and Turkey, establishing joint research projects, strengthening cooperation between the universities and research centers and establishing departments for teaching the Arabic and Turkish languages and literature at both countries' universities.
Barakat also reviewed the remarkable steps taken by Syria in the domain of developing the sector of higher education and the projects carried out by the Syrian government to upgrade this sector.
For his part, Chairman of Turkey's Higher Education Board (YOK) Prof Yusuf Ziya Ozcan, said "We are attending this Forum for the third time to put the required mechanism of cooperation in the interest of both countries' universities and to enhance bilateral cooperation in the domain of higher education due to the common historical and social denominators connecting the two countries."
Rector of Tishreen University Mohammed Yahia Mulaa expressed both sides' willingness to launch executive programs for implementing the provisions of the scientific agreements signed between the two countries in the fields of higher studies, academic exchange, capacity building, launching joint postgraduate programs and conducting joint scientific researches.
For his part, Turkish Ambassador in Damascus Omer Onhon said that the increasing mutual visits indicate to the rapidly developed Syrian-Turkish relations, asserting Turkey's readiness to push its relations with Syria forward, particularly in the scientific field.
Later, the Forum Discussed a number of topics related to the higher education and scientific research and the mechanism of implementing the agreements signed between the two countries in that domain.
32 members of the Turkish Board of Higher Education are participating in the Forum along with rectors of Syrian and Turkish universities and their deputies.
By Ruaa AL-Jazaeri/ Manal Ismael/Mazen
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2010
