Throughout history, our geography has brought up scientific, spiritual and philosophical scientists and pioneered in scientific methods. This geography we live in contributed greatly to whole world and civilizations. In the more recent times, in the period of Ottoman Empire, our country assumed the role of an academic and cultural bridge due to its commercial and social linkages between the East and West and therefore allowed the bringing up of worldwide known scientists, transfer of knowledge heritage and sharing of science among the continents.

Today our societies are in a period of change in which the universities and the scope of international relations are increasingly transforming. The rapid increase in the generation and dissemination of information and the development of communication technologies force the societies to rearrange their higher education and research capacities and attain a certain level. While the backwardness in higher education level in the Balkans, Middle East and Central Asia, in which our country is also included, prominently continues its existence in the recent years in which the globalization spreads in full blast and this condition contrasts with the course of the world, on the other hand the globalization facilitates the mutual interaction but intensifies the competition. Thus the inequality and disadvantages between the universities in terms of research and higher education have come to light more clearly.

In this geography with similar socio-cultural values and concerns, it is already time for the intellectuals to come together, reassess the common values and build new associations. For this reason, we have determined a long road map so as to establish International Universities Council and pioneer firstly for our region and then for the entire world and carried out various activities aiming academic cooperation, scientific research and student exchange between the countries sharing the same geography.

The first one of these activities was the conference titled “Today and Tomorrow of Science and Higher Education in the Middle East” conducted in Istanbul with the participation of 59 chancellors from 20 countries on December 17-18, 2009; the second one was the workshop conducted in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on April 7-11, 2010. This “Higher Education and Science Workshop” enabling the transition to our project, “International University Council” the headquarters of which is in Turkey was conducted with the participation of 106 chancellors and 200 scientists from 40 countries and the foundations of our organization was laid. Our goal for near future is to engage in a series of new activities so as to increase the participation and see the outstanding universities and higher education organizations among us.

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Orhan Hikmet AZİZOĞLU

Founder Chairman of International Universities Council