TİKA Supports the Turkology Department at the University of Zagreb

With the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the “Turkology in Photographs” art exhibition was organized to mark the 30^th anniversary of the Turkology Department, which has been a part of the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Philosophy since 1994.

The event, held as part of the “30^th Anniversary Reception,” was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Zagreb, Hayriye Nurdan Erpulat Altuntaş; TİKA’s Vice President, Dr. Mahmut Çevik; Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Zagreb, Prof. Dr. Domagoj Tončinic; Founder of the University of Zagreb’s Turkology Department, Prof. Dr. Ekrem Čaušević; as well as officials from TİKA and the Yunus Emre Institute.

Speaking at the event, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Zagreb, Hayriye Nurdan Erpulat Altuntaş, highlighted the contributions of the Turkology Department to the relations between Türkiye and Croatia. She expressed her pleasure at the growing interest in Turkish culture and language in Croatia. Ambassador Altuntaş also extended her gratitude to those who supported the Turkology Department and took the opportunity to remind attendees that Prof. Dr. Ekrem Čaušević, who played a pivotal role in establishing the department, was awarded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Distinguished Service Award in 2011.

TİKA’s Vice President Dr. Mahmut Çevik also emphasized the importance of Turkology in preserving Turkish culture, language and identity, and expressed his gratitude to those who have contributed to this effort. He explained that TİKA has supported more than 120 Turkology projects across the Balkan region, stating that they view language as a tool for peace in the Balkans, where diverse ethnic cultures coexist.

The Turkology Department was founded in 1994 by Prof. Dr. Ekrem Čaušević with very limited resources and continues its work today through the students he trained. It is the fourth most popular department at the University of Zagreb, following the English, German and Italian departments, and currently hosts approximately 170 students for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The Turkology Department offers its students education not only in the Turkish language but also in Turkish culture. Additionally, lecturers from Türkiye periodically teach courses. Graduates of the department make significant contributions to diplomatic, commercial and cultural relations between Türkiye and Croatia.

The events held to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Turkology Department with the support of TİKA aim to strengthen academic and cultural ties between Türkiye and Croatia.