Cooperation protocols were signed between Yunus Emre Institute and Azerbaijan Technical University and Azerbaijan State Examination Center.

Yunus Emre Institute (YEI) signed cooperation protocols with Azerbaijan Technical University and Azerbaijan State Examination Center to promote and ensure educational, cultural and scientific cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The protocols will strengthen the bridges of brotherhood and friendship between the two countries, which are described as "two states, one nation".

The videoconference for signing ceremony was attended by Prof. Şeref Ateş, YEI President; Erkan Özoral, Turkish Ambassador in Baku; Meleyke Abbaszade, Board Chairperson at Azerbaijan State Examination Center; and Dr. Vilayet Veliyev, Rector of Azerbaijan Technical University; as well as other officials. YEI President Prof. Ateş expressed his happiness for the glorious victory of the Azerbaijani army in the operation launched to save its territory from occupation.

Emphasizing that he congratulated the Azerbaijani people wholeheartedly, Ateş pointed out to the importance of developing relations between the institutions of the two countries. Prof. Şeref Ateş emphasized that YEI always prioritized cooperation with Azerbaijani institutions and organizations. "Just like young Azerbaijani soldiers who gave their all in Karabakh and recovered those lands, we as academics, intellectuals and public officials have to take these brotherhood ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan to the highest level - technically as well. At the Republic of Turkey, we are honored to share with you any opportunities and means we have. We'll thus let the whole world learn from Turks the brotherhood, coexistence and just management that the world needs."

OUR INSTITUTES ALWAYS WELCOME AZERBAIJAN

Stating that Yunus Emre Institute had been operating since 2009, Prof. Şeref Ateş said, “This beautiful language we bring to all over the world, the culture of coexistence we present to the world with this language, the demand for a peaceful and just world... We have stated this before, both in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Wherever we have an institute, Azerbaijan also has one. There, Azerbaijan can carry out any cultural activities, language teaching efforts and exams it pleases. This is also in line with what our President instructs us."

PROTOCOLS SHOULD EVOLVE INTO STRONG STRATEGIES

Erkan Özoral, Turkey's Ambassador in Baku, also celebrated the victory of Azerbaijan.

Özoral stated that the protocols signed between YEI and Azerbaijani educational institutions gained more meaning as they coincided with the liberation of Kalbajar district, which had been occupied for 27 years. 

Prof. Vilayet Veliyev, Rector of Azerbaijan Technical University, said that the protocol signed between Yunus Emre Institute and Azerbaijan Technical University also required the launch of a strategy. Prof. Veliyev stated that Azerbaijan Technical University would be a university that created opportunities for partnerships to be established between the two countries.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT IN AZERBAIJAN LANGUAGE TEACHING TO FOREIGNERS

Selçuk Karakılıç, Director of Baku Yunus Emre Institute, explained that the protocol signed with the Azerbaijan State Examination Center included the provision of technical infrastructure so that the Turkish Proficiency Exam (TPE) was publicly promoted in Azerbaijan and could be conducted in a healthy way. Karakılıç said, “Yunus Emre Institute continues its language, science and diplomacy activities through its center in Azerbaijan. Efforts are ongoing to carry out various activities in Shusha, the center of art and civilization, as well as Karabakh." "According to the protocol between Yunus Emre Institute and Azerbaijan State Examination Center, educational cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan will be strengthened. We have been negotiating for about a month. This protocol promises to share Yunus Emre Institute's experience in teaching Turkish to foreigners and in the Turkish Proficiency Exam as well as the contents of the textbooks and auxiliary materials used in this field with the State Examination Center and to convey its academic knowledge. Academic support will be given to the State Examination Center, which was opened to teach Azerbaijani language to foreigners, to develop Azerbaijani language examination services similar to the Turkish Proficiency Exam, and to create materials needed in language teaching. Azerbaijan universities will speed up the transfer of foreign students by teaching the Azerbaijani language to foreigners and carrying out the International Azerbaijani Language Exam," said Karakılıç.

Karakılıç explained that the protocol included mutual academic and technical support in order to develop textbooks and materials for teaching Azerbaijani language to foreigners, to develop an online training and examination platform, and to establish the Azerbaijani Language Proficiency Exam.

Selçuk Karakılıç further stated that the protocol signed with Azerbaijan Technical University aimed to secure overall cooperation as part of YEI's Turkish Academic and Scientific Cooperation Project (TASCP) under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey and to determine the principles and procedures related to the activities and efforts that would establish such cooperation.

"ONE NATION, TWO STATES"

Meleyke Abbaszade, Board Chairperson of State Examination Center, stated that Turkey and Azerbaijan were brothers and friends, and quoted Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who said, 'Azerbaijan's joy is our joy. Her sorrow is our sorrow" and "Turkey and Azerbaijan are one nation, two states". Abbaszade thanked Turkey for always standing in support of Azerbaijan, and underlined that the protocol signed between Yunus Emre Institute and Azerbaijan State Examination Center would strengthen the ties between the two countries.