Wagdy abd aziz
In a move reflecting the growing rapprochement between Cairo and Ankara, Turkish Ambassador to Egypt Saleh Mutlu Şen announced an ambitious plan to double the number of Egyptian students in Turkish universities to 20,000 in the medium term, emphasizing that “the talents and intelligence of Egyptian youth are particularly appreciated worldwide.”
This declaration came during an informational event for the European Union’s Erasmus+ student exchange program, organized by the Turkish Embassy in Cairo on Wednesday, October 15, attended by around 400 academic, media, and youth figures.
The event, held in the halls of the Turkish Embassy amid a festive atmosphere, saw wide participation from the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities—the primary body responsible for scholarships for foreign students—alongside the embassy’s education counselor and the Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center.
According to Şen, more than 10,000 Egyptian students are currently studying in over 200 public and private universities in Turkey, making Egypt one of the top countries sending students to Ankara.
“Turkey has universities with diverse capabilities covering almost all fields of study, and we encourage Egyptian students to apply to them,” Şen said in his address to the attendees, stressing that these institutions offer immense career opportunities, especially in technical fields, amid the ongoing expansion of Turkish investments in Egypt.
He added that learning Turkish provides students with a competitive edge in the job market, noting that Ankara ranks among the world’s best countries in the number of Turkish Studies departments outside its borders, reflecting the deep historical and cultural ties between the two nations.
In terms of financial support, the aforementioned Presidency clarified that it offers more than 100 exclusive scholarships annually to Egyptian students to bolster academic exchange.
Şen also announced plans to send Turkish faculty members and language instructors to Turkish Studies departments in Egyptian universities in the coming period, aiming to expand Turkish language education in Egypt, where Egyptian students are showing increasing interest.
The event was not limited to the academic side but extended to a vibrant cultural celebration, featuring a photography exhibition highlighting Turkey’s aesthetics, a marble painting workshop, traditional Turkish coffee tasting, and an archery display.
The sounds of Egyptian-Turkish daf drums filled the space, performed by Egyptian student Mahmoud Eroğlu, who presented a musical performance blending the two heritages, met with warm applause from attendees including academics, journalists, and influential social media figures.
In a broader context, Şen took the opportunity to praise Egypt’s role in promoting regional peace, referring to the “Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit” hosted by Egypt at the invitation of U.S.
President Donald Trump, describing it as a “historic turning point” that achieved resounding success in content and participation.
He affirmed that the peace declaration signed by the leaders of the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey holds immense importance for halting Palestinian bloodshed, sustaining the ceasefire, resuming humanitarian aid, and achieving the two-state solution.
He added: “President Erdoğan affirmed Turkey’s unwavering commitment to standing by the Palestinian people to provide necessary humanitarian conditions and enable Palestine to rise again.”
This activity comes at a time when Egyptian-Turkish relations are witnessing a notable revival, with over 300,000 foreign students studying in Turkey.
Şen hopes that Egyptians will account for 30,000 of them, considering that Egypt, with its 115 million population, can easily achieve this figure.
With growing interest in studying in Turkey, the coming years are expected to see a larger influx of Egyptian youth to Ankara’s universities, strengthening the cultural and economic bridges between the Nile and the Bosphorus.