The online meeting was held in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Turkey. The forum was also attended by representatives of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Ankara Üniversitesi (Ankara, Turkey), as well as İstanbul Üniversitesi (Istanbul, Turkey). The meeting was organized by Southern Federal University and Ankara University.

Erkan İbiş, the Rector of Ankara University, noted the role of science and education in the development of relations between the two countries and emphasized an active work of Inna Shevchenko, the Rector of SFedU, in this matter. In turn, Inna Shevchenko mentioned the increasing role of scientific diplomacy in the development of multilateral humanitarian and economic relations between Russia and Turkey.

The Rector of SFedU suggested using the example of the relationship between Southern Federal University and Turkish universities to consider new opportunities for expanding mutually beneficial contacts. She also named remote support programs for joint scientific research, free access to online courses, development of internship programs and remote access to unique scientific equipment the most promising areas.

In addition, the Rector of SFedU proposed to intensify the work of virtual summer and winter schools, both for students and university’s staff members, as well as step up efforts to implement joint volunteer projects.

“Joint research on Caucasian studies is gaining great importance in modern conditions which can give a new impulse for participation of universities of the two countries in the forum ‘Peace to the Caucasus’ held by Southern Federal University,” noted Inna Shevchenko.

As a reminder, in 2020, the Center for Interdisciplinary Humanitarian Studies of SFedU is launching a Master’s program “Turkey and the Caucasus Macro-region: Socio-Political and Ethno-Confessional Processes”.