The university is to be named after Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi, a Sufi poet and Islamic scholar who was born in the Afghan city of Balkh and who later migrated to Anatolia.
Speaking to the agency, Gazi University Rector Rıza Ayhan said the process of establishing a university in Afghanistan was launched in 2008, with a teaching college set to open as a first step.
Speaking about the condition of education in Afghanistan, Ayhan noted that 45 percent of the currently employed 160,000 teachers in the country are high school graduates and that the deficit in the number of teachers is expected to increase to 100,000 from the current 70,000. “The teaching college has a 6,000-person capacity, a number far below what is needed to meet the requirements of the country,” the professor added, stating that Afghanistan’s growing needs mainly in the field of education have been caused by a lack of educational institutions in the country. This, he says, is the reason behind Karzai’s request to Turkey.
Ayhan then spoke about legal requirements needed to be met while establishing a university in a foreign country, saying that as a legal entity, it is impossible for Gazi University to establish a school abroad. “We conveyed this situation to the Foreign Ministry. An agreement to be signed by both countries is needed,” the rector noted.
Stating that he has had several meetings to establish a legal base for the foundation of the university in Afghanistan under Turkey’s sponsorship, Ayhan said: “The Higher Education Board [YÖK] prepared a draft agreement after negotiating with us. This draft has been approved by the Foreign Ministry and is ready to be signed, but is still awaiting signature.”
Ayhan underlined the need to establish a university after opening the teaching college and suggested that opening a university in Afghanistan in addition to the college should be carried out under the guidance of Gazi University.
Ahmet Yesevi University in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan’s Manas University were established after similar agreements between Turkey and these countries.
The quotas for teaching staff and students will be determined by a commission comprising both Afghan and Turkish members. Afghan, Turkish and foreign teaching staff and students will be allowed at the university, which will abide by Afghan law but whose academic and financial matters will be handled by Turkish authorities. Students of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi University will have the opportunity to continue their education at Gazi University.
Benzer Haberler 
Diplomacy
