Polish-Turkish Studies Centre UG

03/07/2026

03/07/2026

The second intensive day of meetings, discussions, and working sessions at İstanbul Üniversitesi was dedicated to mapping opportunities for cooperation and strengthening academic networks between the faculties of our two universities.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the representatives of the University of Gdańsk who joined our meetings online: Prof. Marcin Wołek and Dr. Maria Matusiewicz from the Faculty of Economics, Prof. Andrea Lipińska from the Faculty of Biotechnology, and Prof. Artur Giełdoń from the Faculty of Chemistry.

At the same time, we have been working on promoting the Polish-Turkish Studies Centre at the University of Gdańsk in cooperation with the Faculty of Communication at İstanbul Üniversitesi. The Polish-Turkish Studies Centre now faces an exciting period of intensive work, to transform today's discussions into tangible initiatives, including joint events, academic exchanges, guest lectures, courses, Staff Week programmes, Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), and collaborative projects between individual faculties and units of the University of Gdańsk and İstanbul Üniversitesi.

My special thanks go to our hosts, Prof. Haluk Zülfikar and Prof. Feyza Nur Tunçer, for their outstanding commitment, warm hospitality, and the excellent preparation of our visit. We are already looking forward to welcoming our colleagues from İstanbul Üniversitesi to the University of Gdańsk during our Staff Week in November, dedicated to the theme "Happiness at Work."

We concluded the day with an exceptional dinner at Palude İstanbul. The restaurant is owned and led by Chef Yunus Emre Akkor, one of the most distinguished figures in contemporary Turkish cuisine, a renowned researcher of the culinary heritage of Anatolia and the Ottoman Empire, and a recipient of the Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Award of the Republic of Türkiye. For many years, he has served as an ambassador of Türkiye's rich culinary heritage, representing the country at prestigious international events and state-level cultural initiatives around the world.

02/07/2026

Today, a delegation from the Uniwersytet Gdański, consisting of Vice-Rector for Education Prof. Ewa Szymczak, Director of the Education Office Anna Smykowska, Head of the Department of Statistics Prof. Ewa Wycinka, and myself in my capacity as Director of the Polish-Turkish Studies Centre at the University of Gdańsk, participated in a meeting at İstanbul Üniversitesi.

The meeting was devoted to building collaborative networks and partnerships in the areas of research, education, innovation, and societal impact. The programme included discussions on developing interdisciplinary cooperation in research, teaching, and project activities between our universities.

Representatives of the University of Gdańsk also joined the discussions online with representatives of individual units of Istanbul University: Marta Siara (Projects Office), Ewa Chmurzyńska (Office for Cooperation and Internationalisation), Prof. Błażej Szepietowski (Vice-Dean for Research and Internationalisation, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics), Prof. Rafał Sądej (Vice-Dean for Internationalisation and Development), Prof. Andrea Lipińska, and Katarzyna Gronowska (Technology Transfer Office).

During the meetings, we presented the potential of our respective units and discussed concrete areas for future cooperation. Many of the conversations initiated today will continue in smaller working groups over the coming weeks, with the aim of developing joint projects, initiatives, and academic events.

This was the first such broad and substantive discussion dedicated to strengthening cooperation between the University of Gdańsk and Istanbul University – the oldest and one of the largest universities in Türkiye. I am convinced that this is only the beginning.

Special recognition should also be given to the extraordinary Turkish hospitality we experienced throughout the day. The programme concluded with a meeting with the Rector of Istanbul University, Prof. Bülent Zülfikar, which symbolically underscored the importance of the partnership we are developing. Our hosts also arranged a performance by the university music ensemble, while the shared lunch and evening dinner provided an excellent opportunity for more informal discussions, relationship-building, and mutual understanding.

I am also pleased that the Polish-Turkish Studies Centre at the University of Gdańsk is a co-organiser of this event and, in line with its mission, serves as a bridge connecting research, education, and cultures between Poland and Türkiye. 🇵🇱🤝🇹🇷

30/06/2026

As part of the University of Gdańsk's Polish-Turkish Studies Centre, we are steadily expanding our network of cooperation with Turkish scholars and universities.

Our first meeting was with Prof. Soygun Gökarıksel from Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, where we discussed opportunities for collaboration at both the institutional level and through concrete joint research and educational initiatives.

This was followed by a meeting with Prof. Hacer Topaktas Ustuner from İstanbul Üniversitesi, dedicated to planning joint activities for the upcoming academic year.

Now it is time to turn our plans and declarations into action.

To be continued...

12/06/2026

Today, we had the pleasure of meeting with H.E. Rauf Denktaş, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Poland | Türkiye in Poland

The meeting was a follow-up to the 2nd Polish-Turkish Rectors’ Forum, held on 8 May at the University of Gdańsk | Uniwersytet Gdański. We discussed opportunities to further strengthen Polish-Turkish cooperation in academia, research, education, and culture, as well as the role of the Polish-Turkish Centre for Studies in fostering long-term relations between our two countries.

It is encouraging to see that both the Embassy of Türkiye in Warsaw and the Polish-Turkish Studies Centre recognise the significant potential for expanding cooperation between Poland and Türkiye. In recent years, Polish-Turkish relations have gained new momentum, and the academic community can play an important role in supporting this process.

We would like to thank Ambassador Denktaş for the inspiring discussion and warm hospitality.

09/06/2026

The last two days have been particularly productive for the growing academic cooperation between Poland and Türkiye at the Uniwersytet Gdański

On June 8, as part of our activities, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr Faika Çelik from Manisa Celal Bayar Üniversitesi. During our meeting, we discussed opportunities for further cooperation between the University of Gdańsk and Manisa Celal Bayar University.

Today, students from Manisa Celal Bayar University are already studying at the University of Gdańsk through the Erasmus+ programme, including within the Global Studies programme. Our goal is not only to strengthen the existing partnership but also to increase academic mobility opportunities for students and staff from the University of Gdańsk to study and conduct research in Türkiye.

The visit also resulted in today's guest lecture at the Faculty of Social Sciences (Wydział Nauk Społecznych UG) entitled:

“Women in Islam: Moving Beyond Gendered Orientalism.”

In her lecture, Dr. Çelik offered a critical perspective on the ways Muslim women are often represented in Western public discourse. She addressed common stereotypes about women in Islam, highlighted the diversity and complexity of Muslim societies, and reflected on the ways relations between the West and the Islamic world are frequently interpreted through the lens of the “clash of civilisations” narrative.

Drawing on the work of Edward Said, Dr. Çelik discussed the concept of Orientalism and demonstrated how knowledge about the “Orient” has historically been constructed and used. She also referred to Michel Foucault’s reflections on the relationship between knowledge and power, reminding the audience that those who produce and control knowledge also possess power—a perspective that remains highly relevant in contemporary debates on Islam, women, and intercultural relations.

We would like to thank Dr Faika Çelik for these inspiring meetings and discussions. We hope this visit marks the beginning of many future initiatives and collaborations between the University of Gdańsk and Manisa Celal Bayar University.

28/05/2026

On 28 May 2026, the Faculty of Social Sciences hosted the meeting “INSIDE TÜRKİYE: Culture, Language and Academic Life.” The event was organised by the Polish–Turkish Studies Centre in cooperation with the Turkus Polonya-Türkiye Derneği / Polsko-Tureckie Stowarzyszenie Turkus and focused on Turkish culture, society, and academic cooperation between Poland and Türkiye.

The meeting had an interdisciplinary character, bringing together invited guests from various faculties of the University of Gdańsk, including Dr Anna Zadrożna from the Faculty of History, Ms Yasemin Çetiner-Słowikowska (eturecki.pl Szkoła j. tureckiego online / Online Türkçe Okulu) from the Faculty of Languages, Mr Mustafa Demirel from the Faculty of Economics, and Ms Aleksandra Obuchowska from the Faculty of Social Sciences. The discussion was moderated by Mr Marcin Hoffman from the Faculty of Economics.

The invited speakers shared their reflections and experiences related to living and staying in Türkiye, discussing contemporary Turkish society from social, religious, political, and linguistic perspectives, often in comparison with Poland. Students asked many questions concerning everyday life and studying in Türkiye, security issues, cultural differences, and Turkish cuisine. After the meeting, many participants emphasised that it had been an interesting and valuable opportunity to learn more about Türkiye “from the inside.”

In addition to UG students, the event was attended by Turkish students studying in the Tricity area, as well as guests from İzmir Tınaztepe University and Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, who were attending a staff week organised by the International Office University of Gdańsk during the same week.

Participants were also able to experience Turkish hospitality firsthand thanks to Bilal Satici from Turkus Polonya-Türkiye Derneği / Polsko-Tureckie Stowarzyszenie Turkus, who prepared a traditional Turkish refreshment corner with Turkish coffee, tea, and sweet snacks. After the official part of the event, Polish-Turkish integration and discussions continued in a more informal atmosphere.

21/05/2026

Building Polish–Turkish relations through culture, language, and academic cooperation 🇵🇱🇹🇷 - this is perhaps the best way to describe another edition of the Polish Days, organized by the General Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Istanbul (Konsulat Generalny RP w Stambule) and İstanbul Üniversitesi

The event was highlighted by a concert performed by Esra Abacioğlu and Tutu Aydınoğlu featuring works by Fryderyk Chopin - a perfect example of how music can connect people beyond borders and languages.

Initiatives like this help build lasting bridges between our societies. 🇵🇱🤝🇹🇷

19/05/2026

19 maja 1919 roku to historyczny punkt zwrotny, w którym Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk przybył do Samsunu, rozpoczynając walkę narodu tureckiego o niepodległość i modernizację.

Młodzież krocząca w świetle nauki, sportu i kultury jest największą gwarancją przyjaźni między naszymi dwoma narodami. 🇹🇷 🇵🇱

Wyrażamy głęboki szacunek dla wiary Atatürka w młodzież i z całego serca gratulujemy z okazji 19 Maja – Dnia Pamięci Atatürka, Święta Młodzieży i Sportu!

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19 Mayıs 1919, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk'ün Samsun'a ayak basarak Türk milletinin bağımsızlık ve modernleşme mücadelesini başlattığı tarihi bir dönüm noktasıdır.

Bilimin, sporun ve kültürün ışığında yürüyen gençler, iki ülke arasındaki dostluğun da en büyük teminatıdır. 🇹🇷 🇵🇱

Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’ün gençliğe olan güvenini selamlıyor; 19 Mayıs Atatürk’ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı’nı en içten dileklerimizle kutluyoruz!

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May 19, 1919, marks a historic milestone when Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk set foot in Samsun, initiating the Turkish nation's struggle for independence and modernisation.

Youth walking in the light of science, sports, and culture are the greatest guarantee of friendship between our two nations. 🇹🇷 🇵🇱

We salute Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s trust in youth and celebrate the May 19th Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day with our warmest wishes!