News

Dr. Osman Aşkın Bak, Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye, visited the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University (KTMU) and met with students.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Mekin Mustafa Kemal Ökem, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Bishkek; Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan, Rector of KTMU; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Ramazan İstanbullugil, Secretary General; Prof. Dr. Cıparkül Abdırahmanova of the Faculty of Sports Sciences; and Ahmet Ali Temurci, Director General for International Organizations and Foreign Relations at the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye.

Minister Bak answered students' questions

Chatting with students at the meeting, Minister Bak shared his experiences in academia and political life. Recounting that he studied at Istanbul Technical University and held an academic post at Istanbul University for about 10 years, Bak stressed the importance of young people developing themselves in different fields throughout their education.

Noting that he had visited Kyrgyzstan on several previous occasions, Bak emphasized the importance of relations between Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan and of greater interaction among young people in the Turkic world. He stated that young people should grow up to be individuals who are committed to their cultural and spiritual values, keep up with technological developments, and are well versed in innovations in the field of artificial intelligence.

Answering students' questions, Bak said that university years should not be limited to academic education alone, and he drew attention to the role of participation in sports activities, volunteer work, and a sense of social responsibility in young people's development.

Opportunity for Manas students: youth camps in Türkiye

Dr. Mekin Mustafa Kemal Ökem, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Bishkek, voiced expectations at the meeting for expanding KTMU students' opportunities to do internships in Türkiye, take part in youth activities, and get to know Türkiye firsthand.

Ökem made a proposal to Minister Bak about enabling students to benefit from youth centers, educational programs, and camps in Türkiye, and emphasized the importance of such opportunities for the students of the joint university established between the two countries.

Minister Bak said that work could be done to host students at youth camps in Türkiye, adding that this could be carried out in coordination with KTMU. Referring to the summer-season capacity of youth camps and student dormitories located in various cities across Türkiye, Bak noted that opportunities could be explored for hosting students in Türkiye and enabling them to get to know different cities.

Sports infrastructure and equipment needs discussed

The training and practice facilities of KTMU's Faculty of Sports Sciences were also raised at the meeting. Speaking on behalf of the faculty, Lecturer Atilla Çakar said that the need for training areas and sports facilities has grown along with the increasing number of students.

Çakar conveyed the university's need for an indoor swimming pool, as well as requests for renewing the equipment used in canoeing, cycling, and skiing.

The meeting allowed students to exchange views directly with Minister Bak and brought the needs in youth activities and sports to the agenda.