YÖK President Calls for Joint Scholarships for Palestinian Students

On June 26, 2026, the city of Gaziantep, Turkey, hosted one of the most significant academic gatherings of the Islamic world. Professor Dr. Erol Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), issued a global call to support Palestinian students and academics during the "First Consultative Meeting of Islamic University Rectors." The meeting, hosted by Gaziantep Islamic Science and Technology University (GİBTÜ), was attended by representatives from over 70 universities and 40 different countries across four continents [1].

Joint Scholarship Initiative and Distance Learning The President of YÖK emphasized in his speech that establishing a strong solidarity network among universities in the Islamic world could pave the way for developing joint scholarship programs. Özvar noted that these scholarships would cover not only tuition fees but also research opportunities for Palestinian academics. He added, "We can provide distance learning infrastructure for students present in Gaza so that their learning process is not interrupted due to the destruction of educational buildings" [2]. This proposal was widely welcomed by the university rectors present at the meeting, and it was decided to form a working group to implement this joint fund.

Special Support for Gaza's Doctors and Medical Staff A prominent part of Erol Özvar's remarks was the announcement of Turkey's readiness to accept Palestinian doctors for residency and specialization programs. Given the severe damage to Gaza's healthcare system, the YÖK President announced that doctors who graduated from Gaza could complete their specialized training at Turkish medical universities [1][3]. This move is evaluated as part of Turkey's long-term strategy to rebuild specialized human resources in Palestine, so that after the conflict ends, these individuals can help reconstruct their country's health system.

Reconstructing Higher Education Infrastructure in Gaza In another part of his speech, Özvar pointed to the necessity of the physical and spiritual reconstruction of Gaza's universities. He called on all international institutions and major universities worldwide to participate in the "Gaza Higher Education Reconstruction" project. He emphasized that this responsibility does not lie with a single country alone, but is a humanitarian and academic duty for the entire world [2]. The YÖK President also noted that Turkey is ready to share its experience in academic management and educational standards with Palestinian institutions to bring the quality of education in these regions back to global standards.

This meeting demonstrates Turkey's serious determination to play a leading role in providing scientific support to Palestine. Özvar concluded his remarks by emphasizing that knowledge and education are the most powerful tools to counter occupation and restore hope to the young generation of Palestine [3].