Sivas Cumhuriyet University has achieved another significant success on a global scale within the scope of its vision for internationalization in higher education. Our university participated for the first time in the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Annual Conference & Expo, held in San Diego, USA, and considered one of the world's most prestigious international education events. Our university was represented at this prestigious event by Vice Rector and Head of the International Relations Office, Prof. Dr. Süleyman Değirmen, and Faculty of Education lecturer Dr. Taha Tuna Kaya.
The NAFSA Conference is one of the largest platforms bringing together thousands of higher education institutions, education experts, and decision-makers from around the world, offering an opportunity to share new collaboration models, strategies, and best practices in international education. Sivas Cumhuriyet University's first participation in this organization is of paramount strategic importance in terms of increasing the university's global visibility, strengthening international collaborations, and showcasing its effectiveness in programs such as Erasmus+ on the world stage.
Throughout the event, our university's academic infrastructure, student-friendly campus facilities, international exchange opportunities, and successful work in the Erasmus+ program were shared with participants, and bilateral meetings were held with numerous university representatives from Europe, Asia, America, and Africa. As a result of these meetings, the foundations for new collaboration initiatives with many higher education institutions were laid. The promotional materials, program catalogs, and exchange brochures prepared on behalf of our university attracted great interest at the NAFSA fair.
Highlighting the strategic importance of participation in the conference for our university, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Süleyman Değirmen stated the following:
“The NAFSA Conference is one of the most prestigious platforms in the world for international education. Our participation in this event for the first time is a historic step for Sivas Cumhuriyet University in terms of being more effectively involved in global networks and increasing international student and staff mobility. Through the meetings we held at the conference, we had the opportunity to initiate new collaborations with many universities from different continents. These contacts will greatly contribute to our university's international visibility and strategic goals.”
As a result of the contacts made at the NAFSA 2025 Conference, discussions were held to develop concrete collaborations such as student and staff exchange agreements, joint research projects, and dual degree programs. In the coming period, the goal is to transform these contacts into formal protocols, sign new Erasmus+ agreements, and organize joint academic events and seminars with universities on different continents. Furthermore, it is planned that Sivas Cumhuriyet University will strengthen its international promotion strategies and implement new student attraction policies thanks to the NAFSA experience.
Sivas Cumhuriyet University will continue to move forward resolutely in line with its goals of increasing international student and staff mobility, diversifying academic collaborations, and contributing to Türkiye's visibility in global higher education.