31 Students from 19 Countries Come Together at Turkish Summer School
August 10, 2026
Organized by Turkish Maarif Foundation to enhance students’ Turkish language skills and enable them to gain first-hand knowledge of Türkiye’s rich cultural heritage, Turkish Summer School brought together 31 students from 19 countries in Yalova. The two-week program concluded with a closing ceremony where students presented the academic, cultural, and artistic work they had completed throughout the program.
Organized in line with the strategic objective of “Enhancing Quality in Education” and the goal of “Contributing to Turkish Becoming an International Language,” as set out in Turkish Maarif Foundation’s 2024–2026 Strategic Plan, Turkish Summer School was held from July 27 to August 7, 2026, through the cooperation of Turkish Maarif Foundation, Yunus Emre Institute, and Ibn Haldun University at Language Village in Yalova, affiliated with Ibn Haldun University. A total of 31 high school students from 19 countries, all studying at Turkish Maarif Foundation schools and distinguished by their academic achievements, participated in the program.
Over the course of two weeks, students had the opportunity to actively use the Turkish knowledge and skills they developed in class in daily life, social interactions, and a variety of activities. The program was structured around three main components: Turkish language development activities; social, cultural, scientific, and artistic workshops; and trips introducing students to Türkiye and its cities. Throughout the program, students took part in a wide range of activities, from oral communication exercises, reading, and writing activities to project-based practices, cultural visits, and various social events. These activities aimed to enhance students’ Turkish language proficiency while strengthening their intercultural communication, empathy, collaboration, and social interaction skills.
At the closing ceremony of the summer school, students shared the outcomes of the academic, cultural, and artistic work they had carried out during the two-week program. Turkish Maarif Foundation Board Members Ahmet Türkben and Mustafa Çaltılı also attended the closing ceremony and viewed the students’ work.
Turkish Maarif Foundation Plays a Key Role in Teaching Turkish Worldwide
Turkish Maarif Foundation plays an important role in promoting Turkish as an international language of communication and culture through its work in teaching Turkish to non-native speakers. Making Turkish language education an important part of its educational activities at Maarif schools across different regions of the world, Turkish Maarif Foundation develops Turkish teaching materials for different age groups and proficiency levels, conducts initiatives supporting teachers’ professional development, and organizes programs such as Turkish Summer School, where students can learn the language through immersion and real-life experience.
Through the Turkology symposia it organizes, Turkish Maarif Foundation brings together academics and experts to examine the current status of Turkish around the world, approaches to teaching the language, and the challenges encountered in this field. As part of this comprehensive approach, Turkish Summer School strengthens Maarif students’ interest in Turkish and their motivation to learn the language, brings together young people from different cultures through Turkish, and contributes to making Turkish a more visible, effective, and influential language of communication internationally.
