Foundation for Research on the Turkic World

Turkic World Research Foundation (TDAV) was established in 1980 by Professor Dr. Turan Yazgan and holds the status of a foundation serving the public interest by decision of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Türkiye. The foundation operates from a historical building located behind the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building, known as the “Ankaralı Mehmed Efendi Medresesi.” The medreses was constructed by Sheikh al-Islam Ankaralı Mehmed Efendi, and on 3 November 1987—the 300th anniversary of his death on 3 November 1687—the foundation held a mawlid ceremony at the Kovacı Dede Camii where his remains are interred. The foundation emphasizes that it played a primary role in institutionalizing this building on solid foundational grounds.

Purpose and Objectives

TDAV adopts Ismail Gasprinski’s principle of “Unity in Language, Thought and Action” as its guiding framework. Its fundamental objective is to promote cultural cooperation within the Turkic world and strengthen communication around a common language, alphabet and written tongue.

Areas of Activity

The foundation operates across a wide range of fields both within and outside Türkiye, including education, publishing, tours, concerts, seminars, congresses and children’s festivals. Some of these activities are purely cost-oriented while others are self-financing or serve to support other initiatives. According to the foundation’s approach:

• Financing is largely derived from its own activities; it does not solicit donations from individuals or institutions nor pursue “state support for charitable purposes.”
• The foundation conceptually opposes “linguistic fundraising” models and asserts that its income is obtained as the true counterpart of services rendered.

Firsts (According to TDAV’s Declarations)

TDAV claims to be the first in the following areas according to its own statements:

• The first to introduce the term “Turkic World”;
• The first to collect and present the music of the Turkic world through its own choir;
• The first to make collective visits to Turkic countries and introduce Turkic leaders to Türkiye;
• The first to publish the flags of Turkic communities;
• The first to initiate Turkish language education in Turkic countries;
• The first to organize in Türkiye events such as Youth and Children’s Festivals, painter exhibitions, theatrical performances, conferences, the Assembly of Turkic Peoples, the Conference of Elders and the Turkic Women’s Congress;
• The first to revive the ideal of “Unity in Language, Thought and Action”;
• A central hub that continuously informs the world about the Turkic world through music, books, journals and calendars.

Visitors and Collaborations

The foundation states that over the years it has built an extensive network of engagement involving presidents, prime ministers, ministers, parliamentary speakers and their aides, leaders of writers’ and artists’ associations, rectors, deans, scientists and artists, as well as representatives of numerous foundations and aid organizations. It particularly notes that a complete listing of its visitors is not feasible due to the volume of guest traffic.

Publishing and Promotion Approach

The foundation states that for many years it preferred not to publish promotional materials such as brochures or books, conducting its work solely for its intended purpose and maintaining sensitivity against using its activities as tools for other objectives. According to the foundation, the pages shared were prepared out of necessity due to public demand and persistent pressure from interested circles.

The foundation reserves all copyright rights and specifies that the use of articles, images and content on its website www.turan.org.tr requires permission.

Domestic Educational Activities

The foundation carries out its domestic educational activities—beyond seminars and conferences—along two main tracks:

1. Professional training programs: Intensive programs lasting at least one month, offered in collaboration with various institutions, with strong support in Turkish terminology on subjects such as market economy, privatization, banking and insurance.

2. Turkish language instruction for teachers: Residential Turkish language courses in Türkiye lasting at least two months, designed for teachers brought from different regions of the Turkic world.

International Educational Activities

The international educational activities of the Turkic World Research Foundation aim, in accordance with Ismail Gasprinski’s principle of “Unity in Language, Thought and Action,” to foster lasting cultural interaction and a shared linguistic awareness among Turkic communities. Within this framework, the institution implements programs designed independently of short-term “social demand” fluctuations, targeting human resource gaps in strategic locations across the Turkic world through its established educational units.

The fundamental principle of these activities is that instruction is conducted in Turkish. Turkish is positioned as a common communication language capable of replacing Russian, with the goal of establishing a shared written language and terminology among Turkic communities divided by dialects and writing systems. In line with this approach, the foundation avoids heavy infrastructure investments and directs resources directly toward teaching, keeping administrative and operational costs at a minimum.

In program design, priority is given to areas aligned with the economic and human capital needs of the respective countries. Administrative and economic disciplines such as business administration are emphasized at the higher education level; additionally, schools of computer science and translation are opened in certain regions. Conversely, the foundation does not establish new faculties in fields such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology where adequate institutional capacity already exists in the target countries.

Curricula are designed to parallel programs in Türkiye wherever possible. In units recognized for diploma equivalence, course plans are fully aligned with those of the relevant departments at Istanbul University. In addition, regardless of their higher education status, courses in “History of the Turkish Revolution” are mandatory for citizens of Türkiye and “General Turkic Culture” is mandatory for regional citizens, thereby striving to maintain a balanced framework between academic content and cultural-historical awareness.

The geographical placement of institutions is determined by population potential, accessibility and the direct benefit of services to Turkic communities. Openings in symbolic cities motivated by emotional considerations are specifically avoided; this policy includes a cautious approach toward centers that were neglected during the Soviet era. Settlements such as Kyzylorda, Jalal-Abad and Chalchizhira exemplify the rational criteria applied in site selection.

The student composition is designed to reflect the inclusive nature of the term “Turkic World.” Where feasible, students from different Turkic republics, autonomous regions and diasporas receive education under the same roof, thereby strengthening mutual recognition and networking capacities alongside linguistic, cultural and professional competencies. This inclusive student profile is further supported by intensive Turkish language courses and teacher training programs within Türkiye, creating a bidirectional (domestic–international) educational ecosystem.

Overall, the foundation’s international education model is built on the principles of a Turkish-centered pedagogical approach, programs tailored to local needs, curriculum alignment with Türkiye and a cost-efficient institutional structure. Its aim is to establish a measurable and replicable institutional framework that contributes to sustainable cultural cooperation and the construction of a shared public language across the Turkic world, beyond short-term certification or event calendars.

Educational Policy

By establishing educational institutions in strategic locations across the Turkic world, the foundation:

• Unconditionally adopts Turkish as the language of instruction, aiming for its emergence as a widely accepted common language.
• Prioritizes academic programs in higher education that respond to national human resource needs, such as business administration and, in certain regions, schools of computer science and translation.
• Avoids heavy infrastructure investments, seeking to maximize and improve Turkish language instruction with limited resources.
• Ensures that programs in units recognized for diploma equivalence are fully aligned with the curricula of Istanbul University; additionally, “History of the Turkish Revolution” is mandatory for citizens of Türkiye and “General Turkic Culture” is mandatory for regional citizens.
• Where possible, students from different regions of the Turkic world are educated together under the same institutional roof.
• In selecting institutional locations, population potential and the direct benefit to Turkic communities are prioritized; avoiding location decisions based on emotional or symbolic motives is a fundamental principle.