The Philippines and Turkey are working on "closer academic collaboration" focusing on areas of fisheries and marine sciences, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Maria Elena P. Algabre met with the President of Turkey’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK), Professor Erol Özvar, on Oct. 21.
According to the Foreign Affairs department, the two officials discussed projects aimed towards forging closer academic collaboration between Philippine and Turkish universities.
"The Philippines and Turkey both give importance to the value of education, which is vital to sustainable development," Algabre said.
During the meeting, the ambassador conveyed the Philippines’ interest in deepening educational exchanges, with initial focus on the areas of fisheries and marine sciences.
This will be within the ambit of the Protocol on Cooperation in the Field of Higher Education between the Philippines' Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and YÖK in November 2018, Algabre further said.
Noting that there are around 200 Filipino students currently studying in Turkey, Özvar expressed eagerness in expanding joint cooperation through the implementation of programs and projects involving the exchange of Philippine and Turkish students, faculty, and researchers.