Hosted by Ibn Haldun University and organized under the auspices of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), the four-day event titled "Digital Culture Ambassadors Meeting" took place between February 8-11, 2026. During the four-day program, which was attended by 40 students, 10 Türkiye Scholarships alumni, media representatives, and instructors, various activities such as interviews, panels, excursions, workshops, events, and group studies were conducted.
The program's opening was held on Monday, February 9, with the panel titled "Türkiye’s International Education Vision," graced by the presence of our Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ibn Haldun University, Mr. Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan; our Rector, Prof. Atilla Arkan; and the President of YTB, Mr. Abdulhadi Turus. During the panel, topics such as Turkey's International Education Vision, international student scholarships provided by YTB, and equality of opportunity in education were discussed.
In his speech, Mr. Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan stated that Türkiye’s international student policy is shaped around our nation's comprehensive understanding of tolerance. Using the expression "Türkiye is not limited to Türkiye", Mr. Erdoğan expressed that the economic growth achieved by our country over the years and the morality-centered political approach adopted have strengthened our influence in neighboring countries. Stating that Türkiye challenges the dominant world order, Mr. Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan said that Türkiye’s support for our "geography of the heart" (gönül coğrafyamız) aims to make societies capable of standing on their own feet.
Our Rector, Prof. Atilla Arkan, stated that Ibn Haldun University possesses extensive opportunities for hosting and educating international students. Noting that as a university, they closely follow global developments, Prof. Arkan observed that education today is not limited to the campus but is spread across all aspects of life. As someone who has been in three different countries during his own academic career, Prof. Arkan expressed that the experience of being an international student adds great richness to an individual.
The President of YTB, Mr. Abdulhadi Turus, stated in his speech that a bond of the heart is established with the students benefiting from YTB's International Education Scholarships during their education here, and that this bond and communication do not cease after graduation. Mr. Turus noted that every student who finds the opportunity to get to know Türkiye closer and multidimensionally describes Türkiye more consistently and consciously upon returning to their home country, essentially assuming a representative role as an honorary ambassador of our country.
In the program, which included workshops, meetings with media professionals, and group projects, Albayrak Media was visited as part of the field trips, followed by an interview with GZT Editor-in-Chief Doğukan Gezer. Content production was carried out simultaneously with cultural visits, after which the participants moved to the Süleymaniye Campus of Ibn Haldun University. At our Süleymaniye Campus, the "Quality, Ethical, and Effective Digital Content Production Panel" was held with the participation of Digital Publisher İsmail Halis. On the final day of the program, participants gathered for a "Content Production with Artificial Intelligence" workshop with Documentary and AI Film Producer Eren Özkaradeniz. The "Türkiye Alumni Vision Panel" was convened with the participation of Focus+ Media CEO Ahmed Yusuf, our university faculty member Prof. Enis Doko, Dr. Yasmin Aldamen, TRT Academy Digital Team Supervisor Ceyda Safçı, and Digital Content Creator Joel Moriasi.
Following the panel, the videos prepared by the groups were screened. The program concluded with an award ceremony and the presentation of certificates.
