Learning Turkish with Professor Göktürk Cebecioglu

Each year, Non-profit limited company "M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University" places increasing emphasis on the development of international cooperation and the expansion of language programs. The university is actively strengthening academic ties with foreign partners, creating opportunities for meaningful intercultural interaction and knowledge exchange.

One of the most vivid examples of this cooperation is the study of the Turkish language at the Department of Germanic and Romance Philology. Since October 2025, Professor from Turkey Göktürk Cebecioglu has been working here, invited under a program implemented with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in the Republic of Kazakhstan. This program involves inviting Turkish lecturers to foreign universities with the aim of developing language education, strengthening cultural ties, and expanding academic cooperation between countries. The professor will continue his work at our university next year as well.

From his very first classes, Professor Cebecioglu has managed to create a special atmosphere in working with students. In his teaching, the Turkish language is not just an academic subject, but a living process of communication and cultural immersion. Göktürk Cebecioglu places strong emphasis on practical language use, develops students’ speaking and comprehension skills, and helps them feel confident in a linguistic environment.

The professor pays special attention to introducing students to Turkey — its traditions, way of life, and cultural heritage. Thanks to this, learning becomes deeper and more meaningful, and students’ interest in the language continues to grow. Kazakhstan and Turkey share close historical and cultural ties, which makes the study of Turkish naturally engaging and relevant for students.

A vivid example of cultural interaction was the introduction of faculty members and students of the department to the traditional craft of the city of Sivas — “Çubukçuluk Sanatı,” which allowed participants to experience the living cultural heritage of the professor’s native region.

The professor also took part in career guidance meetings with school students and in the Open Days of Kozybayev University. At a specially organized stand dedicated to Turkey, materials about the language, culture, and traditions of the country were presented.

As we can see, the work of Göktürk Cebecioglu at the Department of Germanic and Romance Philology has become an important contribution not only to the study of the Turkish language, but also to the development of cultural dialogue between Kazakhstan and Turkey.