The 1st Türkiye-China Academic Cooperation Forum, organized as a joint initiative by the Institute Social  and the Turkish Studies Center of Shanghai University, took place in Ankara on November 23-24.

The Forum, held under the theme "Coexistence of Civilizations in the Age of Great Transformation," brought together academics, researchers, and students from universities in both countries, as well as bureaucrats and politicians. The Forum provided a platform for sharing mutual views on the importance, necessities, and opportunities of potential collaborations between Türkiye and China. During the Forum, a goodwill protocol was signed between the Institute Social and the Turkish Studies Center of Shanghai University to ensure academic mobility, develop research networks and funding sources, and establish joint R&D programs, projects, events, and scientific publications.

In the opening session of the Forum, Ipek Coşkun Armağan, General Coordinator of the Institute Social,  spoke about the deep-rooted relations between the two countries and their potential for strong interaction and mutual benefits. Armağan stated that their primary goal is "to bring together researchers and experts working on China and Türkiye in both countries and to create a new platform to develop our relations." She emphasized their focus on comprehensive cooperation that includes interaction between the peoples of these countries, who come from ancient civilizations with different cultures, traditions, and beliefs.

China's Ambassador to Ankara, Liu Shaobin, remarked, "Türkiye and China know from their centuries of experiences and the rich traces of the civilizations on which they are built that existence can be made possible through high interaction and solution-oriented partnerships between civilizations." He added, "The Belt and Road Initiative and the determination we show in our current joint academic efforts demonstrate that we are ready to advance our strategic cooperation and coordination with Türkiye in various fields."

Former Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Beijing, Abdulkadir Emin Önen, also shared similar sentiments during the opening session. He highlighted the need for the bilateral relations, which have so far been focused on economics and politics, to diversify and find a place on different grounds. Önen stressed the importance of the societies of Türkiye and China getting to know each other better to establish strong relations, stating, "We can achieve the right frequency for the two societies to understand each other in the healthiest way, without the need for intermediaries, through educational collaborations," and expressed his satisfaction with the signed Protocol.