The Turkish Studies Center, established in 2017, is a Ministry of Education registered center for country and regional studies. Since its inception, the center has leveraged the resources of the Turkish-English bilingual program and the Institute of Country and Regional Studies to advance Turkish studies and education in universities across the country. It serves as a platform for scientific research, talent development, policy advisory services, and international exchanges related to Turkey.
Currently, the center has more than ten full-time researchers from within the university and over thirty specially appointed researchers from outside the university. It also boasts more than twenty renowned scholars and experts from Turkey and around the world serving as guest researchers. The center’s research team is highly capable and maintains close ties with foreign universities and think tanks, engaging in frequent international exchanges. It has made significant contributions to promoting academic and cultural exchanges between China and Turkey, as well as advancing people-to-people diplomacy between the two countries. Additionally, it has facilitated strategic cooperation between Beijing Language and Culture University and Turkish universities and think tanks. The center has jointly organized various activities with the Turkish Embassy in China and the Turkish Cultural Center in Beijing to promote Sino-Turkish relations. The director of the center has been invited to visit Turkey on multiple occasions, including attending the Sino-Turkish Strategic Relations Seminar in Ankara at the invitation of the Chinese Embassy in Turkey, and participating in the Sino-Turkish Media Strategic Relations Seminar in Ankara upon the invitation of the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications. The center also maintains close interactions and cooperative relationships with Turkish universities, think tanks, and business associations.
In 2020, the Center, in collaboration with four other Turkish research centers certified by the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education, took the lead in establishing the "Turkish Studies Consortium." This initiative aims to provide a nationwide communication platform for Turkish studies scholars and graduate students in China, dedicated to promoting exchanges and cooperation among domestic Turkish studies faculty and relevant institutions. It seeks to enhance the quality of research and teaching related to Turkey and to foster international exchanges and cooperation between China and Turkey. Since 2021, the Consortium has held an annual National Turkish Studies Consortium Conference and Youth Forum every spring. These events attract nearly a hundred experts, scholars, and young students to engage in in-depth discussions on Turkey's domestic and foreign affairs, as well as China-Turkey relations. The goal is to advance research, teaching, and talent development related to Turkey, and to promote friendly cooperation between China and Turkey in the context of the new era. The conference reports have been widely disseminated and have received attention and positive feedback from various quarters.
Meanwhile, the community regularly publishes the "Turkish Studies Community Newsletter" to promptly reflect major news related to Turkey, achievements in Turkish research and teaching, and relevant international exchange activities. Experts and scholars in the field of Turkish studies, both domestic and international, are welcome to contribute original commentaries. Students are also encouraged to write reviews and share their learning experiences, making the newsletter a rich and diverse communication medium with broad perspectives. The electronic version of the newsletter is promptly updated and published on the website and WeChat official account of the Institute of Area Studies at Beijing Language and Culture University.
In addition, the community regularly organizes the online "Overseas Turkish Experts Lecture Series" and various offline academic and public diplomacy events. These initiatives have significantly advanced Turkish studies in China and fostered academic and cultural exchanges between China and Turkey, establishing the community as a benchmark organization in the field of regional and country studies in China.
