Turkey’s Entrance to International Education: The Case of Turkish Maarif Foundation

Abstract

The Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF) is the most recent state-led institution to promote Turkey’s cultural diplomacy and soft power. Since 2016, it has contributed to the transformation of international education with a Turkey-centric perspective through its schools, dormitories and universities in more than 40 countries. Through its educational fairs and student guidance from abroad to Turkey, TMF has the potential to play a coordinating role in Ankara’s educational outreach to the world. Similarly, TMF’s activities should be seen to advance the UN Millennium Development Goals in education, especially in LDC countries. This article contextualizes the Turkish Maarif Foundation in Turkish foreign and domestic policy and outlines a vision through evaluating its activities over the past three years.