The founding document of the Turkic Universities Union (TURKUNIB), regulating the structure, working principles and fields of activity of the Union and establishing the Higher Education Area of the Organization of Turkic States.
(1) The purpose of this Directive is to create the Higher Education Area of the Organization of Turkic States by improving cooperation in higher education among the Organization of Turkic States Member States.
(2) This Directive also intends to regulate structure, working principles and field of activities for the Turkic University Union established under the auspices of the Organization of Turkic States.
(1) This Directive comprises procedures and principles of cooperation in higher education area to be made between the member universities of the Organization of Turkic States Turkic University Union.
(1) This Directive has been prepared subject to the decisions taken at:
(1) For the purpose of this Directive:
(1) Founding members of the Union are the following 15 universities from four member states.
| Country | University |
|---|---|
| Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan Architecture and Construction University |
| Azerbaijan Medical University | |
| Baku State University | |
| Kazakhstan | Ahmet Yesevi University |
| Al-Farabi Kazakh National University | |
| L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University | |
| Nazarbayev University | |
| Kyrgyzstan | K. Karasayev Bishkek Humanitarian University |
| Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Manas University | |
| International University of Kyrgyzstan | |
| Yusuf Balasagun Kyrgyz National University | |
| Türkiye | Atatürk University |
| Ege University | |
| Eskişehir Osmangazi University | |
| Istanbul University |
(1) The Union consists of universities from member and observer states of the Organization of Turkic States and related communities.
(2) Chairman of the Union is the Secretary General of the Organization of the Turkic States.
(3) The chairmanship-in-office is elected by simple majority for two years at the Meeting of the General Assembly among the member universities on a voluntary basis or with the proposal of other participants.
(4) Chairman of the Union performs his duties in coordination with Rector of Chair University-in-office in charge of academic affairs.
(5) Duties of Chair University-in-office are:
(6) Rector of Chair University-in-Office, in relation to his duties, shall be able to be invited to meeting of the Organization of the Turkic States Ministers of Education and/or the Organization of the Turkic States Summit.
(7) General Assembly of Turkic Universities Union consists of university representatives from member countries. The member university representatives are the Rector, the relevant Vice Rector and one representative from the internationalization unit.
To fulfill the prioritized activities determined by the General Assembly, seven executive committees have been established:
(8) The Organization of Turkic States appoints a Deputy Secretary-General while the member universities appoint a Vice-Rector together with a representative in charge of the Union activities to take part in the Contact Group.
(9) The duty of the Contact Group is to co-ordinate the implementation of the Union decisions.
(10) The Contact Group meets at least twice a year.
(11) Student Council of the Union is composed of students elected from the Member Universities of the Union.
(12) A Directive is prepared by the Union for establishment of the Student Council, duties and responsibilities and other issues.
Based on the common history, culture and language, with the aim of developing friendship and cooperation among Turkic speaking peoples and raising the level of education in order to ensure cooperation between higher education institutions of the Member States, the following objectives are to be realized:
(1) Decisions of the Union are taken by simple majority at the meeting of the General Assembly where Rector or representatives of the Rector of the member universities of the Union and Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States or his representatives shall participate.
(2) The secretarial work of the Union is carried out by Secretariat of the Organization of Turkic States in cooperation with the Chair University-in-Office.
(3) Institutional structure, working procedures and principles with practices in financial matters of the Union are determined according to the directives to be prepared upon the decision taken with simple majority by the member universities of the Union.
(4) Decisions taken for implementation and directives prepared by the Union enter into force after their approval at the Turkic Council Ministers of Education Meeting where the President of the Higher Education Council of Turkey shall also participate.
(5) Activities of the Union shall be monitored by Senior Officials of the Organization of Turkic States Ministers of Education including a representative of the Presidency of the Higher Education Council. The purpose of the abovementioned group is:
(1) All expenses of higher education activities to be undertaken by the Union are funded from the resources stated below:
(1) Nomination applications are made to the Secretariat of Turkic Council with written reasons. Admission to membership and termination of membership are decided by simple majority at the meeting of the General Assembly to be held with the participation of at least two thirds of members of the Union, after receiving views of the member universities through the contact group.
Learn more about the membership procedure(1) TCHEA is the area established among the Member States and in which educational activities related to higher education is performed.
(2) TCHEA aims at achieving goals indicated in Article 7 through common platforms that the Member States will establish.
(1) In the framework of the Turkic World Higher Education Area the Member States of the Union need to harmonize the following items on the areas of cooperation:
(2) In the framework of the cooperation to be carried out, the following items are supported by the Senior Officials of the Organization of Turkic States Ministers of Education that shall include a representative from the Presidency of Higher Education Council of Turkey:
(1) Students from other member universities are accepted to the summer and winter schools that currently operate in and/or to be opened at the member universities. Facilities to be provided to students in these programs are determined on a reciprocal basis.
(2) Orhun Program is applied as example for the exchange of student and academic staff.
(3) Recognition of past education of students, student admission, education agreement and preparation of the transcript are organized according to a common credit system to be determined by the member universities.
Learn more about the Orhun Exchange ProgramChanges for the settlement of the problems that may occur for implementation of this Directive can be adopted by the General Assembly with an additional document.
This Directive has been prepared in Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkish and English languages.
Provisions of this Directive enters into effect on the date of its endorsement at the Organization of Turkic States Ministers of Education Meeting after its approval at the General Assembly of the Union.
Provisions of this Directive are carried out by the Secretariat in cooperation with the Chair University-in-Office.
This process has been identified as Orhun Program.
(Amended by the Decision of the 9th Meeting of the Ministers of Education of the Organization of Turkic States Member States, dated 8 June 2026)
