The Turkish Union of Students in the UK (TUSU) was inaugurated at a reception attended by Turkey’s consul general Emirhan Yorulmazlar and the Turkish Cypriot education attaché Hasan Sarper Kortay
Turkish-speaking students have formed a union to represent their interests in the UK for the first time.
At the grand opening of the Turkish Union of Students in the UK (TUSU), the organisation’s president Hüseyin Duran and his deputy Kerem Bayrakçeken said Britain was one of the top destinations for Turkish students seeking language or higher education.
They said there are around four thousand Turkish students in Britain and expressed the hope that they could bring as many of these together, adding that they travelled around 4,500 miles to visit student associations in 48 different universities.
Speaking at the event, Turkey’s consul general Emirhan Yorulmazlar said: “Our presence in Britain will increase as students operate together and integrate with the British system. It is very important that every student here improves their academic knowledge, but there is another important matter too: every student here is a singular representative of Turkey.”
“Make sure that you represent Turkey in all the contacts you make in British society, even in conversations with friends,” Mr Yorulmazlar added.
The event was also attended by Hasan Sarper Kortay, the Turkish Cypriot edducation attaché; and Mehmet Köse, deputy head of the Turkish expats association Yurtdışı Türkleri.
TUSU president Hüseyin Duran