INTERNSHIP UNDER THE TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE EUROPEAN UNION MOBILITY PROGRAM “ERASMUS+” IN THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
97Being a lecturer of the
Department of “World Experience Studies” of the
Turkmen State Institute of Culture, on May 30, 2024, I became the winner
of the grant training program of the
European Union mobility “Erasmus+” for short-term teaching and professional
development in a foreign university in Karatekin University (Çankırı Karatekin
University) located in Çankırı, 140 kilometers northeast of the city of Ankara
and 686 kilometers from the city of Istanbul in the country of Turkey.
Within the framework of Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility project,
from October 21 to October 25, 2024, I conducted a short-term teaching at the
Department of Tourism Management, School of Ilgaz Tourism and Hotel Management,
Çankırı Karatekin University, Çankırı Karatekin University, Çankırı, Turkey.
Besides me, the short-term course was attended by lecturers from different foreign countries: 1. Ms. Julia Kigozi,
Ph.D., Dean of Makerere University from Uganda (Africa); 2. Ms. Fagaye Wade,
International Officer at Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (Africa); 3. Dr.
Ibrahim Omar Ahmet, Dean of Benadir University from Somalia (Africa); 4. Mr.
Alaa Zayed, Lecturer of Economics at Al-Quds Open University (Palestine).
On the first day, a Coordination
Meeting was organized for us where we all got to know each other and each of us
presented a presentation about our university.
While teaching at the Faculty of
Tourism Management, I introduced Turkish students to the structure of our
Turkmen State Institute of Culture training as well as the tourism potential of
Turkmenistan. The purpose and program of my lectures was to introduce the
students to such topics as: “Tourist potential of Turkmenistan”; “Tourism and
leisure”; “Best places to visit in Turkmenistan”; “Main tourist attractions of
Ashgabat and Akhal region”; “Parthian fortresses of Nisa - UNESCO World
Heritage Site”; “Balkan region, Avaza - national tourist zone of Turkmenistan”;
“Dashoguz region, Darvaza Gas Crater.
Kunya Urgench - UNESCO World Heritage Site”; “Lebap region, Dinosaur Plateau on
the slope of the Koytendag Mountains’; “Mary region, State Historical and Cultural
Park “Ancient Merv” - UNESCO World Heritage Site”. There were also
presentations of video clips on the above-mentioned topics.
In addition to the students, my lectures were
attended by the Director of the School of Ilgaz Tourism and Hotel Management
Mr. Mikail Kara, teachers Yusuf Ziya Akbaş, Çagry Sürüçü, Sibel Sert and
others. Students and teaching staff of the School of Ilgaz Tourism and Hotel
Management listened to my lectures with great interest, asked questions on the
topics and were simply fascinated by the tourism potential of Turkmenistan.
During the lectures it was obvious that the students enjoyed both the content
and the presentation of the material.
After listening to the
interesting material about the tourism potential of Turkmenistan students of
the School of Ilgaz Tourism and Hotel Management broadened their horizons as
they got acquainted with the culture, history, architecture and tourism of
Turkmenistan. I would like to note that all my teaching was in English.
The school director Mr. Mikail Kara
introduced me to all the teaching staff, showed me classrooms equipped with
multimedia boards and video projectors, library, student canteen, and told me
about the educational process of their institution.
In addition to the School of Tourism and Hotel
Management, a tour of Çankırı Karatekin University (Çankırı Karatekin
University), the library and the sports center was conducted. We also participated in a conference on “Turkey's Cooperation
with African Countries” where I was also asked to talk about my country.
Çankırı Karatekin University is
located in Çankırı city, which is full of historical and cultural riches of
Turkey. This university offers educational programs in a wide academic spectrum
such as education, science, health, engineering and social sciences. Çankiri
Karatekin University is known among universities in Turkey for its
student-centered approach to education and high quality research activities. It
also seeks to engage with the local community and community service projects.
The academic staff of the university
consists of experienced and respected faculty members. Among the universities
in Turkey, Cankiri Karatekin University stands out for its innovative
educational approaches and international cooperation projects.
Under the
International Credit Mobility Program “Erasmus+” we were organized an excursion
to the National Park of Ilgaz Mountain and the salt mine “Yer Alti Tuz Şehri”.
At the end of the
Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility, the Rector of Çankırı Karatekin
University - State University, Prof. Dr. Harun Çiftçi presented us with Certificates
confirming the completion of the Teacher Mobility Internship at Çankırı
Karatekin University (CAKU), Turkey, within the framework of the Erasmus+ KA171
International Credit Mobility Project.
Summing up my summary, I would like to emphasize one
important detail of the European Union's Erasmus+ mobility training program, in
which the most important and essential criterion in selecting a candidate for
teaching was “fluency in English”. And yes, I have really experienced how
important it is to learn foreign languages, as knowledge of English opens the
door to participation in various international projects, exchange programs and
conferences. It gives me the opportunity to exchange experience with colleagues
from different countries, to participate in the discussion of global problems
and to contribute to the world development.
In the period of the Revival of
the New Era of the Powerful State, the strategic goal of the educational policy
pursued by the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov is to strengthen
the political, economic and cultural foundations of the state, to utilize the
scientific and educational potential to bring the country to a new level of
development. In our country, the head of state attaches great importance to the
study of foreign languages by young people, as language is the main means of
communication between people and expression of advanced ideas.
In this regard, in accordance with
the Concept of improving the teaching of foreign languages, the Turkmen State
Institute of Culture is taking effective measures to improve the teaching of
English, speech and language skills of students. Special emphasis is placed on
the study of foreign languages in such specialties as “Tourism and Hotel`s
Business”, “Television Journalism” and “Museology, Protection of Monuments of
Cultural and Natural Heritage”.
Moreover, the work on studying the
world experience in the field of teaching methodology, modernization of
training programs and curricula of the educational process, the system of
training and professional development of teachers, creation of a continuous,
consistent and interconnected system of teaching foreign languages is carried
out. This was evidenced by my short-term teaching at the Department of Tourism
Management at the School of Ilgaz Tourism and Hotel Management of Çankırı
Karatekin University in Çankırı, Turkey.
We,
the Lecturers of the Turkmen State Institute of Culture, are
sincerely grateful to the National Leader of the Turkmen people and honorable
President Arkadagly Hero Serdar for his tireless care for the development of
the education system, national culture, for the opportunity to undergo
internship, exchange teaching experience abroad and get acquainted with the
culture of different countries of the world.
MARAL MYRATLYYEVA,
Lecturer of “Study of
world experience” department
of Turkmen
State Institute of Culture.
