Regional Hub
Bakur
Bakur refers to the Kurdish-majority southeastern regions of Turkey. Tens of millions of Kurds live in Turkey, making it the country with the largest Kurdish population. Major Kurdish-populated cities include Diyarbakır (Amed), Van, Şanlıurfa (Riha), Mardin, and Gaziantep. Turning introductions into real support, collaboration, and opportunity.
Bakur — Northern Kurdistan
State universities in Kurdish-majority areas include Dicle University (Diyarbakır, est. 1966), Yüzüncü Yıl University (Van, est. 1982), Harran University (Şanlıurfa, est. 1992), Mardin Artuklu University (est. 2007), Siirt University (est. 2007), and Şırnak University (est. 2008). These institutions serve hundreds of thousands of students.
Kurdish-medium university instruction is not permitted under Turkish law, though limited Kurdish-language courses were introduced at some universities in the 2010s and later restricted again. Kurdish students have historically organized through cultural clubs operating within universities.
A significant Kurdish student diaspora exists in western Turkey (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir) and in Europe, particularly Germany. This platform supports those students in finding community and professional connections.
References
Students
Mentorship, scholarships, and study support.
Faculties
Research sharing and advisory opportunities.
Industry
Career pathways and employer partnerships.
Community
Events, volunteering, and local channels.
Connect
Introductions and meaningful relationships.
Blog
Updates and insights from this hub.
Local priorities
- 1Connect Kurdish students from Turkey with diaspora communities in Germany, Sweden, and the UK.
- 2Provide academic guidance for students seeking graduate programs outside Turkey.
- 3Support Kurdish cultural expression and identity in academic environments.
- 4Share resources on Kurdish language learning (Kurmanci and Zaza dialects).
- 5Build networks between Bakur students and Kurdish professionals in Europe.
Upcoming events
Event publishing will be available once the regional event module is enabled.
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