Turkey and Italy, a dialogue that looks to young people
Welcome Association Italy took part in an institutional meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Rome, in a discussion dedicated to the value of international student mobility, cultural cooperation and the relationship between institutions, universities and new generations. The initiative is part of a context in which the academic channel between Italy and Turkey is becoming increasingly significant, not only in terms of education, but also as a space for mutual understanding and dialogue between civil societies.
An institutional comparison between Italy and Turkey
The meeting represented an occasion of particular institutional significance, in which the diplomatic dimension was intertwined with the academic and youth dimension. Within this framework, the presence of a student and association delegation gave expression to a vision of international mobility understood not only as a study experience, but also as an opportunity for confrontation, participation and cultural cooperation.
The numbers confirm the relevance of this link. As of December 31, 2024, there were 6,087 valid residence permits in Italy for study-related reasons referring to Turkish citizens, out of a total of 29,592 valid permits for all reasons. Thus, the study-related component accounts for 20.57 percent of the total, while in the period 2015-2024, valid permits for study registered a growth of 312 percent, from 1,478 to 6,087. These are data that clearly highlight how dynamic and strategic the relationship between Turkey and Italy, on the university level, is today.
The significance of student mobility
In this scenario, student mobility takes on a value that goes beyond the administrative or individual dimension. It represents a ground in which educational paths, cultural relations and institutional sensitivities meet, contributing to strengthening a concrete dialogue between the two countries. Meetings like the one hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey show how the university world can become a qualified space of connection between diplomacy and new generations.
The Profile and Role of the Ambassador.
Adding further significance to the meeting is the profile of H.E. Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, a career diplomat who joined the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1993 and was appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Republic of Italy, with accreditation also to the Republic of San Marino, effective April 1, 2025. During her career, she has held senior positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara, at Turkey’s Permanent Representation to NATO and at the European Union, as well as having served as Ambassador to South Africa and Consul General in Dubai.
The Embassy’s willingness to host a discussion also dedicated to the university and student world restores a sense of concrete attention to the issues of international education, intercultural dialogue and cooperation between institutions and academic communities. In this sense, the meeting takes on a significance that goes beyond the single occasion, placing itself in a framework of listening and openness that is particularly appreciable on the institutional level.
University, diplomacy and youth participation
The meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey is part of a broader trajectory that has seen in recent months the consolidation of opportunities for dialogue between diplomatic representations, academic communities and student associations. This trajectory also includes the international conference “Women and Diplomacy: Voices from the World,” sponsored on Oct. 2, 2025 at LUMSA University under the patronage of the Ministry of University and Research and LUMSA itself, which involved diplomatic representations, the academic community and youth associations, bringing together ambassadors from 10 countries and more than 250 students.
Subsequent meetings with diplomatic representations and initiatives aimed at enhancing student participation as a central element of cultural diplomacy and institutional dialogue are also in the same spirit. In this framework, the continuity of the confrontation with the diplomatic world contributes to strengthening a model of relations in which universities, young people and institutions do not remain on separate planes, but contribute to the construction of stronger and more lasting ties.
The human dimension of the encounter
One of the most significant aspects of initiatives such as this lies in their ability to recognize young people not only as recipients of services or policies, but as active interlocutors in the construction of more vibrant, participatory and conscious international relations. In this sense, student mobility is confirmed as one of the most fertile places where diplomacy and cultural cooperation can meet in an authentic way.
A shared vision of dialogue and cooperation
“The meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey represents a moment of particular institutional and human value. In a context in which student mobility between Turkey and Italy plays an increasingly significant role, we believe it is important to promote opportunities for listening and discussion capable of connecting diplomacy, universities and new generations. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey and H.E. Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen for their attention and availability. Meetings such as this one contribute to strengthening a concrete dialogue between institutions and student communities, fostering increasingly solid and participatory cultural cooperation.”
Carlo Palumbo
Deputy National Secretary – Welcome Association Italy
A shared look into the future
The meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey confirms the value of institutional dialogue as a space for listening, cultural cooperation and attention to the paths of international students. At a time when relations between universities, diplomatic representations and the younger generation are becoming increasingly important, initiatives of this kind contribute to strengthening mutual understanding, participation and lasting ties between Turkey and Italy.
