Chancery Building, Ankara, Monday 13 January 2025 - Ambassador of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, His Excellency Ambassador İsmet Korukoğlu, has paid a courtesy call on Her Excellency Francess Virginia Anderson, Phd, and has strengthened more ties on education; and an update on Sierra Leonean students in the country.

The courtesy call was entirely geared towards the status of Sierra Leonean students in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus offers a variety of educational opportunities for African students, making it an attractive destination for those seeking higher education. The region is home to several universities that provide programs across various fields, including engineering, medicine, business, and social sciences.

Northern Cyprus presents numerous educational opportunities for African students characterized by affordability, diverse academic offerings, supportive services, and a welcoming environment conducive to learning.

His Excellency Ambassador İsmet Korukoğlu congratulated Ambassador Francess Virginia Anderson for the presentation of her Letter of Credence, saying that he was willing to work with her collaboratively during her tenure, particularly in exploring opportunities for Sierra Leoneans intending or already studying in Cyprus.

Given an update on the performance of Sierra Leonean students in Cyprus, Ambassador İsmet Korukoğlu informed his counterpart that there were 350 students studying different courses during the 2023/2024 academic year, saying that the number was projected to increase by 2025.

His Excellency Ambassador İsmet Korukoğlu further noted that he would appreciate it if the Sierra Leone Embassy in Türkiye would facilitate the drafting and signing of Memorandum of Understanding for Collaboration between the University of Sierra Leone, and Universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. He added that such educational collaborations would provide numerous advantages that benefit students, institutions, economies, and societies at large by enhancing cultural understanding, improving academic opportunities, increasing resource access, generating economic benefits, strengthening competitiveness globally, developing vital skills for the workforce, and fostering collaborative research efforts.

On her path, Her Excellency Francess Virginia Anderson, PhD, thanked her colleague for the visit, saying that she appreciated the information on the status of Sierra Leone students living in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

“Your Excellency, we will surely continue more engagements on your proposed Educational Collaboration with the Tertiary Education system. Thank you for our visit. She noted.

For Further Inquiries:

Sierra Leone Embassy Ankara, Türkiye

info@tr.slembassy.gov.tr

Twitter: @TurkeySLE

Facebook: Sierra Leone Embassy Turkey