University of Kyrenia, which is the first university in TRNC and nearby geography that focused solely on maritime and aviation studies, has signed a comprehensive cooperation protocol with Piri Reis University, which is one of the most well- established maritime education facilities in Turkey that focused solely on maritime studies.

According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office, University of Kyrenia, which is the first university in TRNC and Eastern Mediterranean geography that focused solely on maritime and aviation studies, has signed a comprehensive cooperation protocol with Piri Reis University which was founded by the Turkish Maritime Education Foundation under the umbrella of Turkish Chamber of Shipping and devoted solely to education of maritime studies. Professor Ilkay Salihoğlu, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Acting Rector of University of Kyrenia, and Professor Oral Erdoğan, Rector of Piri Reis University, signed the protocol on behalf of their universities in Nicosia on March 7, 2015.

The protocol that signed by both parties comprises provisions that envisage a thorough cooperation on academic, social, cultural and other issues of common interest. Delivering a speech at the protocol signing ceremony, Professor Oral Erdoğan underlined the importance of cooperation between the facilities specialized in the same fields. “As markets have become increasingly globalized, shipping volumes have soared. Today, shipping accounts 85 percentage of world trade, which is $ 20 trillion annually. The need for maritime sector is gradually increasing. The main reason behind the massive increase in shipping is the growth in world trade. To this end, maritime educational facilities have a crucial role to play in meeting the increasing need for marine industries. Institutional and technological factors also have a role to play. Cooperation between maritime universities has crucial importance on cultivating qualified seafarers and development of marine sciences as this field requires a cutting edge education to specialize and become qualified at all levels” said he.

During his speech, Prof. Dr. Ilkay Salihoğlu touched upon the importance of the protocol signed by two universities that specialized solely on maritime by stating that both universities would be able to respond more effectively to the needs of marine industry through cooperation within the scope of the protocol, adding that the studies that would be conducted jointly would provide great contributions to both countries in terms of scientific and public interest.

Following the signing procedure, the parties presented plaques and nautical gifts to each other.