Erdoğan hails economic contribution of foreign students

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has lauded the economic impact of foreign students in Türkiye, highlighting their contribution of $3 billion annually.

“There are 340,000 students [in Türkiye] from 198 different countries in the world. Of them, 95 percent study with their own means,” Erdoğan said at an event at Istanbul's Marmara University on Sept. 13.

Speaking at the opening of a new university complex in Istanbul's Marmara University,

This is a situation for "our country to be applauded, not criticized," he said.

“There are more than 7 million international students in the world today,” Erdoğan said. “Countries like the U.S., Britain and Germany earn billions of dollars every year from foreign students, so there is a huge economic resource.”

Beyond their economic impact, foreign students also contribute to Türkiye's tourism and cultural diplomacy after graduation, he added.

The president condemned what he described as a growing "wave of hatred" against foreigners.

“In recent years, racist fascism by those with roots abroad has started to hinder the efforts of our country,” he said. “They want to create a wave of hatred against students, tourists and investors coming from our geography of heart.”

Erdoğan said the recent backlash against international students and tourists aimed to incite hostility, particularly toward Muslims.

"We are a state with no history of colonialism despite ruling over three continents for centuries," Erdoğan said, referring to the Ottoman Empire. “No one can stain this white page.”

Addressing Turkish youth, Erdoğan warned them not to be "swayed by these efforts."

“They have always used young people to intervene in politics, to prepare the ground for coups,” he said.

He recalled the chaotic period leading up to the 1980 military coup.

“We all paid the price for all these as a nation,” he said.

“In the economy, we paid for the frequent interruptions in our development journey. In rights and freedoms, we paid by being condemned to bans. In security, we paid by giving abuse to terrorist organizations.”

Erdoğan also celebrated efforts to expand universities across the country.

“We have brought higher education to the remotest corners of our country. We have created productive research, development and an entrepreneurship ecosystem in all places,” he said. “We will do even better.”

The event marked the opening of a new complex bearing the president’s name at Marmara University.

It includes faculties of engineering, education, political science, and facilities like student centers and hangars.

Erdoğan also detailed ongoing construction activities at a health campus on the site, which will feature a dining hall, library and seminar halls.