On October 5, 2026, a delegation of visiting scholars from Uzbekistan Tashkent University visited the Department of Early Childhood Education, Division of Basic Education, Atatürk Faculty of Education at Marmara University, with the aim of fostering academic collaboration between the two institutions.
On the first day of the program, the visiting delegation was welcomed by our Dean, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Alpaydın, alongside faculty members of our department. Following the welcoming remarks, Prof. Dr. Özgül Polat, Head of the Department and Coordinator of the Türkiye Century Maarif Model Early Childhood Education Program, delivered a comprehensive presentation titled “Türkiye Century Maarif Model: Early Childhood Education Program”. The presentation provided detailed insights into the objectives of the model and the targeted child profile in early childhood education (“What does the Maarif Model aim for, and what kind of child does it hope to raise?”).
Following the presentation, an interactive Q&A session was held to foster mutual academic dialogue and share institutional experiences. During the meeting, discussions focused on prospective joint projects, research initiatives, and future academic collaborations.
As part of the campus tour following the official talks, the delegation visited the Innovation and Life Skills Workshop (İnovasyon ve Yaşam Becerileri Atölyesi) within our faculty. The guests were introduced to the hands-on learning environment and the ongoing laboratory studies designed to support children's holistic development.
The visit concluded with mutual expressions of goodwill for future cooperation and a commemorative photo session.
