WCEP in the Press

As part of the “High School Ambassadors Program,” Canadian student Kathleen MacAulay attends classes at Kabataş High School, lives with a Turkish family, and goes fishing on the Bosphorus... The aim of the program is to turn Turkey into an education hub that attracts international students at the high school level.

Within the scope of the “High School Ambassadors Program,” carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of National Education, students from Canada receive education in public high schools in Turkey. One of the pilot implementations of the program is being carried out at Kabataş Erkek High School.

This year, 14 high school students from Canada came to Kabataş. One of the school’s exchange students, Kathleen MacAulay, said that before coming to Turkey, she mostly had knowledge about the country’s history and culture, while she had heard that its education system had a “disciplined” structure. However, what surprised her the most was the students’ strong sense of belonging to their school.

“It was very impressive to see everyone take pride in their school at such a well-established institution like Kabataş Erkek High School,” said MacAulay, describing her experience as follows:

LIKE A PART OF THE CLASS

“I was nervous at first because I was going to enter a new school environment in a different country. However, I think I adapted in a short time. The students immediately took an interest in me, helped me around the school, and I soon stopped feeling alone.

There was a very warm atmosphere from the very first day. I was very impressed by the Turkish students’ seriousness toward their lessons and their motivation to study. At the same time, they were very social and helpful. They were much warmer and more sincere than I expected. After the first week, we started eating together and spending time outside school. Even though there was a language difference, it was easy to find common ground. I felt not like a guest, but like a part of the class.

It deeply impressed me in a short time. The teachers were trying to support students not only academically, but also personally. I felt that teacher-student relationships in Turkey are warmer.”

THE SYSTEM IN CANADA IS MORE INDIVIDUAL

In Canada, the system progresses in a more individual way. In Turkey, however, the bond between students is much stronger. Here, school is not just a place where lessons are held; it is a social environment where students truly feel a sense of belonging. In addition, students’ academic motivation and exam preparation pace are more intense compared to Canada.

The most special part of the program is living with a family here. This is the best way to truly get to know a country. The closeness, hospitality, and culture of spending time together within the Turkish family structure impressed me greatly. I quickly felt at home. The city is very lively and fast-paced. At first, I could not get used to it, but later I began to love this energy.”

EDUCATION DIPLOMACY

According to WCEP President Volkan Cerrahoğlu, the goal is not only student exchange, but also to create a lasting cultural interaction model that strengthens Turkey’s educational diplomacy:

“Turkey’s academic infrastructure, strong high school tradition, young population, and cultural diversity are well suited to this. What is needed is a well-established and trustworthy system and model. We now believe that Turkey should not only be a country that sends students abroad, but also an education country that welcomes students from different parts of the world.

Students learn Turkish culture by experiencing it, share the same classrooms with Turkish young people, and when they return to their countries, they become volunteer cultural ambassadors. This is no longer just education; it is a matter of cultural diplomacy.”

TURKEY’S SELF-CONFIDENCE

The “High School Ambassadors Program,” which we have implemented together with the Ministry of National Education, is an indicator of Turkey’s confidence in its education system. Around the world, many countries host international students only in private schools. Turkey’s difference lies in its ability to open the academic strength and cultural depth of its public high schools to international students.

Especially well-established public high schools are very strong institutions not only with their academic success, but also with their traditions, student culture, and sense of belonging. The inclusion of a foreign student in this structure enables genuine integration. For this reason, we see this process not merely as an exchange program, but as a new era in Turkey’s educational vision.

We believe that the annual model of 100 international students that we are targeting will strengthen Turkey’s educational diplomacy in the long term.”

14 CANADIAN STUDENTS AT KABATAŞ

In cooperation with the Ministry of National Education and the Global Cultural Exchange Program, 14 Canadian students studying at Kabataş Erkek High School are very pleased with their experience.

Kathleen MacAulay is one of the students who came to Istanbul as part of the “High School Ambassadors” program. Speaking to Hürriyet, Kathleen said that she never felt like a guest at Kabataş Erkek. Stating that the academic pace is more intense than in Canada, Kathleen said she was also very impressed by the students’ pride in their school.