Ohio State nav bar

Linkages Abroad

Major Partners in the Middle East:

The Center's major partners in the Middle East are Atatürk University, Kabul Medical University, Yeditepe University, Istanbul University, Bogazici University, and Kadir Has University. The Ohio State university has memoranda of understanding with these universities, sends students to Bogazici regularly and is in the process of setting up study abroad programs with Yeditepe.

Projects and programs:

Atatürk University Faculty Exchange Program

On February 4, 2003, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between The Ohio State University and Atatürk University in Erzerüm, Turkey. As a result of this MOU, Atatürk University has continues to send several faculty members per year to partner with OSU faculty on research.  The faculty members are fully funded by the Turkish government for the first three months of their stay as a visiting scholar at OSU.  After three months, their stay depends on other sources of funding.  Most of the visiting scholars and their counterparts have stated that they are pleased with their joint experience here at OSU.  Several joint research papers have been published and interest in continued collaboration has resulted from the program. 

Kabul Medical University

As a Title VI National Resource Center, The Middle East Studies Center (MESC) has had the privilege of working with the professional schools at the Ohio State University over the years.  One major collaboration began with the Medical School in the 1980’s when Afghan victims of Soviet bombardment came to OSU hospitals to be treated.  Alam Payind, director of the Middle East Studies Center, John Greisberger, former Director of the Office of International Education, and Stephen Dale, Professor of History, were involved in coordinating that effort. 

After Sept. 11, when Americans went to fight side by side with Afghans against al-Qa’eda and the Taliban, interest in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan increased, and that is when our colleagues here at the medical center expressed renewed interest.  It is an honor and a privilege to work with them once again on a project to strengthen and partner with Kabul Medical University on teaching, research, and learning.  Working with the Medical Center fulfills the Center’s mission by stimulating multidisciplinary interaction; providing the opportunity to educate faculty and staff about the Middle East; and opening avenues for future research on health and disease in Afghanistan.  Beyond that, bringing desperately needed medical supplies to the people of Afghanistan fulfills the higher mission of humanitarianism. For more information on our activities with OSU Medical Center, please read the Center's Middle East Studies Bulletin where academic endeavors are described in more detail. One notable collaboration was the Grand Rounds lecture on Ibn Sina, known is Avicenna in the West, an Islamic physician whose legacy continues in medical history (see the Winter 2007 issue, p. 4). Recently a Kabul Medical University delegation came to discuss the situation with doctors at the OSU Medical Center (see the Spring 2008 issue, p. 11).


Some links on this page are to .pdf files. If you require these materials in alternate format contact our web manager.