A cooperation protocol was signed between Kastamonu University and Kazakhstan's Karaganda Buketov University for the establishment of a joint thesis master's program in the field of "Tourism Management."

With this protocol signed on June 3, 2025, by our Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal and Nurlan Dulatbekov, the Rector of Kazakhstan's Karaganda Buketov University, it is aimed to elevate international academic and cultural cooperation to an advanced level. The agreement was formalized by the Higher Education Council (YÖK) on July 2, 2025. 

The protocol also includes a multidimensional collaboration that supports academic staff exchange, student mobility, research projects, and mutual academic development. Within the framework of the protocol, principles regarding student admission, the education-teaching process, course contents, academic success criteria, diplomas, graduation, and disciplinary matters were determined. 

The relevant regulations of the two countries will govern topics such as the language of instruction, student admission criteria, examination system, and diploma equivalency. The language of instruction in the program will be Turkish, and it will be conducted in accordance with the joint curriculum of our University and Karaganda Buketov University. At the end of the program, students who succeed will be awarded a joint diploma approved by our University and Karaganda Buketov University. 

Our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, stated in his announcement, "This protocol is not just an academic collaboration, but also a step that will strengthen the cultural ties between our countries."He stated, "Thanks to the international master's program in the field of tourism, our students will have the opportunity to obtain dual diplomas, and scientific and cultural exchange will increase even more." 

Recalling the protocol with Mindanao University in the field of forestry engineering made in May, our Rector emphasized that the collaborations in both fields would contribute to Kastamonu and our University as a university specializing in forestry and nature tourism.

Our Rector also expressed his gratitude to the President of the Council of Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, and the members of YÖK for their encouraging contributions to the support provided for scientific studies.