When people think about studying abroad or Erasmus + opportunities, Turkey is not usually the first place that comes to mind. Few choose it as their primary destination – or so I thought, until last April.

When I first visited Biruni University in Istanbul and was preparing my official documents for a presentation on ELTE, I was surprised to discover the reality behind the numbers: there is a surprisingly lively student exchange between Turkey and Hungary. During my trip in April, I already felt that Biruni University could be a noteworthy partner for us and that it would be worthwhile to get to know each other's work.

Parallel paths meet

In a strange twist of fate, while I was thinking about establishing contact, Dr. Samet Tosun, head of the Department of Language and Speech Therapy at Biruni University, was also looking towards ELTE. This independent, almost simultaneous search culminated in a fortunate encounter: our colleague recently visited us to get to know our faculty in person.

On the first day, our guest was welcomed by Bence Kas, assistant lecturer at the Institute for the Methodology of Special Needs Education and Rehabilitation, where members of the specialist group were joined by representatives from the International Office. Although the official contract is still in the process of being signed, it is hoped that the negotiations have now removed all professional and administrative obstacles to the two faculties soon signing the bilateral agreement.

Research and innovation: Who is Samet Tosun?

To understand why this connection is so important, it is worth taking a closer look at Samet Tosun's work. The Turkish expert is a renowned researcher in one of the most dynamic areas of speech therapy, dysphagia (speech disorders) and neurological speech disorders. His work focuses on the diagnosis of cognitive and linguistic decline associated with Parkinson's disease and dementia.

On the second day, Samet also participated in an MA speech therapy class. In his presentation, he introduced his university, which, with its own clinics and laboratories, is reminiscent of the high-tech campuses seen in American films, and then presented his current research. It was particularly exciting to hear about the ongoing project in which they are collaborating with Canadian universities. Samet and his team have already successfully adapted a French-language test used in dementia research into Turkish, and they have offered their help with adapting it into Hungarian. Samet also shared with us a number of professional publications and his own publications discussing the relationship between speech disorders and patient safety, as well as modern methods of voice therapy.

Two worlds collide: Education and approach

In Turkey, speech therapy training has strong clinical traditions, while in Hungary, the pedagogical-special education approach prevails. These two approaches can complement each other perfectly: while we can share with them decades of experience in speech therapy in public education, they can offer us something new in the field of clinical diagnostics and instrumental laboratory support. Specific ideas have already emerged during professional discussions: for example, one of our colleagues sees great potential for future collaboration in the area of speech fluency.

Biruni University is a special opportunity for our students because:

• Bilingual education: Speech therapy is also taught in English, so our students who are proficient in English can complete the theoretical courses without any language difficulties.
• Professional experience: Students can gain insight into a different approach to work in a hospital/clinical environment. (It is true that some knowledge of Turkish may be necessary for direct communication with patients during practical training, but theoretical training and professional observation are also provided in English.

Future prospects

Although the planned visit to the rehabilitation institute was canceled for organizational reasons, the group photo taken at the farewell and the joint discussions confirmed our belief that this is only the beginning of a long-term partnership. The proactivity and hospitality of our Turkish colleagues are exemplary.

I am confident that, once the official agreement has been signed, our lecturers and students will soon be able to experience the openness and professional expertise that Samet Tosun represented during his visit. This relationship could open the door to a modern, vibrant academic world from which both university communities can only benefit.

The report was prepared by Dr. Angéla Imre.