GCU to launch degree programme in Turkish Language

LAHORE: Government College University (GCU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi on Monday announced the launching of a new degree programme in Turkish Language and Literature. Recently, the Department of Translation Studies was also established at GCU.

GCU VC said starting in Fall 2023, the four-year BS programme had been approved by the university's Academic Council and Syndicate. He stressed the importance of research and understanding Turkish culture, saying that it had played a significant role in the lives of Muslims in South Asia.

In addition to the curriculum, Prof Zaidi said, GCU was also planning to sign MoUs with Turkish universities for an exchange programme. This initiative will allow students in the BS programme to visit Turkey and learn Turkish language at their universities. Furthermore, GCU will host faculty and students from Turkey, and professors from Turkish universities will be invited for talks, seminars, and conferences at the department. Prof Zaidi also emphasised GCU's strong tradition of teaching languages and literature, with premier Departments of English, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, and Punjabi. To further strengthen its academic offerings, the university is planning to initiate degree programmes in other regional and global languages. “This BS programme in Turkish Language and Literature will be a significant step towards strengthening the brotherly ties between Pakistan and Turkey,” Prof Zaidi concluded.