23rd International Congress of Social Sciences of the Turkic World Held at IUS
The 23rd International Congress of Social Sciences of the Turkic World, organized annually by the Sakarya University Turkic World Application and Research Center (TÜRKMER), was this year hosted by the International University of Sarajevo (IUS), in collaboration with the IUS Balkan Studies Center (BSC) and the Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) study program. The congress took place from October 15 to 17, 2025, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Recognized as one of the most established academic platforms in the Eurasian region, the Congress brought together leading scholars, researchers, and experts from across the Turkic World and beyond. Long-standing partner institutions contributing to this year’s event included Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, the Turkic World Research Foundation (TDAV), International Vision University, and Azerbaijan State University of Economics.
A total of 141 papers were presented across 20 in-person and 10 online sessions, featuring participants from nine different countries. In addition to parallel sessions, special panels on the Turkic World and the Balkans highlighted key issues of regional cooperation, heritage, and cultural identity.
The Opening Session was addressed by:
Prof. Dr. Ali Osman Kuşakçı, Rector of the International University of Sarajevo
Prof. Dr. Köksal Şahin, Director of TÜRKMER
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Vecdi Can, Rector of International Vision University
Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Çalışkan, Acting Rector of Sakarya University and Dean of the Faculty of Education
Mr. Közhan Yazgan, President of the Turkic World Research Foundation (TDAV)
During the Closing Session, several scientific recommendations were presented, emphasizing the need to:
Prioritize the examination and digitization of archives across the Turkic World,
Integrate universities from related communities into the Union of Turkic Universities,
Activate project and funding mechanisms within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) to support Turkic World studies, and
Strengthen the Orkhun Student and Academic Exchange Program, encouraging research aligned with the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
In the Turkic World Special Session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Köksal Şahin, presentations were delivered by Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taşağıl, Prof. Dr. Abdülmecit Nuredin, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fahriz Ahmadov.
The Balkan Special Session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Vecdi Can, featured contributions from Prof. Hacı Musa Taşdelen, Prof. Dr. Musa Musai, Dr. Jahja Muhasilović, and Dr. Mustafa Krupalija, focusing on the historical and cultural ties between the Turkic and Balkan regions.
As part of the Closing Session, Adnan Muftarević—a distinguished Bosnian archaeologist and museum consultant recognized as one of the founders of Ottoman archaeology—delivered a presentation on the historical traces of Ottoman and earlier Turkic communities, including the Pechenegs and Huns, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
