Prof.Dr.Osman HORATA .

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The Turkestan region, where Ahmet Yesevi University has its roots, is a historical center of science and culture where developments that changed the fate of the Middle Ages first began. From the 10^th century to the 12^th the great scientific, intellectual, cultural and artistic developments that took place under the rule of Turkish states not only carried Turks to the prime of the Middle Ages but also ended the dark ages in the West and paved the way to the Renaissance and Reform movements.

Ahmet Yesevi University has been founded through the joint agreement between the Republics of Turkey and Kazakhstan for the purpose of reviving this ancient scientific and cultural center and of building a strong bridge shaping the future of scientific and cultural relations between Turkish states and communities.

On this significant journey we put great faith in our students, who are democratic, secular and independent-minded individuals with a clear sense of the spirit of the age and social responsibility – individuals who, in Atatürk’s words, can probe our roots in history, thereby carrying Turkish culture toward the high civilization of the future, making it shine like a newly-risen sun on the horizon.

We, who have the honour and opportunity to carry the Ahmet Yesevi torch on this meaningful journey, aim to turn our university into an active, efficient and highly competitive institution with up-to-date universal standards in teaching and research.

Our goal is to turn Ahmet Yesevi University into an internationally reputed model institution with regard to not only infrastructure but also teaching and research. Wisdom, virtue, and courage are our fundamental values in pursuing this goal.

These values are integral to the nature of the Turkish nation. They are qualities that Turks always sought for in their khans. Wisdom suggests more than being knowledgeable: it involves a high level of understanding, intuition and thought. Similarly, virtue signifies high moral values like sacrifice, friendship, unity, gratitude, sincerity, honesty, generosity, and hospitality. Atatürk has also pointed the way towards high civilization through the preservation of our fundamental values like courage, honesty, equanimity, good morals, generosity, hospitality, high intellect, love and respect for humanity, diligence, practical experience, valuing the accumulation of knowledge, love of the fine arts and free thought.

I sincerely wish that the major ideal of all members of Ahmet Yesevi University – from the students to the Rector – will be to turn our university into a bridge between the rooted past and the strong future, nourished by wisdom, virtue, and courage. May our road on this journey be a clear one!