On Thursday, September 12, President Takayasu Mitani and Dean of Graduate Studies Bruce Batten visited Akdeniz University, J. F. Oberlin University’s partner in Turkey. Akdeniz University is a state university with 18 faculties and 42,000 students that is located near the Mediterranean Sea in Antalya, Turkey’s third largest city. Akdeniz became J. F. Oberlin’s first Turkish partner with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on June 4, 2013.

During the recent visit of President Mitani and Dr. Batten, the two universities signed a separate agreement to take part in the “Mevlana Exchange Programme,” a Turkish government initiative to promote international exchanges. President Mitani and Dr. Batten were welcomed by Akdeniz University's Rector, Prof. Dr. İsrafil Kurtcephe; by Advisor to the Rector and Head of the International Relations Office, Prof. Dr. Burhan Özkan and his staff; and by Dr. Ikuko Murakami of Akdeniz’s Department of Gerontology. Discussions were held regarding faculty, staff, and student exchanges between the two schools, as well as academic collaboration in Gerontology and other fields.