Kamu Diplomasisi ve Yumuşak Güç Perspektifinden Türkiye’nin Faaliyetlerinin Analizi: Eğitim Aracılığıyla Kültürel Diplomasi

This study aims to analysze Turkey’s cultural diplomacy activities through education within the framework of public diplomacy and soft power. Today, cultural diplomacy stands out as a strategic element in building positive images of countries in the international arena and developing soft power strategies. Education plays a central role in establishing long-term interactions and trust between societies as one of the most effective elements of cultural diplomacy. In this context, the education diplomacy-based policies implemented by Turkey since the early 2000s to strengthen its public diplomacy vision constitute the main focus of this study. In this study, the document analysis technique was adopted from qualitative methods, and official documents, strategy reports, and academic publications were evaluated using descriptive analysis methods. The findings show that Turkey effectively uses tools such as the Yunus Emre Institute, Turkey Scholarships, Turkish Maarif Foundation, International Student Mobility, and Cultural Exchange Programs as part of its education diplomacy and cultural diplomacy, thereby establishing long-term cultural relations in different regions and creating a positive image for the country internationally. In conclusion, education diplomacy and related practices are considered an important soft power tool that supports Turkey’s public diplomacy approach. Based on the research findings, policy recommendations have been presented for policymakers, relevant stakeholders and researchers.