T. C. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Directorate of Southern and Western Europe, Attache

Could you tell us about yourself? How has your career taken shape so far?

graduating from Işıklar Military High School in 2007 and the Military Academy in 2011, I was assigned as a Gendarmerie Officer and started to work in the Turkish Armed Forces. In this context, between 2011 and 2017, in the ranks of Lieutenant and First Lieutenant, I worked in various units as Team Commander and Company Commander, respectively. After completing my graduate education with the Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme, I attended the competitive diplomatic career officer exams of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2018, I have been working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In which sector and in what year did you benefit from the Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme?

I benefited from the Jean Monnet Scholarship Program public sector quota, in the 2015-2016 academic year, under the heading “Foreign, Security and Defense Policies” EU Acquis Chapter.

Can you give some information about the university you attended and the subject you studied within the scope of the Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme?

With the Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme, I studied in Italian and I obtained a master’s degree with a thesis on “International Relations and International Protection of Human Rights” at the diplomatic college named “Società Italiana per l’Organizzazione Internazionale”, a joint venture between the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the United Nations in Rome , Italy. As part of the master’s programme, I also completed a three-month internship at the Council of Europe’s Permanent Representative in Italy.

What impact did the education you have completed within the Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme have on your view of the European Union?

As it is known, Rome is the city where the founding treaty of the European Economic Community was signed in 1957. In this context, it was quite meaningful to be working in the European Union (EU) in Rome.

On the other hand, during the year of my education [in 2016], 18 March negotiations were ongoing and consecutive Turkey-EU Summits were being held. In such a period, following the process from the perspective of dominant members of the EU in Italy, has been very useful for me to experience first-hand, how important Turkey is for the EU and our need of the EU membership.

What would you like to recommend to Jean Monnet Scholarship candidates?

I think it is important to make a detailed and meticulous preparation by considering the Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme not only as a scholarship programme, but also considering long-term career goals and personal abilities.