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HEBREW, ARMENIAN DEPARTMENTS DRAW MORE INTEREST AT KAYSERI UNIVERSITY
Today's Zaman
Sept 22 2011
Turkey
The number of students registered in the departments of Hebrew and
Armenian languages at Kayseri's Erciyes University (ERU) has increased
this academic year, contrary to concerns that Turkey's currently
stormy political relationships with Armenia and Israel would result
in decreased interest.
The departments of Hebrew and Armenian were opened at ERU last year.
The university's assistant rector, Professor Metin Hulagu, told the
Anatolia news agency that the departments have seen more interested
students this academic year than in their debut year. Last year 12
students were registered in the Department of Hebrew Language and
Literature, which is the only one in Turkey, while 28 applied to
register in the department this year. The Department of Armenian
Language and Literature also saw an increase, with 15 applicants and
12 registered students this year, up from six last year.
"The number of students who wanted to study Hebrew and Armenian
increased by more than 100 percent compared to last year. Twenty-eight
students applied to the Department of Hebrew Language and Literature
this year, and 20 of them were registered. Fifteen students applied
to the Department of Armenian Language and Literature, and 12 of them
were registered," Hulagu elaborated.
The professor said he has observed that today's youth appreciate a
realistic approach to evaluating world events. "Some thought that
students would not be interested in the Hebrew language, due to the
recent political and military troubles between Turkey and Israel,
or in the Armenian language, because of difficult Turkish-Armenian
relations. But we see that this is not the case: our youth are not
put off from these topics by day-to-day politics. They can think
objectively and see the world realistically. I congratulate those
who registered in these departments," he added.
Professor Hulagu also said that the graduates of the Hebrew and
Armenian language departments are not likely to remain unemployed.
"The graduates of these departments will able to find jobs easily
in both the private and public sectors. Students who study either
of these languages can work in the import and export departments of
big companies because there are not many people [in Turkey] who can
speak these languages, especially Hebrew."
Today's Zaman
Sept 22 2011
Turkey
The number of students registered in the departments of Hebrew and
Armenian languages at Kayseri's Erciyes University (ERU) has increased
this academic year, contrary to concerns that Turkey's currently
stormy political relationships with Armenia and Israel would result
in decreased interest.
The departments of Hebrew and Armenian were opened at ERU last year.
The university's assistant rector, Professor Metin Hulagu, told the
Anatolia news agency that the departments have seen more interested
students this academic year than in their debut year. Last year 12
students were registered in the Department of Hebrew Language and
Literature, which is the only one in Turkey, while 28 applied to
register in the department this year. The Department of Armenian
Language and Literature also saw an increase, with 15 applicants and
12 registered students this year, up from six last year.
"The number of students who wanted to study Hebrew and Armenian
increased by more than 100 percent compared to last year. Twenty-eight
students applied to the Department of Hebrew Language and Literature
this year, and 20 of them were registered. Fifteen students applied
to the Department of Armenian Language and Literature, and 12 of them
were registered," Hulagu elaborated.
The professor said he has observed that today's youth appreciate a
realistic approach to evaluating world events. "Some thought that
students would not be interested in the Hebrew language, due to the
recent political and military troubles between Turkey and Israel,
or in the Armenian language, because of difficult Turkish-Armenian
relations. But we see that this is not the case: our youth are not
put off from these topics by day-to-day politics. They can think
objectively and see the world realistically. I congratulate those
who registered in these departments," he added.
Professor Hulagu also said that the graduates of the Hebrew and
Armenian language departments are not likely to remain unemployed.
"The graduates of these departments will able to find jobs easily
in both the private and public sectors. Students who study either
of these languages can work in the import and export departments of
big companies because there are not many people [in Turkey] who can
speak these languages, especially Hebrew."