Under the auspices of the Council of Europe (CoE), policymakers, within the EU/CoE Joint Programme on Enhancing Foreign Language Education Quality in Türkiye, education experts, and teachers came together in Ankara to strengthen the role of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in shaping foreign language education policies and classroom practices in Türkiye.
On the morning of 7 October 2025, in the presence of the Deputy Minister of National Education, Assoc. Prof. Dr Celile Eren Ökten, an Awareness Raising Seminar on CEFR in Language Education, held by CoE international and national consultants, introduced the CEFR and the CEFR Companion Volume to policymakers, focusing on their structure and their application in curriculum development and teaching. The training aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of CEFR principles and their implementation in foreign language education.
In the afternoon, the First Strategic Meeting of the Joint Programme opened with remarks by Prof. Dr Cihad Demirli, President of the Board of Education of the Ministry of National Education; Mr William Massolin, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Ankara; and Dr Sarah Breslin, Executive Director of the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) and Head of the Language Policy of the Council of Europe.
The meeting continued with a presentation of the official Country Report, the basis for a Language Education Policy Profile (LEPP), providing a comprehensive overview on the current status of foreign language education in Türkiye. This was followed by a presentation on the project’s outcomes, during which participants exchanged views on strategies to ensure the sustainability of the project’s expected results.
On 8 October 2025, a Seminar on CEFR in Language Education brought together more than 400 participants, including the Deputy Minister of National Education Assoc. Prof. Dr Celile Eren Ökten, embassy representatives, officials from the central administrations of ministries, academics, foreign language teachers, and representatives of civil society organisations. The seminar aimed to raise awareness of the fundamental role of the CEFR in promoting inclusive and quality foreign language education.
This activity is part of the Joint Programme on Enhancing Foreign Language Education Quality in Türkiye, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe in close co-operation with the Ministry of National Education.
