Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
5th MANAS FORUM - International Conference on the Turkic World in the Context of Regional and Global Developments , Lefkoşa, Kıbrıs (Kktc), 6 - 08 Kasım 2025, ss.1-20, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
Despite shared historical, linguistic, and cultural ties, academic cooperation among Turkic states, particularly in the domain of intelligence studies and security knowledge, remains fragmented and underdeveloped. This paper explores the potential for academic intelligence cooperation as a soft power strategy within the framework of the Turkic World, with a specific focus on inter-university agreements, joint conferences, and cross-border knowledge-sharing initiatives. Conceptually, the study is anchored in the frameworks of knowledge diplomacy, epistemic sovereignty, and intelligence studies. It argues that academic institutions in the Turkic states can act not only as educational hubs but also as low-cost, high-impact platforms for building long-term strategic trust and regional intelligence literacy. Methodologically, the paper employs a comparative analysis of formal cooperation protocols between universities in Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. It also maps collaborative academic networks using publicly accessible data from platforms such as ULAKBİM, Eurasian academic forums, and university-level MoUs under the umbrella of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). The analysis highlights both the underutilized capacity for joint research in security and intelligence fields and the structural, political, and bureaucratic barriers impeding more robust cooperation. The paper concludes that academic intelligence cooperation could serve as a strategic entry point for developing shared analytical frameworks, enhancing mutual threat perception, and cultivating epistemic independence from dominant Western paradigms. By fostering regionally grounded academic infrastructures, Turkic states can contribute to a pluralized global knowledge order and reinforce regional security through intellectual sovereignty.
Keywords: Knowledge Diplomacy, Intelligence Studies, Epistemic Sovereignty, Turkic States,Academic Cooperation.