Dr. Osman Gültekin
About me
Dr. Osman Gültekin is an Assistant Professor at Istanbul Aydın University, where he also serves as Director of International Relations and holds the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Diplomacy, Governance and Education. He coordinates OWSD WISDOM Program at Istanbul Aydın University. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from Bahçeşehir University and completed postdoctoral research at Carleton University, Canada. His work focuses on international education, soft power, and diplomacy, and he leads initiatives fostering global academic collaboration.
Osman Gültekin
Coordinator of OWSD WISDOM Scholarship Program at İstanbul Aydın University
UNESCO Chair on Cultural Diplomacy, Governance and Education
Director of International Relations
Assistant Professor in Political Science and International Relations
STAR Scholars Country Director for Türkiye
Osman Gültekin holds the position of UNESCO Chair on Cultural Diplomacy, Governance, and Education at Istanbul Aydın University. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations within the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, where he also acts as the Director of the International Relations Directorate.
Dr. Gültekin is the country director for the STAR Scholars Network (Society of Transnational Academic Researchers) in Türkiye. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Economics at Boğaziçi University and earned an MBA from Bahçeşehir University. He obtained his Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from Bahçeşehir University, where he wrote his dissertation on "International Education and Soft Power." His doctoral research focused on the experiences of international students studying in Türkiye, surveying their perceptions and satisfaction with the educational environment. Additionally, he did his postdoctoral research at Carleton University in Canada.
Dr. Gültekin is the author of book series titled “Education and Power.” His academic interests encompass a wide range of topics, including International Relations Theories, Public Diplomacy, Education Diplomacy, Foreign Policy Analysis, Soft Power, Comparative Politics, Education and Development, Comparative Education, International Education, and the Internationalization of Higher Education.
In his roles as country director for Türkiye at the Society of Transnational Academic Researchers and as director for international relations at Istanbul Aydın University, Dr. Gültekin fosters collaboration among scholars across borders, enhancing research and educational opportunities within the international academic community. He conducts short-term UNESCO training programs in Peace and Diplomacy during the winter and summer seasons, attracting numerous teachers and students to Istanbul for an enriching cultural immersion experience.
Degrees:
- Presentation, Digital Transformation Managing in the Tourism Sector: Legal Aspects and Their Impact on Employee Engagement, 6th Marrakesh International Conference on Tourism Research (MICTR 2025) on Integrating Low-tech and High-tech Innovation: A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Sustainability of Territories and Destinations, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco, 10-13 November 2025
- Presentation, Education as a Catalyst for Peace and Inclusion: The IAU OWSD WISDOM Programme Model for Empowering Refugee Women in STEM, Society of Transnational Academic Researchers (STAR) Global Conference 2025 on Advancing Local Knowledge for a Brighter and Sustainable Future, İstanbul Aydın University, İstanbul, Türkiye, 10 October 2025
- Keynote Speaker – Society of Transnational Academic Researchers (STAR) Global Conference 2025 on Advancing Local Knowledge for a Brighter and Sustainable Future, İstanbul Aydın University, İstanbul, Türkiye, 8-14 October 2025
- Distinguished Speaker – Presentation in Round Table: Opportunities for Global Academic Mobility of Youth in a Multipolar World, presented in the 4th Kazan Global Youth Summit Programme hosted by Kazan Federal University and Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) in Tatarstan, Russia, on August 26-29th, 2025
- Distinguished Speaker – Presentation: Understanding the Complex and Evolving Connection between Global Education and International Political Contexts, presented in the 3rd International Conference on SDGs and Bibliometric Studies (ICOSBI) hosted by Universitas Negeri Surabaya (Indonesia), on July 12th, 2025 (online)
- Proceedings Book, 5th International Eurasian Conference on Educational and Social Studies (IECES 2025), May 2025, e-ISBN: 978-625-97667-7-7
- Abstract Book, 5th International Eurasian Conference on Educational and Social Studies (IECES 2025), May 2025, e-ISBN: 978-625-97667-6-8
- Presentation with M. A. Saadan Qasmani, “Marginalization of International Student Community in Global South”, presented in International Conference on Educational and Social Studies (IECES 2025), İstanbul Aydın University, İstanbul, Türkiye, 4-6 April 2025
- Presentation,“Education Beyond Borders: Intercultural Competence at the Heart of Global Relations”, presented in International Eurasian Conference on Educational and Social Studies (IECES 2025), İstanbul Aydın University, İstanbul, Türkiye, 4-6 April 2025
- SSCI - Peer Reviewed Article. Citation: Gultekin, O. (2025). Navigating the Intersection of International Politics and International Education: A Historical and Contemporary Analysis, Journal of International Students, 15(2), 25-45
- Distinguished Speaker – Presentation: The Development and Multi-faceted Nature of Relationship between International Education and International Politics, presented in Society of Transnational Academic Researchers (STAR) Global Conference hosted by Kathmandu University, on December 14th, 2024 in Kathmandu, Nepal
- SSCI - Editor, Special Issue, (2024), Journal of International Students, 14(5). (https://ojed.org/jis/issue/view/276)
- SSCI - Editorial Article. Citation: Gultekin, O. (2024). Navigating Challenges and Enriching Perspectives: Insights into the Experiences and Successes of International Students, Journal of International Students, 14(5), i-ii
- Presentation, “Role of Education in the Development of Countries: The Case of Türkiye”, presented in ISFT Summit on The Future of New Uzbekistan: Economic, Educational and Business, organized by International School of Finance Technology and Science, May 24-25th, 2024 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- Presentation, “Strategies and Tools for Ensuring Faculty Engagement in International Academic Activities”, presented in the presented in the Society of Transnational Academic Researchers (STAR) Conference on Paradigm Shift Across Borders, on April 20th, 2024.
- Book, “International Education and Soft Power: the Case of Turkey” in Turkish, 2022, İstanbul: Cinius. Original citation: Gültekin, O. (2022). Uluslararası Eğitim ve Yumuşak Güç: Türkiye Örneği. İstanbul: Cinius
- Book, “International Education and Student Mobility: the Case of Turkey” in Turkish, 2021, İstanbul: Cinius. Original citation: Gültekin, O. (2021). Uluslararası Eğitim ve Öğrenci Hareketliliği: Türkiye Örneği. İstanbul: Cinius
- Academic Paper, “Responses to the Limitations of Educational Soft Power Theory: Knowledge Diplomacy and Sharp Powers”, presented in the Society of Transnational Academic Researchers (STAR) 2021 Global Conference, in O.P. Jindal Global University on December 11th, 2021.
- Book Chapter, How National Education in Turkey Affected the Economic Growth and Development of the Country. In Koç, Ş. A.; Çağlar, Ü & Çevik, A. (2021), “Current Debates in Social Sciences 2021”, IJOPEC Publication: London.
- Academic Paper, “National Education for Economic Growth and Development in Turkey”, presented in International Congress on Current Debates in Social Sciences, in Kırklareli University on September 3rd, 2021.
- Peer Reviewed Article. Citation: Gultekin, O. (2021). Towards Knowledge Diplomacy or Sharp Powers in International Higher Education Business of Countries?, Academia Letters, Article 2324
- Peer Reviewed Article. Citation: Gultekin, O. (2021). Modernization and Societal Change through Education in the Late Ottoman Period and the Early Periods of Turkish Republic. Asian Journal of Social Science and Management Technology, 3(3), 130-135
- Peer Reviewed Article. Citation: Gultekin, O. (2021). The Phases of International Education and Internationalization Throughout History. World Journal of Education and Humanities, 3(2), 96-111
- Peer Reviewed Article. Citation: Gultekin, O. (2020). Inquiry on the Role of International Education in Future Diplomacy after the Covid-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education, 5(2), 146–154
- Book, “National Education and Construction of Power: the Case of Turkey” in Turkish, 2020, İstanbul: Cinius. Original citation: Gültekin, O. (2020). Ulusal Eğitim ve Güç İnşası: Türkiye Örneği. İstanbul: Cinius