YOK to open institute of living languages

Responding to a request by Mardin Artuklu University to set up a department of Kurdish language and literature, the Board of Higher Education (YOK) has agreed to open an Institute of Living Languages in Turkey. Speaking after a meeting yesterday, YOK head Yusuf Ziya Ozcan told reporters, “If the university wants, it can supplement this with Kurdish master and doctorate programs or with programs on Persian, Arabic and Syriac.” He added, “This is a solution which embraces not only Kurdish but also other languages.”