Drawing on critical discourse analysis and framed by the concepts of neo-Ottomanism, econo-Islamism, and pan-Turkism, the study analyses policy documents, media sources, and academic literature. The analysis shows that internationalisation is used strategically to position the country as a regional power and to strengthen ties with regions such as Central Asia, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. Tools such as scholarship programmes and overseas educational institutions support geopolitical objectives and soft power narratives. This distinctive approach offers an alternative lens to dominant IHE discourses and contributes to more critical perspectives on internationalisation. The study concludes that a more balanced integration of diplomatic and educational goals could enhance internationalisation efforts.

Forthcoming in the Special Issue: Internationalisation in Higher Education: beyond the Western Horizon.

Link to the article: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03050068.2025.2520721?__cf_chl_tk=LdAD0K8dHBt7iH2OagZGSAwdp6XigVCRz4e5evY3NF8-1754316515-1.0.1.1-tCGm8.bmC8G9oTkBgnWSkVYp60KJpDJRV7LTvYUBRao