IIM Kozhikode Ends MoU With Turkey's Sabancı University In Line With National Interest

The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) has officially ended its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sabancı University, Turkey, citing national interest as the primary reason. The termination, effective immediately, halts all academic collaborations and associated activities that were part of the agreement.

In an official statement issued on Tuesday, IIM Kozhikode informed Sabancı University of the decision, highlighting that the termination was made upon the advice of the Competent Authority. The statement also emphasized that all academic partnerships between the two institutions are now nullified.

"As advised by the Competent Authority, this is to inform that our Institute, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode, hereby terminates Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with your University, Sabanci University, Turkey, with immediate effect. Consequently, all academic partnerships and associated activities are hereby cancelled in view of national interest," reads the notification.

"You are hereby advised to remove our Institute's name from all records, websites, and any other related platforms or publications with immediate effect," further added.

Background of the Agreement

The agreement, which was signed in September 2023, had a term of five years and aimed to foster academic collaboration, particularly in areas such as student exchange programs.

Similar Actions by Other Indian Universities

This move by IIM Kozhikode comes after similar actions taken by other prominent Indian universities. Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab had previously terminated all MoUs with institutions in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Other universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad, and Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) in Kanpur had also suspended agreements with Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Additionally, MANUU had cancelled its MoU with the Yunus Emre Institute, Turkey, for a diploma course, following similar concerns.