VHB SMART funds ten new digital learning units for Turkic Studies

We are pleased to announce that our project “VHB SMART Turkish – Digital Learning Units for Turkic Studies” has been approved for the funding period 2026–2027 by the Virtual University of Bavaria (vhb).

Within the framework of the project, ten digital learning units will be developed that present Turkish from a new perspective. Rather than focusing on isolated vocabulary or grammatical structures, the units explore the use of language in social, academic, and professional contexts.

Terms and concepts are not learned in isolation or understood merely through their dictionary definitions. Instead, they are embedded within their historical, cultural, and institutional contexts. In this way, the learning units connect linguistic knowledge with the contextual knowledge required for communication and interaction in different fields of practice.

Thematically, the units cover areas ranging from science, education, and administration to law, healthcare, and economics, as well as migration and public space.

The materials are designed for students of Turkic Studies and learners of Turkish as a foreign language, but they can also support people who navigate between German and Turkish linguistic and knowledge environments. This includes Turkish speakers living in Germany as well as people from Türkiye who wish to better understand academic, professional, or institutional structures in Germany. In this way, the units facilitate linguistic access to knowledge, institutions, and social participation – both in Germany and in Türkiye.

The aim of the project is to make Turkish visible as a language of communication, knowledge, and social interaction. The scientifically grounded and interactive modules provide a contemporary approach to Turkish that goes far beyond traditional vocabulary and grammar learning.

We would like to sincerely thank the Virtual University of Bavaria (vhb) for its trust and support and look forward to the successful implementation of the project.