About the Institute
Turkology Institute
Founded in Australia on November 12, 2024, by Volkan Kaya Türüdü.
Founder
Volkan Kaya Türüdü
Born in Istanbul, Volkan Kaya Türüdü studied Mechanical Engineering at Dokuz Eylül University, graduating in 1997. He later earned a Master's degree in Business Administration while in England. After relocating to Sydney in 2005, he has worked for twenty years at a medical device company.
Mission & Philosophy
A National Duty, Pursued with Passion
The institute was established to honour the centennial of Atatürk's Institute of Turkic Studies, founded in 1924. While Türüdü describes himself as not a professional Turkologist, he is motivated by a quote attributed to scholar Annemarie Von Gabain: "Turkology is a profession for foreigners, but a national duty for Turks." His fascination with Turkish culture deepened through cultural visits to Turkey, Japan, and Kyrgyzstan, inspired by Atatürk's historical vision.