Erdoğan hails economic contribution of foreign students

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has lauded the economic impact of foreign students in Türkiye, highlighting their contribution of $3 billion annually.

"There are 340,000 students [in Türkiye] from 198 different countries in the world. Of them, 95 percent study with their own means," Erdoğan said at an event at Istanbul's Marmara University on Sept. 13.

Speaking at the opening of a new university complex in Istanbul's Marmara University,

This is a situation for "our country to be applauded, not criticized," he said.

"There are more than 7 million international students in the world today," Erdoğan said. "Countries like the U.S., Britain and Germany earn billions of dollars every year from foreign students, so there is a huge economic resource."

Beyond their economic impact, foreign students also contribute to Türkiye's tourism and cultural diplomacy after graduation, he added.

The president condemned what he described as a growing "wave of hatred" against foreigners.

"In recent years, racist fascism by those with roots abroad has started to hinder the efforts of our country," he said. "They want to create a wave of hatred against students, tourists and investors coming from our geography of heart."

Erdoğan said the recent backlash against international students and tourists aimed to incite hostility, particularly toward Muslims.

"We are a state with no history of colonialism despite ruling over three continents for centuries," Erdoğan said, referring to the Ottoman Empire. "No one can stain this white page."

Addressing Turkish youth, Erdoğan warned them not to be "swayed by these efforts."

"They have always used young people to intervene in politics, to prepare the ground for coups," he...