The Oxford Birsöz Initiative is a community interest company that was established in Oxford with the aim of advancing the study of Central Asian and Turkic languages and cultures. Historically, the only Turkic language taught at Oxford was Turkish (the official language of Turkey), although the team behind Birsöz has recently established permanent Azerbaijani teaching at the University.
Unfortunately, the ancient and modern Turkic languages of Central Asia, such as Chagatai, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Turkmen, and Uighur, have been largely overlooked. As a result, much of the literary, cultural, and material heritage associated with these languages and peoples remains inaccessible to researchers, students and the wider public. Birsöz aims to change this.
To achieve this we:
- Provide teaching and educational resources for lesser-studied Turkic languages.
- Promote the study of the literary, cultural, and material heritages of Turkic-speaking countries and regions.
- Facilitate collaborative partnerships between the University of Oxford and institutions in Central Asia.
- Assist and facilitate fieldwork and research trips to countries in Central Asia.
- Award prizes and grants for talented students and scholars in the field.
- Organise outreach programmes for schools and diaspora communities in Oxfordshire.
