Professor Deniz Ulke Kaynak

Keynote Speaker

Speaker Profile

Deniz Ulke Kaynak is a professor of International Relations at Istanbul University and a Senior Fellow of CRIC (Center for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict) at University of Oxford, Harris Manchester College and academic visitor of St Antony’s College at University of Oxford. She was previously the Rector of Bahcesehir University between 2007-2010. She teaches courses related to International Security and Terrorism. She has given undergraduate and graduate level courses at Istanbul University, Istanbul Bilgi University, Turkish War College and Turkish Air Force Academy. She has also been a WAAS (World Academy of Arts and Sciences) fellow since 2005.

She was also a member of the Istanbul Bilgi University Board of Trustees until 2014. She is still chairing the Advisory Board of Istanbul Bilgi University. She is currently board member of the International Dialogue Initiative (IDI), a private, international, multidisciplinary group comprised of psychoanalysts, academics, diplomats, and other professionals, which aims to examine large group differences, and the emotionally charged perception of those differences, for the purpose of understanding the effect of past trauma on present concerns and the contribution of large group identity anxieties to divisiveness and conflict.

Prof. Kaynak was assigned as a Wisemen Committee member (head of Marmara region) by the Turkish government, established for the Kurdish Peace process in 2013, as a result of her work on the issue of building peaceful solutions to terrorism problems over several years. She is also a commentator on TV channels and writes pieces for various newspapers. Prof. Kaynak is the author of 9 books and several academic articles as well as daily pieces.

Prof. Kaynak is known for her efforts for empowering women in the society and in Turkish business community. She is a founding member of Turkish Businesswomen Association (TIKAD) and The ’’Women on Board” cross-company mentoring program.

Prof. Kaynak holds a PhD and MA in International Relations from Istanbul University, Institute of Social Sciences. She also studied in security issues and completed the Terrorism and International Security School at St. Andrews University.