In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, this idea turned a concrete step with the opening of a master program on the Middle East under the Social Science Institute of Sakarya University in May 2012.

Those who opened Master-level programs organized the first Middle East Congress on Politics and Society between 9 and 11 October 2012.

As part of its mission, Sakarya University Middle East Institute offers a variety of opportunities including conferences, lecture series, workshops, and outreach activities.

[6] The institute also publishes booklets, detailed reports, policy briefs, and short commentaries on current affairs of the Middle East.

Prior to the establishment of the institute, this congress was organized firstly by Department of International Relations, Sakarya University in 2012.