Higher Education Reforms in Turkey

The new elected Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, recently announced dramatic changes in HE reforms of Turkey. The changes include the abolishment of the current Higher Education Board (YÖK) System. The duties of YÖK will be overtaken by the Inter-University Coordination Board (ÜAK). Their plans of the new HE Board are to work on programs to coordinate between the Universities. With the new system, the rectors of the Universities will be elected by the University Senates.

The Turkish newspaper, Todays Zaman, writes that: “The ÜAK will submit to the president a list of three rectors chosen by universities without making any changes in the order voted. In the election of Deans, the Rector will refer the candidate with the highest number of votes to the ÜAK along with his opinion, thus making universities more autonomous in the process».