Fake diploma scandal rocks Turkish Cypriot universities

NICOSIA

Turkish Cypriot universities are once again under scrutiny for rampant corruption allegations involving fake diplomas and bribery — a situation educational authorities largely attribute to the unregulated expansion of higher education institutions and inadequate oversight.

The latest scandal unfolded with the arrest of the former education minister, Kemal Dürüst, who served as the vice chairman at Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University's (KSTU) board of trustees.

Dürüst's arrest marks the latest in a series of incidents that have plagued the country’s higher education sector over the past decade.

Authorities have yet to disclose the exact number of fraudulent diplomas issued by KSTU.

The investigation has since expanded to include the regulatory body responsible for overseeing universities, YÖDAK.

Turgay Avcı, the head of the council, was also arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes in exchange for diplomas. While Dürüst has been released on bail, Avcı remains under investigation.

The scandal has sent shockwaves through the Turkish Cypriot parliament, prompting Education Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu to vow swift action. "One closure after another will soon be on the agenda," he stated in response to criticism.

Abdullah Yücel Öztoprak, deputy head of Cyprus International University's board of trustees, warned that the crisis was inevitable given the proliferation of universities and lax oversight.

"The number of universities is too high, and the mechanism to supervise them is insufficient," Öztoprak told daily Milliyet, calling for independent audits of universities to ensure accountability.

"Universities that do not meet the standards should be closed," he asserted, urging intervention from Türkiye to address the crisis.

The academic staff union of Eastern Mediterranean University echoed similar sentiments, decrying the unregulated expansion of universities as a breeding ground for corruption. "This area, where the state has no control, has created a fake diploma paradise," the union stated, advocating for the closure of substandard institutions.

Turkish Cyprus currently boasts a disproportionately high number of universities compared to global averages, with the island's northern side boasting one institution per 15,000 people, far surpassing global averages.