Universities will 'no longer be known for bans,' says Erdoğan

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring that universities in Türkiye "remain free from bans, oppression, fights or ideological impositions."

"I would like to underline that we are proud of our universities and academics and that we expect many more successes from them. We will continue to support you in all our efforts in science, culture and education with all kinds of qualifications," Erdoğan stated during the opening ceremony of the new academic year in the capital Ankara on Oct. 9.

The president underscored the role of knowledge in guiding humanity, asserting, "On the other hand, those who fall behind in science and academia cannot avoid falling behind in other areas as well."

Erdoğan recalled historical instances where universities in Türkiye "were embroiled in political conflicts and ideological disputes," emphasizing the need to prevent their misuse.

"We saw that universities were used as part of tutelage plans before the May 27 [1960] coup. Before March 12 [1971 military memorandum] and Sept. 12 [1980 coup], universities became the center of ideological conflicts," he remarked.

Erdoğan, particularly, referenced the events following the Feb. 28, 1997, military memorandum, saying, "Shameful scenes are engraved in our memory... We remember the witch hunt that was started in universities, which are the symbols of freedom, using the teachers themselves, as if it were yesterday."

Erdoğan made a commitment not to allow universities to be associated with bans, oppression, fights, or ideological impositions again, and he vowed that a small number of "indigestive marginals" would also face these realities.

In his address, Erdoğan also highlighted the broader role of universities in society, stating, "Universities have roles beyond providing professional formation to individuals. They are universal institutions with their own traditions that contribute to the intellectual development of students and enable them to discover their talents."

The president urged a more holistic perspective on universities, saying, "Seeing universities only as places to learn science or profession is a shallow perspective. The main function of the university is to lead the transfer and development of culture, to build the system of ideas of the period, and to raise the level of society."

Erdoğan also pointed out the positive impact of dynamic, free and developed universities on society, warning that without such institutions, stagnation and decline could occur in education, culture, arts and industry.

Moreover, Erdoğan shared statistics regarding higher education in the country. He noted that the net enrollment rate in higher education had risen from 14 percent in 2002 to 45 percent in 2023.

Türkiye's higher education also boasts over 7 million students, making it the leader in Europe. Additionally, the country ranks among the top 10 nations globally with the highest number of international students, hosting nearly 340,000 students from 198 different countries.