In a recent analysis of higher education in Turkey, Ayça Alemdaroğlu details a shift in how the state manages academic institutions under the Justice and Development Party (AKP). The transformation, characterized by the co-opting of university administrations and the expansion of state-aligned institutions, has led to a significant erosion of academic freedom. This trend toward political compliance has affected prestigious campuses, including Boğaziçi or Middle East Technical University, through the application of administrative authority and emergency decrees.
Over the last 25 years, the Turkish government has pursued a strategy regarding its universities. While access to institutions of higher education has expanded greatly, the state has worked to contain dissenting voices within established institutions. This effort has been mirrored by the construction and opening of new universities in provincial settings, in order to build its own hegemonic institutions. According to observations by Alemdaroğlu, this reorientation of the academy has been achieved through the combined force of ordinary administrative authority and extraordinary instruments such as emergency decrees.
The Erosion of Academic Autonomy
The transition toward a more controlled university environment is a process. As noted in the 2026 findings, the AKP’s approach relies on a combination of ordinary administrative tools and extraordinary measures, including emergency decrees. These mechanisms have been used to reorient universities toward political compliance.
Prestigious institutions have faced pressure. At Boğaziçi University and Middle East Technical University, the state has attempted to coerce and repress the strongest and most outspoken voices.
Institutional Shifts and Private Sector Pressures
The complexity of this environment was highlighted in May 2026, when Istanbul Bilgi University faced an abrupt closure and swift re-opening. The event drew attention because the institution is one of Turkey’s leading private universities and an avant-garde institution for liberal and progressive academics. The incident serves as an example of how administrative or legal interventions can disrupt the operations of private universities.
The state’s strategy of constructing and opening new universities in provincial settings serves to build its own hegemonic institutions. By scaling up the number of institutions, the government has expanded access to higher education.
Historical Context and Academic Resistance
The current state of the Turkish academy is rooted in developments that have unfolded over the last 25 years. The MESA Committee on Academic Freedom has issued letters on Turkey.
Readers interested in the evolution of these policies are encouraged to review the latest academic journals and reports from higher education advocacy groups for further analysis.
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