Press Release
December 11, 2019
As the Council of Higher Education, we have realized a series of projects
by prioritizing growth and development aimed at quality and by being aware
of the importance of high-quality knowledge and human resources for our
country to reach its development objectives.
In line with our recent objectives, we have realized projects such as
mission differentiation and specialization at universities, target-oriented
internationalization, 100/2000 Doctoral Project, which aims to train
competent individuals in the prioritized fields of Turkey, strengthening of
fundamental sciences, digitalization in higher education, open access and
open science. We will launch other projects in the upcoming days.
It is a well-known fact that the Council of Higher Education has been
leading these processes in transparency and by informing stakeholders and
the public, sharing and transferring authority, and not interfering
unnecessarily.
As of today, there are 207 higher education institutions in Turkey: 129
state universities, 47 foundation universities, and five foundation
vocational schools. As CoHE, we have always emphasized that the system had
completed its quantitative growth and that it needed to gain more depth
through qualitative growth, namely vertical growth. We will continue to
highlight it.
In this context, the inadequacy of the laws pertaining to foundation
universities, which have increased in number in recent years, is the source
of many public issues as well as social criticism and reactions on specific
topics. It would be appropriate to evaluate the confiscation executed for
Istanbul Şehir University, which has been making headlines recently, the
results of this process, and the position of the Higher Education Council
on the issue.
Established on May 31, 2008, İstanbul Şehir University has seven faculties
consisting of Law, Communication, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Islamic
Sciences, Business and Management Sciences, Architecture and Design,
Engineering, and Natural Sciences, and a vocational school. More than seven
thousand students are pursuing their studies at this university.
It will be beneficial to reveal the following facts to understand the issue
regarding Istanbul Şehir University.
Foundation universities are different from state universities in terms of
administrative and financial mechanisms. Foundation universities have an
autonomous status and are not legally liable to the management or guidance
of the Council of Higher Education about their financial procedures. The
Council of Higher Education has authority only to transfer funds.
Therefore, the use of bank loans by foundation universities is a private
law relationship between universities and banks. As required by legislation
in force, it is not subject to the approval or involvement of the Council
of Higher Education. The decision to use a loan is made independently of
the Council of Higher Education and taken by the parties.
As is known, the confiscation executed for Istanbul Şehir University due to
the unsecured loans made headlines. The Council of State’s ruling regarding
the reversal of the administrative procedure for the transfer of the
immovable property, which was provided as collateral for loan disbursement,
is the basis of the act of the bank.
The Council of Higher Education has contacted the university authority
without delay and communicated to the university its expectation for the
use of all means and methods to solve the issue.
On the other hand, the Council of Higher Education cannot be held
responsible for the legal processes faced by a foundation university as a
result of its decisions and financial decisions due to its autonomous
structure.
No authorities have inculcated the Council of Higher Education in any way
regarding the results of the issue of a bank allowing the use of loans at
the request of a university. The comments and claims in this regard are far
from reflecting the reality. The Council of Higher Education is already
aware and conscious of the fact that it is obliged to protect the public
interest while making decisions.
On the other hand, this situation shows how accurate it is that the Council
of Higher Education has repeatedly stated that there is a need for some
legal arrangements to prevent potential problems.
As the Council of Higher Education, we realize the gravity of the situation
and watch the process closely, including meeting with the authorities and
decision-makers of the university.
It should be known that our priority is our students who continue their
education. We respectfully announce to the public, especially our students,
that the utmost attention and sensitivity will be shown to ensure that our
students will not be affected in any way.