February 21, 2025

In the 2024 YKS, students at the top of the success rankings preferred newly opened software and artificial intelligence-based programs. Software and AI-based digital professions were among the most demanded careers.

The Council of Higher Education opened more than 70 new associate and undergraduate programs at 20 universities in this field. These programs started to serve with full occupancy rates. The Council of Higher Education will open digital and AI-based programs at 50 more universities this year. Thus, the number of universities opening digital and AI-based programs will increase to 70.

Cyber security-based undergraduate and associate degree programs also attracted great interest from students with high scores. The Cyber Security Engineering program at ITU, which was opened in the 2024-2025 academic year and admitted students for the first time, was preferred by students with the highest scores. The program admitted students from the top 2000 in the YKS success ranking. The program aims to train well-equipped experts against cyber threats.

In addition to the Cyber Security Engineering program at ITU, there are “Cyber Security Analyst and Operator” associate degree programs at Ankara University, Ege University, Gebze Technical University and ITU, and a “Cyber Security” associate degree program at Istanbul Ticaret University. These programs are also among the programs that accept students with high scores and attract great interest.

Prof. Dr. Zaim: “Interest in Cyber Security Engineering will further increase”

Prof. Dr. Abdül Halim Zaim, Dean of ITU Faculty of Computer and Informatics, said that the Cyber Security Engineering program will attract even more attention in the coming years and the entrance ranking will increase even more. He emphasized that they are in constant communication with the sector while creating the curriculum. Zaim stated that cyber security has become an important issue not only for the private sector, but also for the State and even cyber armies.

Prof. Dr. Bıçakçı: “We are training students to protect the cyber homeland”

Prof. Dr. Kemal Bıçakçı, Founding Director of ITU Vocational School of Cyber Security, drew attention to the success ranking of students who preferred the Cyber Security Analyst and Operator program and emphasized the importance of protecting the concept of “cyber homeland” in terms of national security.

Lecturer Terliksiz: “Students who are placed in the cyber security associate degree program can get transferred to the Cyber Security Engineering program with DGS”

Suat Terliksiz, lecturer at ITU Vocational School of Cyber Security, drew attention to the success of the program and stated that they are doing important work to meet Türkiye's needs in the field of cyber security. He stated that students are prepared for the sector with applied courses focused on their professions during their two-year period of study. Terliksiz emphasized that students who want to continue a four-year engineering program can also complete their undergraduate education by getting transferred to the Cyber Security Engineering program at the same university with DGS.

-He left the engineering program and enrolled in the associate degree program

Oğuz Polat, a first-year student of ITU Cyber Security Analyst and Operator program, emphasized that the training he received played an important role in preparing him for the sector.

Alper Bedirhan Mert, a first-year student in the same program, said, “Although I ranked 13 thousand in TYT and 73 thousand in AYT, I preferred this promising two-year program instead of engineering departments. We not only learn but also focus on practical training. In the last semester of the program, we have the opportunity to step directly into the sector through internships. I recommend this program to those who want to make a quick entry into the sector.”

He got transferred from mathematics to cyber security

Semih Kalkandelen, a student of ITU Cyber Security Analyst and Operator program who switched from mathematics to cyber security, stated that he made this decision with his interest in cyber security, which he sees as the profession of the future.

Alperen Doğan, a first-year student of ITU Cyber Security Analyst and Operator program, stated that in addition to his education, he made a significant contribution to his career by working part-time at the IT Department of the university.

“I preferred cyber security engineering over medicine”

Berra Deniz Yeter, a first-year ITU Cyber Security Engineering student, said, “I have always been interested in medicine, but I wanted to be engaged in a field of study combined with technology, not on humans. That's why I chose cyber security.”