“Internationalization of

Turkish Higher Education

System: Strategies and
Opportunities"

Muhammet Akif ATAMAN

Specialist
Council of Higher Education (CoHE)
International Relations Department
 Council of Higher Education

► CoHE is responsible for

the planning,
14
governing, Members
appointed by
coordination and the President
of Turkey for a
supervision of higher period of 4
years
education in Turkey. Executive
Board
► It is a non-political,
9
autonomous supreme
Members
corporate body which selected among
the members of
has 21 members. the Board
7
► The President of CoHE is Members
elected by
appointed by the Inter-University
Board for a
President of Turkey. period of 4
years
 HE at a Glance in Turkey

Number of Higher Education Institutions

Public
(State)
Universities
129

Overall
Vocation HEIs (Non-profit)
al School Foundation
of HEIs
206 Universities
72
5
 HE at a Glance in Turkey

Changes in Turkish Higher Education System

2001-2018

► Number of HEIs: 75 → 206

► Number of Students: 1.664.000 → 7.560.371
► Number of Faculty Members: 23.975 → 80.478
► Number of Academic Staff: 66.750 →163.622

Largest Country within EHEA in terms of Student

Numbers in Higher Education System!
 HE at a Glance in Turkey

The Number of Programs in Turkish Higher Education System

35.000

30.000
29.630
25.000

20.000
In Total
15.000
58.092
13.096
10.000
10.411

5.000
5.626
139
0
Associate Bachelors Masters Ph. D. Degree Proficiency in
Degree Degree Degree Arts Degree
 Internationalization of Turkish HE

Total Number of International Students Studying in Turkey

(2001-2018)
140.000
148.868
123.836

125.138
120.000 108.076

100.000 87.903

72.178
80.000

60.000 48.183

43.251

40.000 31.933
27.329
21.948
16.656 16.328 15.719 15.298 15.428 16.059 16.455 17.389 18.720
20.000

0
 Internationalization of Turkish HE

Total Number of International Students Studying in Turkey, by Degree

(2017-2018)
Associate Degree B.A. Degree
Total
Total 13.909 Total
Male 35%
148.868 38%
8.636
106.505
Male
35% 62% Female 65% 69.079
Male 5.273 Female

96.197 37.426

65% Masters Degree Total PhD Degree

Female
20.198 Total
52.671 36%
Male
33% 8.216
12.944
Male
Female 5.538
64% 67%
7.254 Female
Male Female 2.678
 Internationalization of Turkish HE

Top 10 Countries Sending International Student to Turkey

Country Number
Syria 27.606
Azerbaijan 18.830
Turkmenistan 16.592
Iran 7.144
Afghanistan 6.632
Iraq 6.468
Germany 4.310
Somalia 3.077
Bulgaria 3.003
Egypt 2.757
 Internationalization of Turkish HE

Top 10 Countries of Foreign Academicians Working in

Turkish Universities
COUNTRY NUMBER
USA 353
Total SYRIA 331
IRAN 305
Number: AZERBAIJAN 295
3.213 UK 192
GERMANY 167
TRNC 102
EGYPT 93
RUSSIA 90
GREECE 78
 2013-2014

2014-2015

2016-2017
2012-2013

2015-2016

2017-2018
5.516 3.988 4.511 4.853 4.659 4.255
In
Total
Number of International Students in Turkish 27.782
Universities
getting Türkiye Scholarships, per years
 Mevlana Exchange Programme

TERM Incoming Outgoing Incoming Outgoing TOTAL

Students Students Faculty Faculty
Members Members
2013-2014 319 126 128 320 893
2014-2015 645 269 410 777 2.101
2015-2016 554 269 142 0 965
2016-2017 507 884 286 0 1.677
2017-2018 588 759 154 0 1.501
2018-2019 Project415
Based International Exchange Program
596 284 0 1.295
TOPLAM 3.028 2.903 1.404 1.097 8.432

 2.782 Mevlana Exchange Protocols (since 2013)

 82 different countries
 Project Based Mevlana Exchange Program

TERM INCOMING OUTGOING INCOMING OUTGOING TOTAL

STUDENTS STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACADEMIC
STAFF STAFF
2017-2018 42 68 65 95 270
2018-2019 51 51 70 85 257
TOTAL 93 119 135 180 527

The exchange of academics and students has been financed by

CoHE through 93 joint scientific projects of Turkish Universities and
Universities from 36 differrent countries.
 Internationalization of Turkish HE

Erasmus Exchange Programme

Academic Outgoing Incoming
Year Students Students
2008/09 7.794 2.658
2009/10 8.758 3.336
Erasmus Exchange 2010/11 10.095 4.288
Programme
2011/12 11.826 5.651
Turkey has been a 2012/13 14.412 7.300
successfull country in
2013/14 15.084 7.403
Erasmus programme for
higher education. 2014/15 14.710 7.948
2015/16 16.215 7.438
2016/17 15.827 3.379
2017/18 17.092 2.785
Total 131.813 52.186
 Internationalization of Turkish HE

Number of Joint/Double USA 74

Agreements UK 52
(Top 10 Countries) FRANCE 30
GERMANY 29
NETHERLANDS 7
MALAYSIA 5
KAZAKHSTAN 5
In Total TRNC 4

229 RUSSIA
SPAIN
3
2
 Internationalization of Turkish HE

Countries Benefiting from YÖK Scholarships

Country Number Degree Number

Albania 9 Bachelor 109
Bangladesh 8 Master 2
Gambia 9 Doctorate 28
Kosovo 44 Total 139
Macedonia 4
Pakistan 30
Palestine 13
Rwanda 19
Ukraine 3
Total 139
 Internationalization of Turkish HE
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MoU)
Countries we have signed MoU Protocols
Countries

1.Albania 10.Gambia 19.Uzbekistan 28.South Korea

2.Algeria 11.Iraq 20.Pakistan 29.Sudan
3.Azerbaijan 12.Iran 21.Palestine 30.Taiwan
4.Bahrain 13.Kelantan (Malaysia) 22.Philippines 31.Tchad
5.Bangladesh 14.Kosovo 23.Qatar 32.Tunisia
6.Belarus 15.Morocco 24.Romania 33.Ukraine (Crimea)
7.Burundi 16.Macedonia 25.Rwanda 34.Uganda
8.Djibouti 17.Malaysia 26.Somalia 35.Zambia
9.Ethiopia 18.Niger 27.South Sudan

1982-2014 (15 Countries in 32 years)

2014-2019 (35 Countries in 5 years)

 Internationalization of Turkish HE

1
• Establishment of International Relations Department

2
• Internationalization Strategy Paper

• Study in Turkey Project (studyinturkey.gov.tr)

3

• Improvement of Equivalency/Recognition Process

4

5
• TORQUAS Project

6
• Hosting International Events (Vice Chancellors Forum)

• Close Relationship with Turkish Institutions (YTB, TİKA, Yunus

7 Emre Institute, TÜBİTAK, Maarif Foundation, Embassies, etc.)
 Thank You!
Muhammet Akif ATAMAN
Specialist
Council of Higher Education (CoHE)
International Relations Department
akif.ataman@yok.gov.tr