Intermediary Bodies and Universities: Autonomy in Turkey

Abstract

This paper describes conditions in Turkey's higher education system prior to the 1981 Reform Law, and discusses developments that have taken place between 1982–1995. The Higher Education Council was established as the supreme intermediary body vested with powers and responsibilities for the nationwide governance of higher education. The Council is fully autonomous and, in its structures and powers, resembles a state board of trustees for a multi-campus system. Since 1981, the Turkish higher education system has been transformed from a degenerated version of the old model to a system with many affinities to the Anglo-American model. Furthermore, the number of universities has doubled, closer cooperation and coordination among institutions has been established, and the number of faculty members and students has increased considerably. In addition, several projects have been implemented to raise the quality of higher education and to encourage scientific research and publications.