Ankara – The appointment of a political figure with links to Turkey’s ruling party as rector of a prominent university in Istanbul has sparked protests and raised concerns about deepening political intervention in higher education.
The whole picture: Turkey ranks 135th out of 144 countries in the Academic Freedom Index, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received the authority in 2016 to appoint university staff by decree. This was one of the many steps taken to strengthen its power after a failed coup.
- Erdoğan used this power last month to appoint Melih Bulu as rector of Bogazici University, known as Harvard in Turkey.
- Founded in 1863 as Robert College, the prestigious public university was the first American overseas higher education institution.
News management: The appointment sparked peaceful protests from students and faculty members who demanded Bulu’s resignation and the university’s permission to elect its own rector.
- Turkish police cracked down. More than 600 students have been detained since February 1 and at least ten are still under arrest.
- In recent days, peaceful protests have spread across the country in solidarity.
Game status: As protests continue, Bulu is trying to establish control over the university administration by appointing two vice-chancellors.
- On Friday, in a surprise move, Erdoğan bypassed the Higher Education Council to open two new faculties at the university – law and communications.
- Critics refer to it as a ‘Trojan horse’ movement that will allow Erdoğan to appoint additional academic staff. Existing staff had refused to cooperate with Bulu.
What are they saying: The Turkish government claims that the protesters are “extremists” who violate the ban on public gatherings because of COVID-19. Erdoğan and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu called them ‘terrorists’.
- Soylu even wrote on Twitter that the protesters are “LGBT perverts.” His tweet was quickly censored by Twitter.
- State Department spokesman Ned Price condemned the anti-LGBT comments of Turkish officials, expressed concern about the wider response to the protests, and said the Biden administration would not remain silent on issues related to fundamental democratic freedoms.
- During a phone call last week with Erdogan’s top adviser Ibrahim Kalin, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration would show a “broad commitment to supporting democratic institutions and the rule of law” in Turkey. , according to the White House reading.
What’s next: Decisions on the potential pursuit of detained students will be made within two months, in accordance with legal procedures. The protests are expected to continue, and academics read a statement every day with their backs to the rectory.