Liberal university shut in Istanbul

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the closure of Bilgi University in Istanbul on Friday, effective immediately, through an official decree. The decision targets the private institution, which enrolls over 20,000 students from Turkiye and abroad, including renowned researchers in various fields. The closure follows a law permitting the shutdown of private institutions if their educational standards fall below expectations. The Council of Higher Education in Turkiye stated it would take necessary measures to ensure students—particularly those in social sciences—suffer no harm ahead of their end-of-year exams next month. However, the council did not clarify whether students would be transferred to other universities or how they would complete their academic obligations. Bilgi University, established over 30 years ago, has faced criticism and legal scrutiny under Erdogan’s administration. The university has been recognized for its liberal academic environment, which may have contributed to the government’s decision. Yaman Akdeniz, a law professor at Bilgi, expressed outrage on X, calling the closure an abrupt end to decades of institutional effort. The decree, published in the official journal, provides no further details on the specific reasons for the closure beyond the vague education standards. The move raises concerns about academic freedom and the future of students enrolled in the institution, with no immediate solutions offered by authorities.