Turkish higher education faces exam reforms and student protests

Turkish higher education is facing significant shifts as the 2026-2027 academic year begins. Erol Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), has raised concerns regarding the increasing prevalence of multiple-choice exams across various disciplines, including law, social sciences, and engineering. Özvar noted that this trend may fail to adequately assess students' reasoning, analytical, and application skills, and has urged universities to adopt assessment methods that better reflect thinking processes and justification abilities.

At Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ), Özvar also called for the simplification of undergraduate curricula to reduce course density and increase emphasis on practical, project-based learning.

Simultaneously, tensions have risen at Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ), where students have organized protests against a 30 percent increase in dormitory fees. Demonstrators expressed frustration over rising living costs, inadequate housing capacity, and the difficulty of managing expenses with current student stipends, demanding that the price hikes be reversed and living conditions improved.