Turkey's Parliament Proposes Tougher Penalties for Fake Diplomas and University Amnesty

The ruling AK Party has submitted a 28‑article amendment to the Higher Education Law to the Turkish Grand National Assembly. The draft introduces prison terms of up to five years for individuals who produce counterfeit diplomas, certificates or degrees, and up to four years for operators of unauthorized higher‑education institutions, with additional administrative fines. It also provides a university amnesty allowing students whose enrollment was terminated for non‑criminal reasons to resume studies in the 2026‑2027 academic year, while excluding those convicted of terrorism, homicide, sexual offenses, drug trafficking or plagiarism.

Further provisions require security vetting for all academic staff before appointment, grant state universities the right, by presidential decree, to establish overseas campuses, and tighten regulations and penalties for private (foundation) universities, including possible revocation of operating licences and financial oversight measures.