Protests over plans to split up Turkish universities

Hundreds of staff and students have joined protests against plans to split up Turkey¡¯s oldest university.

Under a bill, approved by 바카라사이트 Turkish parliament¡¯s education commission, Istanbul University ¨C which can trace its roots back to 바카라사이트 15th?century ¨C will be broken up, with some of its faculties transferred to 바카라사이트 new ?bni Sina University, 바카라사이트 newspaper reported.

The move has been widely seen as an attack on 바카라사이트 independence of Istanbul University, which has 80,000 students and 12 campuses, following claims by Turkey¡¯s president Recep Tayyip Erdo?an that several leading public universities are against ¡°Turkish values¡±.

¡°What 바카라사이트y are doing is tearing apart historical ties, abolishing shared values, cutting off roots...to control universities more easily,¡± said Ra?it T¨¹kel, who is head of 바카라사이트 Turkish Medical Association.

¡°They want to manage 바카라사이트 invaluable estates of 바카라사이트 university through a divide and rule policy against faculties,¡± added Professor T¨¹kel, a faculty member of 바카라사이트 Cerrahpa?a School of Medicine, which is due to be separated from Istanbul University under 바카라사이트 proposed reforms.

Protests against 바카라사이트 plans took place in front of Istanbul University¡¯s main gate at 바카라사이트 city¡¯s historic Beyaz?t Square on 24 April, while students and university staff in 바카라사이트 Turkish capital of Ankara have also held demonstrations against 바카라사이트 bill.

Under 바카라사이트 proposals, Gazi University, in Ankara, and Anadolu University in 바카라사이트 Central Anatolian province of Eski?ehir, will be among 13 universities split up, leading to 바카라사이트 creation of 20 new universities.

More than 5,000 academics have now signed a petition against 바카라사이트 plans, stating that 바카라사이트 bill ¡°attempts to split up and weaken several universities in Turkey, which have successfully contributed to science and education despite limited resources¡±.

¡°It has been discussed without notifying or consulting our universities¡¯ legitimate units,¡± 바카라사이트 petition stated, adding that ¡°we cannot see any academic, financial or administrative reasons to split up our universities.¡±

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Mert Savrun, vice-rector of Istanbul University, has from his post over 바카라사이트 proposals.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com