Prof. Yekta Sarac
The head of Turkish Higher Education Council (Yüksek Öğretim Kurulu) Prof. Yekta Saraç, sent a briefing statement on the latest agenda of FETO and attempted coup-related subjects, outlining the current’s situation’s status in more details.
Sending his statement to over 100 organisations incluginh European University Association and Bologna Follow-up Group, Prof Saraç referred to the recent critiques that he has been receiving over the instant decisions of shutting down universities, colleges and some tuition schools in Turkey. Prof. Saraç’s letter was widely published on Times Higher Education’s website.
“PRECAUTIONS ARE FOR PROTECTING OUR EDUCATION FREEDOM”
Senior figure sees ‘strong signals’ that Turkey’s academy has been infiltrated, despite international criticism and defended the sacking and suspensions of university staff after last month’s failed coup attempt. Some 1,500 university deans were suspended in the aftermath of the 15 July putsch, which also saw four university presidents sacked and about 20,000 education staff fired or suspended – an action that attracted criticism from academics, politicians and civil rights groups across the world.
Professor Saraç, said that there was “no doubt that the recent coup attempt was organized by an illegal organization called FETÖ/PDY which has infiltrated into many state agencies for decades” and that there were “strong signals that the members of this illegal organization may have penetrated into our higher education system”.
“We see such well-organized illegal organizations as one of the biggest threats to autonomy of our institutions and the academic freedom of our faculty members,” said Professor Saraç, adding that YOK must be “vigilant in cutting the ties of any illegal organization with our universities”.
Professor Saraç said that YOK was now doing its “best to ensure that academic, scientific, and educational functions of our universities continue without any interruption”, while arguing that firm action was needed in light of this “serious attack”.
“Although [the] Turkish public have courageously eradicated the attack, the risks will remain if the crucial state institutions, including the universities, are not cleared from the perpetrators,” he said.