Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the opening ceremony of the 2026-2027 academic year at the Beştepe Millet Congress and Culture Center in Ankara. In his speech, Erdogan discussed the development of Türkiye’s higher education system, the growing role of artificial intelligence in education, and the responsibilities of universities in science, research and innovation. According to the president, Türkiye has significantly expanded access to higher education in recent years.
The number of universities in the country has increased from 76 to 208, while the number of students has reached approximately 6.3 million. Turkish universities currently employ around 190,000 academics and researchers. Erdogan said Türkiye is also strengthening its position in the global academic system.
The country ranks 15th among 213 countries in terms of the number of scientific articles and review publications. The president also said that in 2026, two Turkish universities were ranked among the world’s top 300 universities, while six Turkish universities entered the top 500. At the same time, he stressed that international rankings should not become the sole criterion for evaluating universities.
According to Erdogan, Turkish universities should do more than achieve high positions in international rankings. They should also generate new scientific knowledge, develop original theories, models and systems, and produce technological solutions. The Turkish president devoted particular attention to the rapid spread of artificial intelligence in education.
Erdogan said the accuracy of information provided by artificial intelligence systems and the reliability of the sources they use can often raise questions. For this reason, he argued, the relationship between students and teachers should not be reduced solely to the transfer of information. Erdogan emphasized that people must remain at the center of the educational process.
The president also said knowledge acquired without independent research and personal effort is quickly forgotten. Erdogan called on universities to pay greater attention to what is known as their “third mission” — the economic and social contribution of higher education institutions beyond education and scientific research. According to Erdogan, universities should cooperate more closely with the real sector of the economy and take labor market needs into account.
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