Participants who successfully complete eligible certificate programs offered by university Continuing Education Centers from Oct. 1, 2026, will receive certificates issued centrally by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) through Türkiye's e-Government portal, marking the first time such credentials will be digitally verified under a nationwide system.
According to a statement released by YÖK on Monday, the new practice is part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening quality assurance in lifelong learning and establishing a more standardized and reliable certification system across higher education institutions.
Under the new framework, certificate programs will be evaluated against common quality standards, while those meeting the required criteria will be eligible to align with the micro-credentials approach, further integrating short-term learning into the higher education system.
As a result, quality assurance in higher education will become more integrated, bridging degree programs and short-term lifelong learning courses.
In a letter sent to universities last week, YÖK announced that all Continuing Education Center certificate programs launched from Oct. 1, 2026, will be subject to its evaluation.
Participants who successfully complete approved programs will receive certificates issued centrally by YÖK through the e-Government Gateway, making them digitally verifiable for the first time. Applications will be submitted electronically through the Higher Education Information System (YÖKSİS) infrastructure.
Public institutions and employers will be able to verify certificates electronically, enhancing the reliability and international recognition of educational credentials.
YÖK President Erol Özvar said that learning in the information age extends beyond university education and emphasized that the reforms in higher education aim to ensure individuals can acquire the knowledge and competencies they need throughout their lives within a robust quality assurance system.
He said that the reforms, ranging from the Micro-Credentials Framework to certificate programs, create a comprehensive structure that supports lifelong learning through quality assurance.
"Our Continuing Education Centers are important institutions that respond to society's evolving educational needs," Özvar said.
"We are bringing the certificate programs offered by our universities under common quality standards. While this initiative guarantees the quality of education, it also provides our citizens with certificates that are verifiable through the e-Government portal, reliable and aligned with international standards," he explained.
