The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) is preparing to introduce a structural reform that could significantly reshape Türkiye’s higher education landscape, including a model that would allow students to complete a standard four-year undergraduate degree within three years without reducing academic content, credits or learning outcomes.
The announcement was made by YÖK President professor Erol Özvar on Monday during a senate meeting held as part of his official visit to Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University in Istanbul. Özvar emphasized that the proposed reform is being developed through close consultation with universities and is aligned with the “Turkish Higher Education Vision 2030,” which aims to modernize the system while preserving academic quality.
According to Özvar, the proposed model is based on the introduction of a third academic semester, enabling students to complete eight semesters over a shorter time frame. He underlined that the initiative does not involve reducing course loads, credit requirements or program qualifications, addressing concerns that accelerated graduation might compromise educational standards.
“There will be no reduction in education or training,” Özvar said. “We are not cutting credits or learning outcomes. On the contrary, we aim to make more effective use of time so that students can graduate earlier and enter professional life sooner.”
Özvar noted that similar systems are already in use in many countries and that some foundation universities in Türkiye have previously piloted comparable approaches. He added that the model would also generate financial efficiencies for both students and institutions by reducing overall costs associated with prolonged study periods.
Addressing broader reforms within the higher education system, Özvar highlighted the abolition of second-shift (evening) education programs, a move that has freed up significant time and capacity within universities. He said this change, combined with the removal of underperforming academic programs, has allowed institutions to reorganize their resources more effectively.
Programs that no longer provide strong employment prospects for graduates are being phased out, Özvar said, adding that YÖK will no longer allocate student quotas to such fields. He urged universities to abandon insistence on maintaining programs that fail to offer viable career pathways for students.
“Programs that do not provide students and their families with future opportunities will continue to be removed from the system,” he stated.
Özvar also announced that further quota adjustments will be implemented in disciplines that admit students based on national success rankings. Fields such as law, dentistry, pharmacy, architecture, psychology and certain education faculty programs will continue to see revisions aimed at balancing supply with labor-market demand.
At the same time, he advised students preparing for university entrance exams and their families to carefully monitor quota changes, success rankings and admission scores from previous years. Reviewing trends over the past three to five years, he said, would help applicants make more informed choices.
Another key element of YÖK’s reform agenda is the expansion of artificial intelligence and technology-focused programs. Özvar noted that nearly 20 interdisciplinary AI-based programs have been introduced in the past three years, including 13 at the undergraduate level. These programs are now offered across nearly 100 state universities, reflecting a strategic push to align higher education with emerging global technological trends.
In addition, YÖK has implemented significant quota reductions in departments traditionally linked to teaching careers, such as Turkish Language and Literature, History, Sociology, Philosophy, Anthropology and Art History. Özvar said these adjustments are part of an ongoing effort to prevent graduate oversupply in fields with limited employment capacity.
A strong emphasis was also placed on applied education and vocational training. Özvar criticized the short duration of internships in many programs, arguing that placements lasting only a few weeks fail to equip students with sufficient practical skills. “For practice-oriented vocational programs, internships should last at least a full semester,” he said.
YÖK is encouraging universities to adopt models such as 3+1 or 2+2, particularly at the associate degree level, to ensure that students spend more time in real-world professional environments. Özvar stressed that academic programs should no longer be dominated by theoretical coursework alone, noting that skills and competencies can only be developed through sustained practical application.
The 3+1 model means students study at the university for 3 semesters and spend 1 full semester in a workplace as a compulsory internship, gaining hands-on experience before graduation.
The 2+2 model splits education evenly, with 2 semesters of coursework and 2 semesters of applied training or workplace practice, especially in associate degree programs.
“Knowledge can be acquired in classrooms up to a certain point,” he said. “But skills and competencies require hands-on experience, both within universities and in cooperation with workplaces and institutions.”
