YÖK Slashes University Quotas 23pct in Major Higher Education Shift

Turkey’s higher education landscape is undergoing a dramatic reset. The Yükseköğretim Kurulu (YÖK) has announced a 23% reduction in university quotas over the past two years, marking one of the most significant structural changes in recent academic planning.

YÖK President Erol Özvar described the move as a step toward restoring “quality and employment balance,” while education policy experts argue the decision signals deeper cracks in Turkey’s long-standing expansion model known as the “one university in every province” approach.

Total Quotas Drop by Nearly 250,000

According to official figures shared by YÖK, total university quotas fell from 1,090,014 in 2023 to 843,547 in 2025. This represents a reduction of 246,467 seats nationwide.

The restructuring spans both undergraduate and associate degree programs. Among bachelor’s programs, quotas were reduced in 197 of 462 departments, resulting in a 117,606-seat decrease. In associate degree programs, student intake was completely halted in 13 departments.

Additionally, second-shift (evening) education programs were shut down entirely, signaling a strategic consolidation of resources.

In a public statement, Özvar explained that the reform was conducted in cooperation with the Ministries of Health, Justice, National Education, and Industry and Technology, with a focus on aligning university output with labor market needs.

“We have closed second-shift programs; we reduced quotas in many undergraduate and associate degree programs where the graduate-employment balance had weakened,” Özvar stated.

Employment-Oriented Planning or Policy Failure?

While YÖK frames the cuts as part of a data-driven, employment-focused reform, critics see a different narrative.

Education and labor market policy expert Turgay Polat characterized the data as “a declaration of the collapse of the government’s higher education policy.”

For years, Turkey pursued aggressive university expansion, dramatically increasing campus numbers and enrollment capacity nationwide. The latest quota reductions, critics argue, represent a correction after years of oversupply in certain academic fields.

Sharp Cuts in Traditional Departments

The most significant reductions occurred in departments that have frequently been associated with rising graduate unemployment.

In education faculties, Science Teaching quotas were reduced by 57%, while Guidance and Psychological Counseling saw a 39% cut.

Within the Faculties of Economics and Administrative Sciences, International Relations quotas dropped by 44%, and Public Finance declined by 38%.

Law faculties also experienced substantial contraction. Quotas at public universities were reduced by 36%, while foundation (private) universities saw a sharper 49% cut.

These adjustments reflect growing concern over the increasing number of “degree holders without employment” and the mismatch between graduate supply and labor demand.

Engineering Realignment: Traditional Down, Strategic Up

In engineering fields, quotas in Food Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering were scaled back.

However, the restructuring also signals a pivot toward emerging technologies and strategic industries.

Quotas increased sharply in Nanotechnology (up 81%), Artificial Intelligence (up 63%), and Cybersecurity (up 23%).

This shift suggests a deliberate recalibration toward high-tech and future-oriented sectors, aligning with broader national development and industrial competitiveness goals.

Open Education Share Targeted for Reduction

Another notable objective involves open education programs. In 2020, open education students accounted for 54% of total enrollment. YÖK aims to reduce that share to 40% by 2025.

The move indicates an attempt to rebalance the structure of Turkey’s higher education system, potentially prioritizing on-campus and applied learning models over large-scale expansion of distance education.

Structural Reset in Turkish Higher Education

The 23% quota reduction marks more than a numerical adjustment—it reflects a broader recalibration of Turkey’s higher education strategy.

For supporters, the changes represent a long-overdue alignment of academic output with labor market realities. Critics argue that the cuts expose systemic flaws in years of rapid institutional expansion, without proportional planning for employment absorption.

As Turkey navigates economic restructuring and workforce transformation, the debate over quality versus quantity in higher education is likely to intensify.