An organisation bringing together the country’s two agency associations, along with any outlying businesses, is being formed before formal discussions between the industry and government are held.

Organisers expect that within a year a new government-backed agency association will be in place to regulate the sector and provide quality assurance. Stakeholders are optimistic that it can only strengthen the outbound Turkish study abroad marketplace.

“The problem in our industry is that it’s very fragmented,” Izzet Aslantatar director of Alternatif agency told The PIE News. “Turkey is one of the few countries where you have more than one agency association, and there are more agencies who are not members of either association.

“The government didn’t know who to talk to so they asked us to really bring the industry together before talking to them on an official level.”

Currently there are no regulations in place for the study/travel sector or summer work/travel programmes to the USA, for which Turkey is a strong provider. According to Aslantatar, parents’ and students’ complaints about the work/travel industry caught the government’s attention and resulted in the intervention.

Students’ complaints about the work/travel industry caught the government’s attention and resulted in the intervention

“They take it very seriously,” said Azlantatar. “The Foreign, Education, Trade and Tourism ministries have all gotten together to find a solution for the problem.”

Aslantatar estimates that 60% of the 50,000 students Turkish students who go abroad each year use an agent. Meanwhile only about a third of the some 250 agents in Turkey are members of  either The Association of International Educational Counselors Turkey (UED) or the Turkish Education Agents Group (TEAG).

After the government’s appeal earlier this year, industry leaders held a referendum resulting in agencies across the country voting to form the new comprehensive association that will advise on the new regulation.

Within a year organisers hope the body will be dissolved and replaced with a semi-governmental body that will have regulatory powers and provide quality assurance certification.

Aslantatar is optimistic the government’s involvement will improve the sector. “It could help our industry grow quite substantially in the coming years because not just anyone will be able to open a study abroad agency, they’ll have to comply with certain rules and regulations.

“Everyone sees that there are opportunities, that business is good and the government’s approach to our business is positive rather than restrictive. It’s bringing people together,” he said.