With the country’s already booming economy predicted to grow more than 5% annually until 2017 and with the largest youth population in the European Union, the demand for foreign education in Turkey will only continue to flourish says the study.

Launched at the EAIE conference in Istanbul, “The importance of international education: a perspective from Turkish students” is based on results from a survey that attracted 4,800 students responses representing all 81 Turkish provinces in August this year.

“Not only is Turkey expanding its international education objectives and stamps, it is also becoming hugely important and pivotal for governments”

Elizabeth Shepherd, Research Director for Education Intelligence, said taking into consideration the current political unrest in Turkey it was crucial to “take the pulse of what is happening here right now”.

“Not only is Turkey expanding its international education objectives and stamps, it is also becoming hugely important and pivotal for the UK government and other governments globally because of its economic prosperity and the demographic it provides today,” she told The PIE News.

The survey shows that 95% of students would like to study overseas but 86% said cost was the greatest barrier. Having grown to the 18th largest economy in the world and with population reaching a record high of 75.6 million, 42% of whom are under 24, the report is optimistic that Turkey’s demand for international education will rise.

“The average annual disposable income in 2012 was US$7,990 and this figure is set to rise to US$11,823 by 2017,” the report states. “The impact of Turkey’s increased personal disposable income of the growing middle class could mean overseas study becoming more affordable for more students.”

Students identified engineering, health and medicine, information technology and digital media as the sectors that show the most promise for employment after graduation. Their responses coincide with the areas shown to drive the economy in the government’s 2011 Industry Strategy: business services, diversified industrial products, automotive and information, communication and technology.

In addition to securing better job opportunities, other advantages to overseas study students mentioned include access to better education opportunities, exposure to different ways of thinking and experiencing other cultures.

Population has reached a record high of 75.6 million, 42% of whom are under 24

In 2010, 49,116 Turkish students studied overseas with the majority completing short language courses. Only 22,383 pursued a semester abroad or longer.

However, the report adds that owing to the large diaspora classified by different statistics agencies, the actual number of Turkish students overseas could reach as many as 100,000.

When asked where they  would choose to study, students’ responses show that the US, Germany, the UK, Canada and other European destinations would continue to be the most attractive destinations.

“Students in Turkey see an overseas university education as a way to achieve greater individual success, and education as a whole as the way for the entire country to move forward,” concluded Shepherd.