Education agents from around the world are becoming increasingly interested in Turkey as a study destination, as traditionally popular countries become less affordable and tighten their borders, The PIE News has learned during a trip to Istanbul.
At this week’s BMI/ A2 agent workshop in Istanbul, attended by 120 agents and schools, agents from countries including Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Latvia and China said they had been actively developing relationships with Turkish universities this year – particularly in the wake of dwindling placements in the UK but also other major Anglophone destinations.
Incentives for students include Turkey’s potential to join the EU in coming years (potentially as early as 2013 although most say it will take longer), more affordable education and comparatively relaxed visa system. Turkish universities are also increasing their recruitment activities overseas after being relatively inactive internationally.
English medium programming is also fairly commonplace at some universities, although interest among other overseas agencies is reported to be highestin Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, where the native languages are also of Turkic origin. The English language website, Study in Turkey explains, “The vast majority of classes are taught in English at most of the foundation universities and some of the state universities.”
Summing up the mood among agents, Mamit Agarwal, consultant at the Indian agency Nodnat said: “Visas are not an issue over here as compared to many countries such as the UK, USA and Australia. And most of these countries are also becoming unaffordable for students.
“Visas are not an issue over here as compared to many countries”
“Despite the fact students are willing to invest a lot in their studies, they are not able to get the proper returns because there are fewer job opportunities in the UK and the US, which have been in recession since 2008.”
Bilken University has 300 international students – up from 20 in 2005 – and expects this to grow
Interest in Turkey is already apparent – overseas enrolments more than doubled between 2005 and 2011 from 15,480 to 31,170. However tougher access to other destinations has allowed Turkey to promote its overlooked virtues – such as hosting two universities in the world top 250 and facilitating strong credit recognition with other countries.
Good weather, proximity to Europe and Asia and average economic growth of 5.5% are also draws
Good weather, geographical proximity to Europe and Asia and average economic growth of 5.5% a year since 2002 (although GDP expanded by 8.5% in 2011 making Turkey the fastest growing of OECD country) are other draws. Some agents say job opportunities are better than in the recession-struck US and UK, and that if ascension to the EU is granted, Turkey would only benefit further (the country is already enjoying many aspects of the union on a commercial scale).
Another plus is that Turkey is Islam-friendly (and seen as a “safer Muslim option” in its region after the Arab Spring). Lujun Liu from Beijing Guidelines Education says, “Turkish education is quite new for us, and as far as I know it’s not yet popular… But we have some Islamic students and these students could be interested in studying in such an Islamic country.”
It is also a draw in Turkic countries such as Azerbaijan, the source of most overseas enrolments in Turkey, the Middle East and Nigeria.
Turkish universities say that they have only actively begun recruiting overseas in the last few years, due to the government’s abandonment in 2005 of the centralised entrance exam, which all overseas students were required to take. Coordinator of the Office of International Students and Exchange Programs at Bilkent University, Ayşegül Başol, said that as a result, her university had 300 international students out of a population of 12,000, up from around 20 in 2005.
“International students had to take that exam and report their university preferences to the Council; then the government placed them,” she said. “Now we set our own criteria. We recognise SATs, I-GCSE, A-levels and several national and international level diplomas.”
Scholarships to study in Turkey have also helped, particularly in countries such as Iraq and Libya as well as through the Erasmus scheme, with has brought 15,000 students to Turkey since 2004. Fees as low as US$450-1,500 a year in state and $5,000-12,000 a year in private universities are another incentive, aided by significant fee discounts.
“It plans to launch a year-long English preparation programme”
Koç, one of Turkey’s best universities, gives fee waivers for all of its Masters and PhD programmes and garners 17% of its humanities and 8% of its science students from abroad. It plans to launch a year-long English preparation programme to boost access to its Masters and PhD courses, all of which are taught in English.
“We’ve certainly seen a huge increase in exchange students with an influx of applications from Europe, the US and Canada,” said Ayşe İnan, director of international programmes, stressing that the university was “quality driven” and sought only the highest achieving students.
Koç University library
Despite an upbeat landscape, obstacles remain. Agents say students may be put off by language barriers which limit the chances of finding work after graduation, and some are concerned about Turkey’s medium-term economic prospects, with high unemployment of 9.1% and declining participation from women in the workforce.
The upshot of not ironing out economic weak spots could be that EU ascension is deferred until 2021, or does not happen at all. The country also has work to do to market its study benefits overseas and overcome what Başol calls “prejudices” against the country.
“It’s a new market, it needs to be promoted and it needs time. But we’re seeing interest grow”
However, Turkey is certain to benefit as it becomes tougher to access the leading study destinations. With doubts over access or living costs for major Anglophone countries such as the UK or USA, agents at the workshop said Spain, France, Germany, Ukraine, South Africa, Brazil and China could be possible alternatives.
Payman Kakhsaz, managing director of Fraz Negar Iranian – an education agency and migration service in Iran – said his main focus had been Australia, Canada and the UK, “but because of visa issues making it so difficult for Iranian clients, we have been thinking about changing our channels for more easy countries.”
“For Iranian students distance is very important, cultural similarities are very important, and the cost of fees are important,” he said of Turkey, the most promising destination in his eyes. “It’s a new market, it needs to be promoted and it needs time. But we’re seeing interest grow.”
