Turkey Reverses Closure of Istanbul Bilgi University After Protests
Turkish President Erdoğan initially revoked the operating license of Istanbul Bilgi University on May 22, 2026, amid a criminal probe into its owner, Can Holding, for fraud and money laundering. The sudden closure sparked widespread student protests and international outcry. Days later, Erdoğan reversed the decision, allowing teaching to continue. The incident highlights tensions between the government and Turkey’s secular, European-oriented academic community, and is seen as part of a broader pattern of state intervention in private institutions.
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Protests Against Erdoğan: Teaching Continues at Istanbul Bilgi University for Now
Students at Istanbul Bilgi University protested the sudden closure of their institution by presidential decree on May 22, 2026. The government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, initially revoked the operating license of the liberal private university, citing investigations into its owner, Can Holding, for money laundering and tax fraud. However, after several days of student protests, vigils, and police operations, the government backtracked, allowing teaching to continue for the time being. The reversal was framed by YÖK President Erol Özvar as a 'sensitive reassessment' to avoid harming students and staff. The article notes that Bilgi University represents a cosmopolitan, European-oriented milieu increasingly alienated from the AKP's conservative-nationalist course. The government's harsh response and subsequent retreat are interpreted as a sign of growing insecurity, especially among urban youth, and a strategy to preempt broader protest movements like those seen in 2013 and 2021.
taz.de - taz.deProtests Against Erdoğan: Teaching Continues at Istanbul Bilgi University After Government Reversal
Students at Istanbul Bilgi University protested the sudden closure of their institution by presidential decree on May 22, 2026. The government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, initially revoked the operating license of the liberal, internationally-oriented private university, citing investigations into its owner, Can Holding, for money laundering and tax fraud. After several days of student protests, vigils, and police operations, the government backtracked, allowing teaching to continue. The reversal was framed by YÖK President Erol Özvar as a 'sensitive reassessment' to avoid harming students and staff. The article highlights the political symbolism of the closure, as Bilgi University represents a cosmopolitan, European-oriented milieu increasingly alienated from the AKP's conservative-nationalist course. The government's harsh response and subsequent retreat are seen as signs of insecurity, especially among urban youth, and echo previous university protests like those at Boğaziçi in 2021 and the Gezi protests in 2013.
taz.de - taz.deProtests Against Erdoğan: Teaching Continues at Istanbul Bilgi University After Government Reversal
Students at Istanbul Bilgi University protested the sudden closure of their institution by presidential decree on May 22, 2026. President Erdoğan revoked the operating license of the liberal private university, citing investigations into its owner, Can Holding, for money laundering and tax fraud. However, after several days of student protests, vigils, and police operations, the government backtracked, allowing teaching to continue. The reversal was framed as a 'sensitive reassessment' by YÖK head Erol Özvar, not a political concession. Bilgi University, known for its cosmopolitan and European-oriented milieu, represents a social base increasingly alienated from Erdoğan's AKP. The article notes that the government is particularly sensitive to student protests, recalling the Gezi protests (2013) and Boğaziçi protests (2021), and views the harsh initial response as a sign of growing insecurity among urban youth.
taz.de - taz.deTurkey's President Erdoğan Reverses Decision to Close Istanbul Bilgi University After Protests
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday reversed his controversial decision to close Istanbul Bilgi University, a liberal private institution, following widespread outcry and student protests. The closure order, issued on Friday mid-school year, cited insufficient education standards, a charge rejected by students and staff. Hundreds demonstrated outside the main campus demanding reopening. The university had been seized eight months earlier as part of a criminal investigation into Can Holding, its owner, for alleged fraud and money laundering. The Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) took control of 121 Can Holding companies, including media outlets Habertürk, Show TV, and Bloomberg HT. Bilgi, founded in 1996 and part of the Laureate International Universities network, has over 20,000 students and participates in the EU's Erasmus program. Erdoğan's move was seen as part of a broader pattern of authoritarian actions against opponents.
Latest News From Euronews | Euronews RSSErdoğan signs decree closing Istanbul Bilgi University amid criminal probe into owner
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has signed a decree revoking the operating licence of Istanbul Bilgi University, effectively closing the institution. The move comes as part of a criminal investigation into Can Holding, the university's parent company, whose founding foundation has been placed under trusteeship. The decision has sparked concerns about the future of the university's students and academic staff, raising questions about academic freedom and the impact on higher education in Turkey. The closure follows a broader pattern of state intervention in private institutions linked to business groups under investigation.
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