Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that the country is aiming to attract 350,000 international students – nearly doubling the Council of Higher Education 2021-2022 target of 200,000. However, there is apparently no clear timeframe for reaching the target.
The president’s announcement came as a surprise for many in the industry.
At an event in May 2018, the president also hinted that “soon all foreign students and graduates will receive working permission in Turkey”.
The acting president of the Turkish Prime Ministry’s Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, Ahmet Algan, told media agencies that scholarships would be an important role in attracting more students. In addition, more universities should participate in marketing activities abroad. Finally, the number of English taught courses must increase in order to reach targets.