Council of Higher Education insists on ‘Turkish’ at Galatasaray University

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The academics from France working at Galatasaray University (GSÜ) met with the Ambassador of France to Turkey regarding the obligation to know at least B2 level Turkish to get a residence and work permit. An academic from the university has spoken to bianet about the meeting.

Wishing to remain anonymous in the news to avoid any problems later on, the academic from France has said,

French academics met with the Ambassador of France in Ankara; but nothing has changed. In order to get a work and residence permit, French academics have to take the Turkish Proficiency Exam offered by three institutions: Yunus Emre Institute, the Language Center of İstanbul University and Ankara University Turkish Education Center (TÖMER).

'The authenticity of education will disappear'

Noting that the Turkish proficiency as a principal criterion will limit the number of candidates from France and will make it harder for the GSÜ to hire academics from France, the academic has added:

"Moreover, the new teachers will be hired not based on their qualifications or pedagogical experience, but based on their Turkish skills. This will do away with the authenticity of education at the GSÜ.

"The French academics at the GSÜ want the B2 condition to be lifted. The GSÜ is a university where French is spoken. So, why should we have B2 level Turkish? If things will stand in this way, at least a sufficient amount of time and resources must be granted to the French academics so that they can prepare for the exam and to do well in the exam."

What happened?

After France made it obligatory for foreign imams and teachers to know B2 level French, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) made it obligatory for academics from France to know B2 level Turkish.

After December 2020, the work and residence permits of Galatasaray University academics from France who could not document that they knew B2 level Turkish were not renewed. After this, the authorities from France talked to the YÖK officials and the work and residence permits of the academics from France were renewed in March 2021, regardless of whether they documented their B2 level Turkish proficiency or not. However, this exception will not be offered in the 2021-2022 academic year.

In that case, the academics from France who do not have a document proving their B2 level Turkish proficiency will have two options: To apply to the high schools that still do not have any requirements about Turkish proficiency or to leave Turkey as their residence permits will not be renewed. Now, the academics are waiting from the results of the tests they took. (HÇ/SO/SD)