Decree Law No. 676 - Education
With Decree Law No. 676 which was published in the official gazette, the clause with respect to Higher Education Supervisory Board members cited in Higher Education Law No. 2547 dated Nov. 4, 1981, was amended from “each member to be elected by the General Staff and National Education Ministry” to “each member to be elected by National Defense Ministry and National Education Ministry.” The provision: “Higher Education Supervisory Board members shall be selected from among 15 candidates to be recommended by the Higher Education Council (YÖK) from professors and those who have served as inspectors or auditors at the ministry’s central organizations for at least 10 years,” with respect to Higher Education Supervisory Board members. The terms in office of the members is three years. They will be dissociated from the institutions where they work during their terms in office.
The decree law brought a new regulation with respect to the assignment of rectors, which was added to Article 13, Clause a, Paragraph 1 of Higher Education Law No. 2547. Accordingly, rectors at state universities are to be appointed by the president from among three candidates who are to be recommended by YÖK and who have served as a professor for at least three years. If one of the recommended candidates is not appointed within one month and YÖK does not present new candidates within two weeks, the president will directly assign the rector. The term of office of rectors is four years. Rectors whose terms in office end can be reassigned in the same way. However, they are not to serve as rectors for more than two terms at the same state university. The rector represents the legal entity of the university or the high technology institute. Rectors of universities established by foundations are to be appointed by the President on the proposal of the YÖK board of trustees and the positive view of the YÖK.
The decree law also stipulates that private tutoring courses are to continue education and training activities in a science group as of Aug. 1, 2017. Private tutoring courses for which there is no permission to open institutions to operate in a science group as of Aug. 4, 2017, at the latest, are to be permanently closed down.
