- A new wave of mass layoffs has begun at foundation universities in İstanbul following the end of the academic year.
A new wave of mass layoffs has begun at foundation universities in İstanbul following the end of the academic year.
At least 446 academics were dismissed between Jan 1, 2024, and Jul 8, 2026, according to a joint statement released yesterday by eight academic organizations, professional bodies, and unions. The organizations state that the actual number could be higher and that the layoffs have become "systemic, not isolated."
İstanbul Arel, Maltepe, Beykent, Atlas, İstanbul Aydın, İstanbul Yeni Yüzyıl, and İstanbul Gelişim Universities are among the schools where the layoffs occurred. While university administrations cite justifications such as "surplus staff position," economic contraction, department closures, and the expiration of contract periods for their decisions, academics say that staff sizes are being shrunk according to the income-expense calculations of the universities.
