Erdogan's Academic Autocracy: What's Next for Turkish Higher Education? The closure of Istanbul Bilgi University marks a disturbing escalation of Turkey's authoritarian push into academia.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decree revoking the operating license, citing "insufficient" education standards, is a thinly veiled pretext to shutter a prominent liberal institution in the heart of Istanbul.
Bilgi University has been under state control since its parent company was ensnared in a high profile money laundering and tax fraud investigation.