Planning Policy

As of the 2023-2024 academic year, there are 129 public universities, 75 foundation universities and 4 foundation vocational schools in Turkish higher education. There are a total of 183,610 academic staff, including 152,834 academic staff at state universities and 30,776 academic staff at other universities (MoNE 2025 Budget Report)

Introduction to the profession

The conditions for the appointment of academic staff are as follows: 

Assistant Professor: Appointed according to Article 23 of the Higher Education Law. Accordingly, the rectorate announces the vacancy of a doctoral faculty member in a university unit for the application of applicants with a doctorate or related art qualification. The appointment is made by the rector for a maximum period of four years. Those whose term of office expires may be reappointed if they meet the specified conditions.

Associate Professor: A candidate who is deemed to have sufficient publications and studies by the Interuniversity Council is given the title of associate professor. According to the Law on Higher Education, those who have received the title of associate professor apply for associate professor positions announced by higher education institutions. Universities may set additional conditions. Three professors are appointed by the rector to examine the status of the applicants and prepare a report. The rector makes the appointment by taking the reports into consideration.

Professor: In order to be promoted and appointed as a professor, it is required to have worked in the relevant field of science for five years after receiving the title of associate professor and to have produced publications in the relevant field of science. Vacant professorship positions at a university are announced by the rectorate. At least five professors related to the field of science, at least three of them from other universities, are selected by the university executive board to prepare reports determining the status and scientific qualifications of the candidates applying for professorship. The Rector makes the appointment by taking the reports into consideration.

Other teaching staff are lecturers and research assistants.

Lecturers: Lecturers are teaching staff who are obliged to teach courses taught in higher education institutions, to make applications or to have them made. At least a master’s degree with thesis is required. Appointments are made for a maximum of two years. Their reappointment is possible. In this case, the first appointment procedure is applied. Lecturers may be appointed to conservatories and vocational schools on a permanent basis when necessary.

Research Assistants: These are teaching staff who assist in research, studies and experiments conducted in higher education institutions and perform other related duties assigned by the authorized bodies. In order to apply for the position of research assistant, one must not have completed the age of thirty-five as of the first day of January of the year in which the exam is held. With the approval of the Rector, they are appointed to research assistant positions for a maximum period of three years; at the end of the appointment period, their duties automatically expire, and they can be reappointed in the same manner.

Foreign Academic Staff: They are appointed with the approval of the Rectorate. The number of foreign academic staff to be assigned with a contract in higher education institutions cannot exceed 2% of the number of full academic staff. Work permits are issued by CoHE and MoLSS . In terms of teaching duties, they are subject to the provisions of this law for salaried teaching staff.

Employment of Postdoctoral Researchers: In order to assist in R&D, innovation or design projects or projects of this nature carried out by faculty members at state universities, a postdoctoral researcher may be employed on a contract basis for a maximum of three years, provided that the expenses are covered from the special budget for a maximum period of three years, provided that they remain within seven years after the doctorate, specialization in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine or proficiency in art education. The number of personnel to be employed within this scope is limited to 2% of the number of full academic staff of the relevant higher education institution.

Part-time Assignment of Turkish or Foreign Qualified Researchers with PhD Degrees in Higher Education Institutions: Turkish or foreign qualified researchers with a PhD degree who are actually working in international or public research institutions may be assigned part-time at higher education institutions for a period not exceeding one year upon their own request, mutual agreement of the relevant institutions and approval of YÖK, with the expenses to be covered from the special budget. Taking into account the scientific publications and studies of those assigned in this way, their term of office may be extended in the same manner. The number of personnel who can be assigned within this scope is limited to 2% of the number of full academic staff of the relevant higher education institution.

Occupational Status

Among the academic staff working in higher education institutions in Türkiye, associate professors and professors are employed on a permanent basis. Other academic staff (doctoral lecturers, lecturers, research assistants) are appointed on a temporary basis. They can be reappointed when their term expires.

Salaries

In determining the salaries of academic staff working in higher education institutions, the table of indicators and coefficients in the Civil Servants Law No. 657 are taken into consideration. In the calculation of salaries, the classification, grades and additional indicators in the Higher Education Personnel Law No. 2914 are also taken into account. In addition to the basic salary payment made to the lecturers, some additional payments are made to the lecturers taking into account their titles, course loads, duty stations, managerial duties, etc. Higher education lecturers also benefit from foreign language compensation and social rights provided to other civil servants within the scope of Law No. 657.

Working Time and Holidays

The weekly course load that faculty members are obliged to teach in return for salary is 10 hours, and 12 hours for lecturers. Lecturers who will work in the applied units of higher education institutions are not required to have a course load and are not paid a course fee. Lecturers normally use their annual leaves during the interruption of education. Other leaves are carried out according to the provisions of the Civil Servants Law.

Promotion, Advancement

According to the Higher Education Law and the Regulation on Promotion and Appointment of Faculty Members issued on the basis of this law, there are three career steps in higher education. These are doctorate, associate professorship and professorship, and the relevant law and regulation set out the minimum criteria for promotion to doctorate, associate professorship and professorship. In addition, each university makes regulations stipulating additional criteria based on these criteria. Academic management positions within higher education (rector, dean, director, head of department, etc.) are open to all faculty members who meet the necessary conditions.

Retirement and Pensions

The maximum retirement age for university faculty members has been set at 67, and those who are in faculty positions as of the date of the contract may be employed under contract for periods of one year from the date they reach the retirement age, with the proposal of the higher education institution and the approval of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE), for a period of one year until they reach the retirement age of 75 or until they receive a retirement or old-age pension.