Changing Higher Education Strategies and Architectural Educaton in Turkey

Policies and strategies defined within the field of higher education in Turkey have exerted transformative impacts on architectural education and the broader architectural profession. Over the past fifteen years, several critical turning points and structural shifts have become particularly evident. The expansion of higher education through the establishment of new universities across various regions, the subsequent increase in the number of architecture programs and student quotas, the economic crises in the construction sector, the energy crisis, devastating earthquakes, the global pandemic, and ongoing wars are among the key transformative thresholds shaping this context. This article aims to draw attention to a current threshold that signals a notable shift in the field. Accordingly, the article evaluates the changes in trends observed in the quotas and student placement figures of architecture schools over the past three years compared to previous periods. The methodology of the article is based on a quantitative analysis and comparative reading of the quota and placement data provided by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) between 2022 and 2024. According to YÖK data, in contrast to the earlier trend of increasing quotas in architecture programs, a clear quantitative decline in both quotas and placements is observed in 2024. The article examines this decline from alternative perspectives, including the quality of architectural education, the adequacy of academic staff, the spatial and infrastructural requirements of architectural education, and the employment challenges faced by graduates.