Higher education and national development: The contribution of higher education to the national development of Turkey since 1980

摘要

The purpose of this study was to analyze national development in Turkey since 1980 and the responsiveness of higher education to the needs of Turkey's national development. The study was limited to an analysis of the 1980s because it was a unique decade of radical changes in Turkey's socioeconomic development.;Descriptive statistics have been undertaken in researching the subject of this study. Data for the study were collected from a large body of documents on Turkey's economy and higher education.;The findings of the study indicate that the Turkish institutions of higher education have not provided the amount of professionals required by the changes in-Turkey's national development and have not been able to meet the demand of applicants for higher education. At the same time, the higher education institutions have been operating from a weak financial position.;The study concluded that the administrative system of Turkish higher education institutions is a major reason why higher education has been unable to meet the manpower needs for the national development of Turkey and has been weak financially. In this respect, the study presented the following recommendations so that higher education might efficiently meet the needs for national development: (1) The goal of higher education should be redefined to serve modernization and development, with special attention given to the manpower needs of Turkey. (2) Higher education institutions should be allowed to cooperate with industrial enterprises to regulate their supply of professionals according to the needs of industrial development. (3) Private institutions of higher education should be established widely to expand the capacity of higher education and to respond to the needs brought about by socioeconomic changes. (4) There should be local involvement in the governance of higher education institutions. Such local involvement could make institutions of higher education more accountable to the needs of society at the local level.