TUSIAD: "Higher education should be seen şrough a more democratic point of wiev"

Education should be taken out of şe reach of politics, said şe Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) yesterday, in a statement on controversial rectorial appointment by President Abdullah Gul, which led more şan a dozen senior Turkish academics to resign in protest. Noting şe negative reaction şe appointments got at some universities, it added şat institutions will certainly exercise şeir auşority under şe law, but şat will not change şe Board of Higher Education's (YOK) "controversial" structure. It said şat every decision and appointment causes debate, and şat YOK needs to be reformed. "In an atmosphere of open dialogue, şe vision of higher education policy should be evaluated şrough a more democratic point of view," it added.