Students took the stage at Istanbul Technical University’s recent graduation ceremony to protest the rector’s speech. Families in the stands responded with applause. This unified reaction at the ceremony was not merely a momentary outrage, but a manifestation of a cumulative, collective unease about university administration and academic freedoms in Turkey (https://onedio.com/haber/itu-mezuniyet-toreninde-rektorun-konusmasini-protesto-eden-ogrencilere-aileler-alkislarla-destek-verdi-1303148).
Universities in Turkey have shifted to a significantly centralized governance model over the last decade. Regulations enacted after 2016 eliminated rector elections entirely, and all rectors were appointed by the President. Boğaziçi University, METU, Istanbul University, Marmara University, and many other established universities have experienced ruptures in both their academic and cultural identities due to appointments made against the will of their faculty members. These appointments are not merely administrative decisions, but are considered an erosion of the principle of autonomy that universities have historically upheld.
This situation is not unique to universities. We observe similar tensions extending to high schools, as seen at the graduation ceremony of Ankara Science High School. Students protested the school principal, believing they were being stripped of their right to shape their educational environment. This perception of diminished participation and voice in education is now felt not only among university students but also in younger age groups (https://ankahaber.net/haber/detay/ankara_fen_lisesi_ogrencileri__mezuniyet_toreninde_okul_mudurunu_protesto_etti_246956).
Doruk Dörücü’s protest, which involved tearing his diploma on stage at the Boğaziçi University graduation ceremony (https://www.dw.com/tr/i%CC%87mamo%C4%9Flu-protestosu-diplomas%C4%B1n%C4%B1-y%C4%B1rtan-doruk-d%C3%B6r%C3%BCc%C3%BC-serbest/a-73153618), has become etched in memory as one of the most symbolic examples of this transformation. While the words “This despotic regime’s diploma is invalid” may seem like an individual statement, they were an expression of the feeling that the university had ceased to be a “home” for students where they could express themselves. Tearing up the diploma was a protest not only against the educational institution itself, but also against the cultural meanings it was believed to represent.
These developments are not unique to Turkey. During the same period, universities in the US (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/harvard-university-donald-trump-university-of-kentucky-education-department-phoenix-b2742772.html) and elsewhere (https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/ulster-university-accused-of-censorship-after-removing-palestinian-flag-footage-from-graduation-video/a231930227.html) are canceling graduation ceremonies due to campus protests and political pressure, banning symbols and limiting students’ right to speak. The politicization of academia and the government’s reaction to taking precautions against free expression are exhibiting a similar trend on a global scale. Forms of oppression, like the international circulation of knowledge, no longer recognize borders.
The applause rising from the stands at ITU signaled a significant turning point. This time, it wasn’t just the students speaking; Families also demonstrated their rejection of the pressure placed on the stage. This support reminded them that academic freedom is not merely an internal debate among academics or students, but a shared value that shapes the future of society.
Graduation ceremonies are rituals that demonstrate how a university defines itself. If these rituals are forced into silence, the intellectual space of the university is also shrinking. What happens on the graduation stage in Turkey today is not just a ceremony, but a discussion about shaping public reason, cultivating a culture of criticism, and envisioning a social future.
And perhaps precisely for this reason, that applause at ITU is more than a protest. The most fundamental expression of academic freedom is this: Knowledge is only meaningful when it is freely produced. The way out of this impasse is for the public to collectively respond to the pressures placed on the academy and hold politicians accountable. The university is not isolated from society; where society remains silent, the university is silenced.
