The Fatih University-Istanbul, Turkey

ÖZET

Fatih University is one of the earliest established private universities in Turkey. The main campus of the University was in Istanbul, but the Faculty of Medicine, School of Nursing, Vocational School of Health and Vocational School were in Ankara until 2013. Since its establishment, Fatih University, where international faculty and students are concentrated, had 14,011 students in 2016, of which 1,214 were students from 102 different countries of the world. In addition that it continued its educational and academic mission with 476 academics, 81 of whom were from abroad. The main campus of the university is located on an area of larger than 50 acres on the shores of Lake Büyükçekmece, Istanbul.

There were many laboratories for educational and research purposes such as; Industrial Automation Research, Application and Development Center, BioNano Technology Research Development Center and NMR Laboratory. The Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Theology and Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture were providing excellent education in all aspects of the university. The University had also a Conservatory, four Vocational School, five Graduate Institutes, and numerous Research Centers.

In June 2016, the Trustee Board of the Founder Foundation was dismissed and the management of University was overtaken. Fatih University was shut down by the Government on 23 July 2016 with the Decree no 667. University employees became unemployed and sentenced to civilian death. All the assets of the university, the fees paid by the students for the next year and the receivables of the employees were also confiscated. Some of the university founders and staff fled the country. The rest of the employees were accused of being terrorists, and they were detained and some of them were imprisoned. The students were victimized in every way and some of them could not continue their education, some had to move to different departments. Their previous scholarships were suspended. Despite these three years, these grievances have not been resolved yet.

General Knowledge about the University

The Fatih University was a leading foundation university located in the metropolitan Büyükçekmece district of Istanbul, Turkey. The university was founded in 18 January 1996 by the Foundation of Health and Medical Treatment of Turkey. The Turkish Prime Minister Prof. Dr. Tansu Çiller joined the opening ceremony of the University.

The main campus of the university, Büyükçekmece Campus, is located on a 50-acre area on the shores of Lake Büyükçekmece. The campus has several education buildings which include different teaching halls and laboratories. At the same time the main campus had a fitness center, carpet pitch, football and basketball court, cafeteria, canteens and Central Library that will meet the social, cultural and sporting needs of students and staff. Each one is equipped with the most advanced technology. There are many laboratories for educational and research purposes such as Industrial Automation Research, Application and Development Center, BioNano Technology Research-Development Center and NMR Laboratory.^[1]

In 2016 Fatih University had 14.011 students that 1.214 of them were foreigners from 102 different countries. The University had 476 academics which 81 of them were internationals. The university had always an international environment with relatively high rate of international academics and students. English was the medium of instruction in many programs and students were encouraged to learn an additional foreign language. The education languages were Turkish and English, however German, French, Russian and Spanish languages were elective courses in the university.^[2]

Faculty of Medicine, School of Nursing, Vocational School of Health and Vocational School were in Ankara until 2013 and they moved to Istanbul as of 2013 academic year. Fatih University had 15 years of experience in the Faculty of Medicine in Ankara and it carried its experience to Istanbul by taking over the Sema Hospital to Istanbul. The Sema Hospital that located in Dragos started to serve as Fatih University Medical School with the Fatih University.^[3]

Fatih University Hospital (Sema Hospital), established on a total area of 26,000 m2, is the only hospital in Istanbul with islands and sea views. There are total 7 surgery rooms, 3 delivery rooms, 4 intensive care units in different branches, 162 single rooms, 5 VIPs, 19 suites and 133 beds. The hospital, which has all kinds of physical and technical facilities, had been serving with doctors having education and experience at international level. Fatih University Hospital had patients came for medical treatment and cure from nearly 80 countries Europe, Middle East and former Soviet countries. Sema Hospital was awarded with ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System certificates at the beginning of 2007 with its building infrastructure, architecture and superior technological equipment and experienced staff. The hospital also received the Joint Commission International certificate, the most prestigious health accreditation certificate in the world, in 2008 and announced its service quality to the whole world.

Fatih University won several times regional, national and international awards, prizes and rewards in different levels. These awards and prizes were in different area such as education, sport, cultural activities, international relations, scientific researches etc. Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK) appreciated the university improvement and following the rules. The university was affiliated to the Bologna Process, European Credit Transfer System and Erasmus Exchange Program. At the same time Fatih University had several scientific research project supported from Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Institution (TÜBİTAK). By University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) 2015, Fatih University was ranked as the third private university in Istanbul, just behind Sabancı University and Koç University.^[4] In the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2017 Report, it was ranked at 401-500^th place in the subject area “Mathematics”.^[5]

The university was closed in 23 July 2016 following the failed coup attempt based on crackdown juridical regulations and the campus is handed over to Istanbul University.^[6] The seized University Hospital was first given to a hospital affiliated to the Ministry of Health (Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital). However, two months after they announced that they would provide free of charge health services with great claims, the foundation was transferred later to Vakıf Gureba Bezm-i Alem University, which was directly controlled by Erdoğan.^[7]

The Rectorate Building of Fatih University

Faculties

• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
• Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Theology
• Faculty of Fine Arts Design and Architecture
• Faculty of Medicine
• Conservatory

Vocational Schools

• Justice Vocational School
• Istanbul School of Vocational Studies
• Vocational School of Healthcare
• School of Nursing

Graduate Schools

• Institute of Engineering Sciences
• Institute of Natural Sciences
• Institute of Social Sciences
• Institute of Medical Sciences
• Institute of Economics and Statistics

Other Programs and Departments

• Projects and Research Center
• Atatürk History Research Center
• Bio & Nano Technology Research Center
• Industrial Automation Technology Development and Liaison Investment Project
• Informatics
• Lifetime Education Center
• English Teaching School
• KOSGEB-Fatih University Technology Improvement Center
• Civilizations Research Center
• Strategy and Planning Coordination
• Turkish Language Department
• Turkish Teaching and Research Center (TÖMER)
• Distance Learning Center (FUZEM)
• Foreign Languages Center

Pressures before July 15, 2016

After the December 17-25, 2013 corruption investigations against Erdogan’s Government, a massive political pressure had been organized by the Government on Fatih University. Similar pressure and assaults were applied against other universities which founded by Gülen Movement affiliated founders. After December 2013, numerous investigations were issued against Fatih University, the hospital construction operations were illegally blocked and cancelled by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.^[8] The Metropolitan Municipality cancelled the bus services to Fatih University and the students faced great problems.^[9] Furthermore, in the 2015 and 2016 academic years, the Higher Education Council did not allow it to open a new department and significantly lowered new student quotas. These restrictions led to a small drop in the number of students but did not seriously affect the University due to the continuing interest of students and academics.

After the Corruption Scandal, Erdogan Regime started several fabrication cases against Gulen Movement. Many of the prominent Gulenists were included into these cases with some ridiculous allegations. One of these allegations was charging of gimmick in a Public Personnel Selection Exam (KPSS). Another was publicly known as the Handicapping Case in Football. The President of Fatih University Prof. Dr. Serif Ali Tekalan became an important target for Erdogan Regime. Prof. Tekalan had to flee from the country.^[10] In the following process Tekalan’s family members were targeted by the Regime and some were arrested. ^[11]

In May 2016, an academician from Fatih University was arrested during the investigation and operations against the Gülen Movement.^[12] The Government upgraded a new project against the Foundation Universities. In June 2016, the University Board of Trustees was dismissed by a local court. The new Board of Trustees dismissed the current Rector and Prof. Dr. Ramazan Korkmaz, the former Rector of Ardahan University, was appointed.^[13] Just after the suspected Coup Attempt on July 15, University Administration and faculty members held a rally condemning the Coup Attempt.^[14] Interestingly, Prof. Korkmaz resigned just one day before the closure of the university.^[15]

A panaromic view of Fatih University.

Following Victimizations after July 15

Fatih University was confiscated with an Emergency Statutory Decree (#667) on 23rd July 2016.^[16] The accusation was the relationship with the Gülen Movement, which it declared as a terrorist organization by the government. Immediately after the closure decision, employees announced that they could only take their personal belongings from the university. However, on the given date, this practice was stopped before many people could get their belongings, and many items including valuable documents such as diplomas remained at the University.

When the Fatih University closed down, nearly 100 doctors and over 400 employees were working in the Fatih University Hospital. A physician working in the hospital explains his experiences during the confiscation process as follows: “On July 23, at 10 am, the police came to the hospital and ordered new patient not to accept. They also forced to transfer current patients to other hospitals as soon as possible. Employees were asked to vacate their rooms. However, since it was Saturday, most of the staffs were not on duty on that day. So many people could not take their personal belongings. No information was given about what would happen in the future. An SMS sent to our phones on Sundays asked us to come to the hospital early on Monday, 25 July 2019, for our turnkey. When we arrived on Monday (only two days after the closure decision), we saw that the hospital was owned by others. The new team was at work with a new name, full capacity and with a brand. The new name of the hospital was “Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital and this name was written on a large poster hanging in front of the hospital. It should have been very difficult to prepare a poster this size after the Decree issued on Saturday. In addition, doctors, nurses, paramedics, etc., who worked in the hospital, were there. The question “how did they find so many cadres over the weekend and organized them in such a short time” was unanswered. We asked the new staff about this situation. Surprisingly, they gave us the following answer: Don’t you know, we received a letter from the Ministry of Health about two months ago stating that we were going to take this hospital over and we prepared everything”. This time we were even more surprised because we thought our hospital was closed due to a failed coup attempt that occurred just nine days ago. It was clear that all these preparations were made long before the coup attempt.”

Detentions and Arrests of University Staffs and Founders

In the next week of the closure of the University, some pro-government newspapers announced that an investigation by Büyükçekmece Chief Prosecutor’s Office started an investigation about Fatih University employees. The announcement claimed that with the fashion discourse of those days “were reached strong evidences that they were related to the coup”.^[17] In the following days, a warrant was issued for many doctors working at Fatih University Hospital and some were arrested. A large number of academic and administrative staff were detained and arrested for other cases before a direct operation against the university was conducted. At this stage, many university employees had to go abroad. In the operation conducted in 29 cities based in Istanbul on 27 December 2017, 54 of the 171 people who were detained in the first place and almost all of them were arrested.^[18],[19] The purpose of these operations was not only to punish academics. It was a public opinion effort written by the pro-government media with instructions from a single center. As a matter of fact, the police, who were actually seized and evacuated the University in July 2106, searched exactly one and half years later and all the media wrote a lie that there were “major crime elements”.^[20] Fatih University academics were sentenced during the court process with various years’ to jail.

Victimization of Fatih University Students

The students who graduated previously were victimized and slandered with unfounded slanders. Being a graduate of Fatih University was imposed as a crime, and this was often done by those who called themselves democrats, even Erdogan opponents. The Students’ diplomas of graduates of the university that was obtained before were the matter of investigation and interrogation. Students, who were transferred to public universities, faced various barriers. They were removed and excluded from community. Some news showed that in some places, students from closed universities were treated as terrorist and traitor. None of the promises, which made to reduce reactions from students and parents, were performed. The universities, which are guarantors by law, did not accept many students with various excuses. They accepted the scholarship students for a period of time, lost their circuit, allowed them to take courses as special students for one semester and then demanded astronomical education money. Even graduates; they felt the need to change their diplomas with the transferred state universities in order to avoid any negativity in their professional life.^[21]

Conclusion

Since it started in 1996, Fatih University has a high prestige both in Turkey and abroad, was completely closed without unlawful treatment. The legal entity of Fatih University, which provides education in accordance with the valid laws in the country and is periodically audited by the CHE, was seized and its properties and spiritual assets were pillaged. Almost all academic and administrative staff working at the University, including the Board of Trustees as the highest administrative body of the Institution, were declared as terrorists and traitors, and were dismissed from their jobs without considering the right of innocence. Assets and bank accounts were confiscated. Many of them were unlawfully imprisoned. In this process, many academicians went out of the country to get rid of witch hunting. Most of them had to start life again in countries they had never seen before and did not know their language. Our expectation is to eliminate the injustices made by operating the law and to compensate the losses as soon as possible.

1. https://www.sehriistanbul.com.tr/fatih-universitesi-yerli-enerji-uretimine-tesvik-artirilmali-6233h.htm ↑
2. https://www.milliyet.com.tr/egitim/fatih-universitesi-vakif-universiteleri-icinde-ilk-5-te-1908322 ↑
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatih_University ↑
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_Ranking_by_Academic_Performance ↑
5. http://www.shanghairanking.com/Shanghairanking-Subject-Rankings-2017/mathematics.html ↑
6. http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2016/07/20160723-8.htm ↑
7. https://www.aydinlik.com.tr/yandasa-gecti-parali-oldu ↑
8. https://emlakkulisi.com/fatih-universitesinin-plan-degisikligi-buyukcekmece-belediyesine-gonderildi/383886 ↑
9. https://www.dunyabulteni.net/guncel/iett-fatih-universitesine-giden-otobusleri-iptal-etti-h309954.html ↑
10. https://odatv.com/rektor-firarda-2504151200.html ↑
11. https://www.haberler.com/yalova-daki-paralel-yapi-operasyonunda-9-tutuklama-8472532-haberi/ ↑
12. https://www.haberler.com/yalova-daki-paralel-yapi-operasyonunda-9-tutuklama-8472532-haberi/ ↑
13. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/egitim/fatih-universitesine-yeni-rektor-40122875 ↑
14. https://www.haberler.com/fatih-universitesi-nden-darbe-girisimine-tepki-8626390-haberi/ ↑
15. https://www.star.com.tr/guncel/fatih-universitesi-rektoru-istifa-etti-haber-1127770/ ↑
16. https://www.turkishminute.com/2019/05/20/analysis-what-happened-to-the-15-now-closed-gulen-linked-universities-and-their-assets/ ↑
17. https://www.yenisafak.com/gundem/fatih-universitesi-calisanlarina-sorusturma-2499308 ↑
18. https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/report/2017-12-27-fatih-university/ ↑
19. https://www.memurlar.net/haber/717665/fatih-universitesi-operasyonu-171-gozalti-karari.html ↑
20. https://www.memurlar.net/haber/719834/1-5-yildir-kapali-bulunan-fatih-universitesine-girildi.html ↑
21. http://platform24.org/haber-arastirma/1686/universitesi-kapatilan-ogrenciler-kaygili ↑