Identifying the Impact of Stringent Immigration Rules on International Students: The Case of Türkiye

Abstract

Higher education is one area that has seen the most impact of globalisation, and the free exchange of scholarships is noted to be on the rise. By taking the course of other leading nations in higher education, such as the US and Canada, Türkiye, through the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), has since the early 2010s adopted a policy to increase international student enrolment in its universities. However, recent changes in the immigration laws by the Department for Immigration Management (Göç İdaresi) are noted to portend to thwart the efforts of YÖK in what could be said to be a case of conflicting roles between two state institutions. This study presents an analysis of the impacts of these stringent rules on international students by analysing survey results conducted on international students in Türkiye. The work contributes to both policy and scholarship. Its contribution to policy can be seen in its attempt to highlight the intricacies of finding a balance between national security concerns and the need to foster academic exchange and global engagement in higher education. The study also contributes to the general discipline of migration studies in addition to the field of urban and regional planning with direct contributions to areas such as global competitiveness of cities, urban growth dynamics, and cultural diversity and social integration of urban areas. This is made possible by considering the impacts of the influx of international students into cities and the challenges they face, which this study outlines. Key among the findings include the likelihood of persons who have reported having issues with Göç İdaresi not recommending Turkiye to others as a higher education destination. Thus, this demonstrates a case where immigration rules are having a counterproductive effect on the efforts put in by higher education policymakers.