Establishment Policies of Research Universities: A Critical Analysis of Global and Turkish Perspectives

Abstract

Education holds a significant position at the core of social, economic, technological, and cultural development. Universities play a crucial role within the education system by contributing to the global pool of knowledge. With the Renaissance and reform processes, the concept of universities underwent revision, emphasizing the autonomy of universities, preservation of the prestige of scientists, and prioritizing research over teaching. Research universities emerged as new institutions within the scientific community. Research universities serve as institutions that facilitate societal development, progress, and change. This study provides an analysis of the emergence of research universities, the development process in leading countries, and an overview of research universities in Turkey. A literature review and document analysis were conducted, examining scientific publications in databases such as Web of Science, ERIC, Google Scholar, Dergipark, and the YÖKTEZ. A critical evaluation was conducted regarding the values and practices reflected in the establishment policies of research universities. In general, it is emphasized that determining the core mission of research universities is of great importance, as well as increasing funding and resource diversity, reducing non-research workloads for university staff, and enhancing postgraduate education and inter-institutional cooperation.