Students return to campus three days after police crackdown on protests against sudden closure decree.
Istanbul’s Bilgi University has reopened its doors, just three days after a presidential decree abruptly shut down the institution, triggering student protests and a heavy-handed police response.
The reversal, announced through a new presidential decree published in the Official Gazette, comes after days of intense demonstrations by students, academics, and supporters who occupied parts of the campus in defiance of the closure order.
Bilgi University, a prominent private institution known for its liberal academic environment and international programmes, was closed on May 22 by order of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The decision was linked to a state takeover of its parent company, Can Holding, amid ongoing investigations into allegations of fraud and money laundering.
Student Protests Force Reopening of Istanbul University:
Students refused to leave the Santral Istanbul campus, staging sit-ins and demonstrations that drew solidarity from other universities and civil society groups. On the third day, police moved in to clear the campus, using pepper spray and force, resulting in injuries and detentions.
Images circulating on social media showed large crowds of young protesters gathered under trees on campus, holding signs and chanting slogans in defence of academic freedom and university autonomy.
The swift reopening has been hailed by many students as a victory for their resistance, though concerns remain about the long-term stability of the institution, which serves more than 20,000 students.
Concerns over academic freedom:
Critics argue that the initial closure reflected a pattern of using executive decrees to target institutions perceived as insufficiently aligned with the ruling authorities.
“Bilgi University has long been a space for critical thinking and diverse perspectives,” said one academic who requested anonymity. “This back-and-forth creates immense uncertainty for students and faculty alike.”
The university, which had been under trustee management since the seizure of Can Holding in 2025, will now resume operations, but questions linger over the future of academic staff and the broader implications for private higher education.
As students return to classes, the events at Bilgi University underscore the fragile balance between state oversight and institutional independence in Turkey’s tense political climate.