President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has rescinded his decision to close Istanbul Bilgi University, one of Turkey's oldest private higher education institutions, following widespread outcry from students and academics. The reversal was published in the official gazette on Sunday, just two days after the initial closure order sparked protests at the university's main campus.
Background of the Closure Order
The original decree, issued on Friday, cited a law permitting the closure of private institutions if their educational standards are deemed insufficient. Students and staff vehemently rejected this justification, pointing to the university's strong academic record and participation in the EU's Erasmus exchange programme. Bilgi, which hosts over 20,000 students from Turkey and abroad, has been closed since Friday.
Hundreds gathered outside the campus on Sunday to demand its reopening. “We will stay here until the university reopens its doors,” said student union activist Emir Aydogan during the demonstration.
The closure order came eight months after the state seized Bilgi's owner, Can Holding, as part of a criminal investigation into alleged fraud and money laundering. The Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched the probe in September 2025, alleging that the group's principals had established a criminal organisation and engaged in money laundering and tax evasion. Detention orders were issued for 10 individuals, including principals Mehmet Şakir Can, Kemal Can, and Kenan Tekdağ.
As part of the operation, 121 Can Holding companies were seized and placed under the management of the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF). Among those seized were the television channels Habertürk and Show TV, the financial news channel Bloomberg HT, the Doğa school network, and Istanbul Bilgi University. Investigators stated that “large amounts of money of unknown origin were entered via companies operating under Can Holding,” which were transferred between companies to conceal the origin. Forged documents were allegedly used to reduce tax liability.
The three media outlets had been acquired by Can Holding in December 2024. Prosecutors added that some of Can Holding’s activities were “directly financed with criminal revenues.”
Broader Context
The TMSF, originally established in 1983 as a banking deposit insurance body, saw its mandate significantly expanded by government decrees after the 2016 coup attempt and further broadened by legislative amendments that came into force in January 2025. It currently controls more than 1,000 companies.
Bilgi was founded on 7 June 1996 as Turkey's fourth private foundation university. It joined the Laureate International Universities network, a US-based group operating across multiple continents, in 2006. Can Holding acquired it in 2019 for $90 million. The university is known for its liberal ethos and has produced renowned researchers in various fields.
Erdoğan, who has been in power since 2003 as prime minister and then president, has faced fierce criticism from rights groups for what they describe as authoritarian moves against his opponents. The reversal of the closure order may be seen as a rare concession to public pressure, though the underlying investigation into Can Holding continues.
For more on the initial closure and the Can Holding probe, see our earlier report: Erdoğan Shuts Istanbul Bilgi University Amid Can Holding Criminal Probe.
