Politician and owner of GAU, complains of lack of students and income, want government to collaborate with Turkiye on the issue of double transit visas for students

A TRNC member of parliament and owner, Girne American University has called on the government of TRNC to create a higher education policy as the country's universities are losing students and funds due to double transit visa requirement.

Serhat Akpınar, Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament made the call during a speech on education and the economy of the TRNC in Parliament on Tuesday. 

Stating that people who want to study in the country are prevented due to double transit visa applications and the number of students is decreasing day by day, Akpınar criticized the lack of consultation on this issue. He pointed out the damages and income losses that this situation could cause to TRNC universities. He said the issue should be addressed at the level of the Presidents of the Republic of Turkey and TRNC.

Akpınar said that the perception that universities are causing the immigration problem in the country is not true. Akpınar stated that the root of the problem is not universities, but "course centers" that take advantage of legal loopholes in the country, and said that these course centers "undermine the efforts of universities to bring in real students." 

Referring to the economic difficulties experienced by universities and their inability to fulfill their obligations, Akpınar claimed that sufficient support was not given to universities, and said that after the pandemic, Turkish banks did not offer the same opportunities to their customers in Turkey as they did to their customers in TRNC, which included universities. 

Recalling the allegations made by the President of the Higher Education Planning, Supervision, Accreditation and Coordination Board (YÖDAK), Akpınar noted that these allegations lower the reputation of the institution and the universities in TRNC and requested president  Ersin Tatar to take actions quickly.

Speaking about the development plan that YÖDAK is trying to create, Akpınar stated that this is necessary, but before that, a higher education policy should be created in TRNC, and asked whether there is any work towards this.

Akpınar, who also proposed an amendment to the draft law for YÖDAK, stated that this is a need stating that the institution should be independent from politics.