Owner of GAU slams government's policy restricting students over 25 from gaining admission into universities in north Cyprus

The owner of Girne American University and member of the TRNC parliament, Serhat Akpınar has reacted strongly to the obstacles the TRNC Ministry of National Education has brought to registrations of students from 3rd World countries to university in north Cyprus.

Serhat Akpınar who is also the Secretary General of the Democratic Party (DP) and who's party is a coalition partner in the government in a Facebook post on Sunday condemned the current situation in the TRNC higher education field where he said "Is the Ministry of National Education determined to end the field of Higher Education in TRNC?"

Akpınar questioned the efforts of the Ministry of National Education to prevent individuals over the age of 25 from third world countries from enrolling in undergraduate programs at TRNC universities.

Akpınar stated that many countries allow individuals over the age of 25 to enroll in higher education institutions, and expressed that he did not understand why the TRNC wanted to create an exception in this regard. 

Referring to the issue of international students not being able to complete their registrations before their visa procedures are finalized, Akpınar reminded that many countries around the world are able to complete the registrations of students who have received pre-acceptance before their visa procedures are completed.

Akpınar stated that despite the TRNC's claim to be a center of attraction in higher education, the necessary work in this field has not been done and underlined that the TRNC needs to develop a vision for the field of higher education.

He emphasized that the establishment of the Higher Education Coordination Board, which Prime minister Ünal Üstel had previously brought to the agenda, has now become inevitable.

Akpınar's post reads:

"Is the Ministry of National Education determined to end the TRNC Higher Education field?

We want to know the facts behind this determination as a Coalition Government Partner.

What are your reasons for preventing individuals from 3rd World Countries who are over 25 years of age from enrolling in undergraduate programs at universities in the TRNC?

Coming from 3rd World Countries and

Registration of international students who have received unconditional acceptance from a higher education institution is made after the visa procedures are completed positively!

How and where will international students get a visa before the Admission and Final Registration procedures are completed? What fee will they pay?

Can an individual over the age of 25 go to a European Union member country to study at a university today?

Can they go to Commonwealth Countries, Middle East Countries, Asia Pacific Countries, Central Asia Countries, America, England and Southern Cyprus? Let me answer that! They can go if they meet the entry requirements.

Can they go to countries that require a visa even after receiving preliminary acceptance?

Answer : Yes

Can International Universities carry out pre-admission and final registration procedures even though the visa process for entering the country has not yet been completed?

Answer : Yes

Do we, as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, want to be a center of attraction in the World Higher Education Area and strengthen our position day by day?

Why is there still no work being done to develop our TRNC Higher Education Policy?

As the government, does it have a vision study or a vision movement for the TRNC Higher Education Area?

The process we are experiencing is gradually leading the TRNC Higher Education Area to extinction.

As the Coalition Government, we must quickly eliminate the destruction that will be caused by Unfair Competition and helplessness.

Within the Prime Ministry, our Prime Minister Mr.The formation of the Higher Education Coordination Board envisioned by Ünal Üstel Bey is now inevitable."