Turkey's Higher Education Board (YÖK) on Thursday said universities would not open any new French departments and that 16 existing departments without enrolled students would not be allowed to admit any new students. The 19 departments which currently have students enrolled will be allowed to admit new students and continue the academic year normally.
The decision was taken due to "reciprocity" and "graduate-employment dynamics," as there are also no Turkish language faculties in France, Turkish newspapers reported, citing an official from YÖK.
YÖK’s decision came after 300 people in France, including former President Nicolas Sarkozy and former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, signed a manifesto published in Le Parisien on April 21. The manifesto, which suggests some Quran verses incite violence and hatred toward Jews, Christians and nonbelievers, was interpreted as a demand to abrogate the Quran.
The move drew a response from President Tayyip Erdoğan and ministers from his ruling AKP party.
"Is it your place to make such remarks? We see this only as a reflection of your ignorance. You are no different than Daesh (Islamic State) ... No matter how much you attack what's sacred to us, we will not do the same. We are not despicable," Erdoğan said in a speech.
