Undergraduate education programs related to artificial intelligence in Turkey recorded 100% enrollment in the results of the 2026 Higher Education Institutions Examination seat allocation, according to an assessment presented by Zafer Küçükşabanoğlu, president of the Artificial Intelligence Policy Association (AIPA). Küçükşabanoğlu told Anadolu Agency that the demand reflects young people’s awareness of the transformations that may affect professions, the economy, and methods of production.
The statements came in the context of an assessment of the results of Turkey’s 2026 university entrance examination, alongside the Turkish Artificial Intelligence Action Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The article did not include details about the number of programs or universities that achieved the stated enrollment rate; therefore, it cannot be considered an indicator of all higher-education fields in the country.
Student Interest Coincides with New Education Policies
The AIPA president believes that artificial intelligence is not merely a technological issue, but is also connected to education, human resources, and development. According to his presentation, Turkey has taken steps in recent years to develop this field, including the launch by the Council of Higher Education of new undergraduate and diploma-level programs in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, with the aim of preparing the qualified professionals needed by the economy.
In 2025, Turkey’s Ministry of National Education also issued an artificial intelligence policy and action plan document for education for the 2025–2029 period. The document covers building an artificial intelligence culture in education, developing curricula, training teachers, student learning outcomes, and the use of artificial intelligence in administration, in addition to technical infrastructure and data. According to the statements, the plan consists of four main objectives, 15 policies, and 40 implementation steps.
What Does the Enrollment Rate Mean in Practice?
The announced rate means that the available seats in the programs concerned attracted enough admitted students to fill them completely, but it does not by itself measure the quality of the programs or the readiness of the labor market to absorb their graduates. Küçükşabanoğlu indicates that the next challenge is to transform interest in the field into knowledge, skills, research, and production, rather than merely increasing the number of enrollees.
The association’s president linked this demand to growing public awareness of artificial intelligence in Turkey. Citing research conducted by AIPA, he said that 80.5% of society is familiar with artificial intelligence, 57.6% use it, while 35.3% of users use it daily. The article does not explain the research methodology or the size of its sample.
National Plan and Ambition to Establish a Specialized University
Küçükşabanoğlu said that the National Artificial Intelligence Action Plan 2026–2030, developed at the initiative of the Ministry of Industry and Technology with contributions from government institutions, academics, civil society organizations, and private companies, provides a comprehensive framework for Turkey’s objectives in this field. The plan adopts a “know, benefit, produce, and govern” approach, reflecting a desire to develop human capabilities, production, and governance, rather than merely use ready-made technologies.
He also called for the establishment of an international university focused entirely on artificial intelligence that would bring together students and researchers and produce science and technologies. He proposed the name “Cahit Arf University of Artificial Intelligence” for the project, expressing his belief that it would be established one day. This call remains a vision put forward by the association’s president and is not an announcement of the establishment of a university or a timetable for its implementation.