The internationalisation of Turkish higher education: a critical analysis of policy

This study examines the key rationales behind the Turkish government's current internationalisation of higher education (IHE) agenda. It further explores strategies and goals in connection with Türkiye's regional and global ambitions, highlighting how this approach diverges from mainstream IHE narratives. Drawing on critical discourse analysis and framed by the concepts of neo-Ottomanism, econo-Islamism, and pan-Turkism, the study analyses policy documents, media sources, and academic literature. The analysis shows that internationalisation is used strategically to position the country as a regional power and to strengthen ties with regions such as Central Asia, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. Tools such as scholarship programmes and overseas educational institutions support geopolitical objectives and soft power narratives. This distinctive approach offers an alternative lens to dominant IHE discourses and contributes to more critical perspectives on internationalisation. The study concludes that a more balanced integration of diplomatic and educational goals could enhance internationalisation efforts.