ABSTRACT
Recently, internationalization of higher education has been high on the agenda in Turkey. Stakeholders have continuously been developing policies to improve the international outlook of Turkish higher education system. Attracting a higher number of international students to universities in Turkey is an essential aspect of these policies. With this nationwide struggle, the number of inbound international degree-seeking students in Turkey has increased from 16,656 to 185,047 in the last two decades. Achieving this dramatic increase is beyond any doubt worth appreciation. Nevertheless, a closer look reveals that the ratio of international students to local students is still lower than in most OECD countries. Moreover, a vast majority of international students come from a quite limited number of neighboring and Turkic countries. Last but not least, the policy lacks a well-planned, long-term strategy for diversifying and increasing the international student population in Turkish higher education in the upcoming decades. In the light of this analysis, this chapter provides several recommendations to enhance inbound international student mobility in Turkish higher education.
