Professor Feryal Saygılıgil, Head of the Sociology Department at Istanbul Arel University, was dismissed from her position after insisting on maintaining academic identity and pursuing sexual harassment cases. She considers this dismissal the price for defending academic independence.
In mid-July 2026, the Turkish academic community faced a new wave of faculty dismissals, most notably that of Professor Dr. Feryal Saygılıgil. This prominent scholar, who served at Istanbul Arel University for 14 years, was informed via the university's electronic system on June 30, 2026, that her contract would not be renewed [2].
Dismissal Details and Sharp Reactions In an interview with the media outlet Sendika.Org, Professor Saygılıgil stated that the primary reason for her dismissal was her insistence on maintaining the standards of a true 'university' against the management's profit-oriented policies. She stated: "I was fired because I insisted that this is a university, not a commercial company. I will not back down from this position" [1]. This dismissal occurred while she was serving as a University Senate representative and Head of the Sociology Department, holding a high academic standing.
Roots of the Conflict: From Academic Independence to Confronting Sexual Harassment According to published reports, Saygılıgil's disagreements with the university management were not limited to administrative issues. She revealed that for the past eight months, she had been subjected to systematic psychological pressure (mobbing) due to her request for investigations into sexual harassment allegations against a faculty member [2]. She believes that instead of addressing these violations, the university management preferred to silence critics. Furthermore, her feminist approach and academic activities in the field of women's studies were viewed as a challenge by the management [4].
Systematic Crisis in Turkish Private Universities The dismissal of Professor Saygılıgil is part of a broader wave. Reports indicate that at the end of the 2026 academic year, more than 150 professors at various private institutions in Istanbul, including Arel, Maltepe, Beykent, and Aydın universities, faced non-renewal of their contracts [3]. Trade unions and members of the Turkish Parliament, including Sevilay Çelenk, have described these actions as a 'political purge' and an attempt to turn universities into diploma-selling enterprises [3][4].
Message of Resistance: 'We Will Return' Despite this sudden dismissal, Professor Saygılıgil announced with a resilient spirit that she has initiated the legal process to return to work. In a message to her students and colleagues, she said: "We will definitely return. This struggle is not just for my job, but for the future of the academy and the rights of students. The university must not become a place where truth is sacrificed for financial profit" [1][2].
Professor Feryal Saygılıgil, a sociology professor who views her dismissal as the cost of maintaining the university's identity.
linkSources
- Prof. Dr. Feryal Saygılıgil: "Oranın bir üniversite olduğu konusunda ısrarcı olduğum için işten atıldım, geri döneceğiz" — Sendika.Org (2026-07-14)
- Dr. Feryal Saygılıgil: Taciz iddiasını gündeme taşıdığım için baskı görüyordum, bu bir gözdağı! — T24 (2026-07-10)
- Vakıf üniversitelerindeki işten çıkarmalar siyasi tasfiyenin parçası — Bianet (2026-07-13)
- Üniversiteler diploma satan işletmelere dönüştürüldü — Evrensel (2026-07-13)
