ISAF Federation Requests Council of Higher Education to Review Safety Quotas

Following the publication of the 2026 university selection guide, the Turkish Federation of Occupational Health and Safety Professionals (ISAF) has expressed deep concern over the changes applied to the capacities of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) programs. In a statement released today, the federation called on the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to reconsider its decisions [1].

The Necessity of Maintaining Educational Capacities in the Safety Sector The ISAF Federation believes that reducing student admission quotas in this strategic field could lead to a long-term shortage of specialized personnel in factories and construction projects. According to reports published in local media such as "Malatya Cadde," this decision was made without consulting professional and specialized bodies [1]. ISAF emphasizes that given Turkey's industrial growth, the need for safety experts has not decreased but is felt more than ever.

Potential Consequences for Workplace Health ISAF experts warn that any disruption in the process of training specialized human resources could directly impact workplace accident statistics. The federation's statement notes that the field of Occupational Health and Safety is not a luxury, but a necessity for preserving workers' lives and national assets [3]. Reducing university intakes at this stage will create a significant gap in the labor market, the filling of which will impose heavy costs on the government and the private sector in the future.

Call for Bilateral Cooperation At the end of its statement, ISAF invited YÖK officials to a joint meeting to examine the real needs of the labor market and educational standards [1]. The federation suggested that instead of a general reduction in capacities, the focus should be on improving the quality of education and the fair distribution of quotas in industrial provinces. The Council of Higher Education is expected to respond to this request in the coming days, as the deadline for candidates' program selection is approaching [2].