Talip Geylan Meets with YÖK; Efforts to Increase University Professors' Salaries

Following increased economic pressures and inflation this year, Talip Geylan, General President of the Türk Eğitim-Sen union, met with senior officials at the headquarters of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). The meeting, held on July 16, 2026, specifically focused on improving the livelihood of faculty members and addressing financial disparities within the university system [1].

Main Discussion Points: Salaries and Welfare Benefits During the meeting, Geylan presented a comprehensive report on the economic status of academics, emphasizing that current salaries for professors and researchers do not align with the economic realities of society. He called for an increase in the base salary for all academic ranks, from research assistants to full professors. A key point of the discussion was the need to reform the "University Development Allowance" (Geliştirme Ödeneği), which, according to Geylan, should be adjusted to strengthen the motivation for working in disadvantaged regions and newly established universities [2].

The Challenge of Additional Teaching Fees (Ek Ders) Another topic at the top of the union's demands was the low rates for additional teaching fees. Talip Geylan noted that the current payment coefficient for extra teaching hours has not been seriously revised for years and has effectively lost its incentive value. He asked YÖK, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, to develop a new formula for calculating these fees based on the 2026 inflation rate to ensure educational and welfare justice [1][3].

Job Security and the Status of Research Assistants Another part of the meeting was dedicated to the employment status of research assistants under Article 50/d. Geylan reiterated the union's position on the necessity of converting these positions into permanent staff. He believes that lack of job security for young researchers leads to brain drain and a decline in the quality of scientific output in Turkish universities. YÖK officials promised during the meeting to form a special working group to examine the financial and legal dimensions of these proposals for inclusion in next year's budget [2][3].

This meeting comes as the Turkish academic community awaits the government's final decisions on salary adjustments for the second half of 2026.