Hoşkara: “57 Percent of the Public Believe Fake Diplomas Are Widespread”

Speaking at a press conference in Nicosia, Hoşkara said that 57 percent of participants believe that fake diplomas are widespread in the country.

The survey, titled Public Perception of Higher Education, gathered responses from 700 participants and highlighted growing public distrust towards the higher education sector in Northern Cyprus. According to Hoşkara, key concerns include the quality of education and increasing allegations of fraudulent academic credentials.

“These issues have been on the agenda for a long time,” said Hoşkara, stressing the absence of a strategic policy from the Ministry of Education or successive governments. “We’ve made serious demands for a comprehensive higher education strategy, but nothing has been done.”

Highlighting that 23 universities currently operate with approval from the Higher Education Planning, Accreditation and Coordination Council (YÖDAK), Hoşkara warned that this highly liberalized approach is producing “serious quality issues.”

He also noted that recent efforts by Turkey and the Greek Cypriot administration to attract more foreign students are putting Northern Cyprus's entire higher education sector at risk. In response, DAÜ-SEN has launched a comprehensive study and public opinion survey to assess the current state of affairs.

The findings were stark: 57 percent of the public believe fake diploma incidents are widespread, and 58 percent believe universities issue degrees too easily.

“The issue of fake diplomas is felt even more deeply than what’s publicly reported,” said Hoşkara. “People sense that it’s possible to obtain a degree without receiving a proper education, which represents a serious threat to our higher education system. The presence of some lesser-known institutions reinforces this perception.”

Hoşkara concluded by calling for urgent reforms to restore public confidence and ensure the integrity of the education system.