Erdoğan reappoints Yekta Saraç as head of Turkey’s Higher Education Board

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reappointed Yekta Saraç as the head of Turkey’s Higher Education Board (YÖK) on July 20.

Saraç was first appointed to the post on Nov. 12, 2014.

Saraç, who was the acting head of YÖK after former head Gökhan Çetinsaya was removed from his post, was appointed as the new head of YÖK by Erdoğan again. 

Çetinsaya was removed from his post on Nov. 6, 2014, the anniversary of YÖK’s establishment, to become an adviser to former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

Saraç was born in Istanbul in 1963. He received his bachelor’s degree from the department of Turkish language and literature at Istanbul University’s faculty of literature in 1985. He then became a research assistant in the department of Turkish language and literature at his alma mater in 1985.

After completing his doctoral education at the same university in 1991, he earned the titles of assistant professor in 1992 and associate professor in 1994, respectively. He became a professor in 2000. He worked at the Eastern Mediterranean University in Turkish Cyprus during the academic year of 2005-2006.

Saraç, having published eight books and several articles in a number of journals, is specialized in old Turkish literature and text review.