10.6.2 Access to university track underrepresented groups applications
Boğaziçi University's Practices and Follow-up Process for Underrepresented Groups
Boğaziçi University takes planned actions to promote diversity and inclusion in student admissions and staff recruitment processes. Various policies and practices are in place to support applications and admissions of underrepresented groups such as persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, low-income students, women, non-traditional students and refugees.
A Barrier-Free and Discrimination-Sensitive Educational Environment
Boğaziçi University is committed to providing an accessible environment free from discrimination to support the academic and social lives of students with disabilities. The policy pursued for students with disabilities to prefer Boğaziçi University is supported by the following practices:
1. Accessibility: An academic and social environment where students will not be discriminated against because of their physical, cognitive or mental differences is provided.
2. Individual Support: Individual support is provided by GETEM (Technology and Education Laboratory for the Visually Impaired) and the Disabled Student Unit from the moment students with disabilities are admitted to the university until their graduation.
3. Dormitory and Scholarship Opportunities: Facilities are provided in dormitory and scholarship processes.
4. Course and Exam Adaptations: Individual adaptations are made to students in courses and exams according to the type of disability.
5. Support for Visually Impaired Students:
- Course materials are presented electronically or in Braille format upon request.
- Shapes and graphic materials are made tactile.
- Supports such as independent movement and computer training are provided.
6. Special Arrangements for Physically Disabled Students:
- Dormitory rooms are allocated according to the disability.
- On-campus transport is supported.
- Classes are held in classrooms accessible by lift.
7. Special Adaptations for the Hearing Impaired: Adaptations are made such as providing note-taker support to students in classes.
8. Support for Students with Neurodiversity: Adaptations are provided in the library, lecture and exam environments in accordance with their needs.
9. Student Assistant Support: Students with disabilities are entitled to part-time student support for at least 8 hours per week.
10. Psychosocial Support: Necessary guidance is provided by specialists for students who need psychosocial support.
11. Inclusion in Decision-Making Mechanisms: Our university has a disabled student representation in order to ensure the participation of disabled students in decision-making processes in accordance with their needs.
12. Job and Internship Opportunities: Students are immediately informed about job and internship opportunities.
13. Accessible Facilities: In order to ensure that the dining hall, gymnasium, cafeteria and other campus areas are accessible, continuous co-operation is made with all units.
14. Highly Aware Environment: Living with disability at the university, with the help of sign language and similar courses, provides a more prejudice-free and highly aware environment.
Boğaziçi University aims to provide an educational experience where every student has equal opportunities through its anti-discrimination policies and individual support systems.
Click here to go to the page of the Disabled Students Counselling and Coordination Unit:
https://engelliler.bogazici.edu.tr/
Scholarship Opportunities for Students with Economic Needs
Boğaziçi University supports the education of students with financial need by providing scholarships at undergraduate and graduate level.
Scholarship Applications
- At the beginning of each academic year, students are evaluated according to their academic performance and socio-economic status.
Scholarship Amount and Types
- It is determined by the Scholarship Commission every year.
- Needs scholarships consist of in-kind support covering food, books, dormitory and summer term course fees and cash scholarships.
- Special arrangements are made for disabled students and they are allowed to benefit from more than one cash scholarship.
Duration and Continuation Conditions
- Scholarships continue throughout the normal duration of undergraduate education, provided that the GPA of the students does not fall below 2.
Exchange Programmes
- The scholarships of students attending other universities within the scope of Boğaziçi University's exchange programmes are protected under certain conditions.
- This programme reflects the university's social responsibility to ensure equal access to education for students with economic need and to support their academic success.
Undergraduate requirement scholarship application guide:
Graduate requirement scholarship application guide:
Part-Time Work Opportunities for Underrepresented Students
Boğaziçi University offers part-time work opportunities to support the academic and social lives of students from underrepresented groups. These opportunities both provide financial support to students and contribute to their gaining work experience.
Priority Recognised Groups:
- Scholarship Students: Higher Education Credit and Dormitories Institution scholarship holders or students who are eligible for scholarships are prioritised.
- Students with Disabilities and Disaster Victims:
- Students who certify that they have been affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, fires or are the children of martyrs / veterans, and disabled students (within 3% quota) have the right to work with priority.
- For these students, conditions other than studying within the normal education period, not being a foreign student and not being disciplined are not sought.
Working Conditions:
- Within the scope of part-time work, students are temporarily employed on certain days and hours of the week (maximum 15 hours) in accordance with their course programmes.
- A ‘Part-Time Student Employment Agreement’ is signed between the students and the Rectorate.
- Part-time students are protected by occupational accident and occupational disease insurance within the scope of the ‘Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law ’ numbered 5510.
Students with disabilities can apply to the Disabled Students Counselling and Coordination Unitto benefit from part-time working opportunities and participate in the application process by following the part-time job announcements of the university.
For more information about part-time work, please click here:
https://ogrenciler.bogazici.edu.tr/Home/SubPage/kismizamanli
Recruitment Policies for Underrepresented Staff
Law No. 657 ‘Civil Servants Law’ contains regulations for the employment of disabled personnel, and these regulations are also applied in the recruitment processes of Boğaziçi University. These regulations can be summarised under the following headings:
Disabled Employment Ratio: Institutions and organisations are obliged to employ 3% of their staff with disabilities. This rate is calculated over the total number of filled positions.
Disabled Civil Servant Appointments:
- Exams for disabled people are held at a different time than general civil servant recruitment exams.
- Exam questions are prepared in accordance with their disability groups and educational status.
- Exams are held centrally by ensuring their accessibility.
Follow-up and Audit: The supervision of the obligation to employ disabled personnel and the placement of disabled people in civil service is carried out by the State Personnel Directorate.
Notification of Requests: Public institutions and organisations are obliged to notify the State Personnel Presidency until the end of October every year about the vacancies and needs of disabled people.
Placement Procedures: The State Personnel Presidency makes placements to the disabled quotas in line with the demands notified by the institutions.
Procedures and Principles: Issues such as the conditions of recruitment of disabled people to the civil service, central examination and placement processes, placements to be made by lot taking into account the educational status and disability groups, and the supply of tools and equipment needed by the disabled people while carrying out their duties are regulated by the regulation prepared by the State Personnel Presidency.
Statistical Data: Public institutions and organisations are obliged to report statistical data on the employment of disabled personnel to the State Personnel Presidency.
Determination of Daily Working Hours:
- The starting and ending times of daily work and lunch rest periods may be determined differently by the senior manager in the centre and by the local authorities in the provinces, taking into account the disability status, service requirements, climate and transportation conditions for the disabled.
- Disabled civil servants cannot be assigned night watch and night shift duty against their will.
Law No. 657 on Civil Servants: https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/MevzuatMetin/1.5.657.pdf
Monitoring of Action Plans
Boğaziçi University regularly conducts data collection and analyses to evaluate the application and admission processes of students, staff and faculty from underrepresented groups. These data are shared in the university's annual activity reports and contribute to the determination of strategic goals to increase diversity and create an inclusive education and working environment.
Boğaziçi University 2024 Administrative Activity Report:
https://sgdb.bogazici.edu.tr/sites/sgdb.bogazici.edu.tr/files/2024_bu_idare_faaliyet_raporu_.pdf
Boğaziçi University in Numbers 2023:
Ethnic Minorities and Low Income Students
The university meticulously monitors the application and admission processes of all student groups and shares this data with the public every year. Boğaziçi University offers scholarships for low-income students and supports their access to university education.
Boğaziçi University in Numbers 2023
LGBTI+ Students
A student club called Boğaziçi LGBTIA+ defends LGBTI+ rights at the university and organises activities to raise social awareness. The club plays an important role in protecting and promoting the rights of LGBTI+ individuals at the university.
Women
Boğaziçi University has established various projects and commissions to support women students and academics. For example, the ‘Stand Against Street Harassment’ project is an initiative that aims to raise awareness of women against street harassment. Within the scope of this project, more than 50,000 people have received online training in cooperation with Boğaziçi University Lifelong Learning Centre and L'Oreal Turkey.
Commission for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (CİTÖK)
Established in 2012 to prevent sexual harassment at Boğaziçi University, CİTÖK is a centre to which individuals at the university can turn when they encounter such situations. The Commission is responsible for the prevention of sexual harassment The Commission operates with the aim of designing and implementing training programmes and contributing to the development of university policies on this issue. The Commission provides a confidential support mechanism to ensure that individuals subjected to sexual harassment receive safety, medical, psychological and legal support.
Students with Disabilities
Boğaziçi University has established the Disabled Students Counselling and Coordination Unit to help disabled students overcome the difficulties they face in university life. This unit provides various support services for students with disabilities, enabling them to participate equally in educational life. In addition, arrangements have been made to improve the physical accessibility of the campus.
Annual Activity Reports and Monitoring
Boğaziçi University publishes various statistics and activity reports every year, providing information about the opportunities and services offered by the university to all student groups. These reports contain comprehensive data on issues such as the distribution of academic staff, student diversity, and measures for students with disabilities. Through these reports, the University aims to ensure transparency and equal opportunities in the student admission process.
- 2024 Department of Strategy Development Annual Reports
- Information and Statistics about Bogazici University
- Boğaziçi University in Numbers 2023
2024 Sustainability Report SDG-10 (Related Section)
Monitoring the Application and Admission Processes of Underrepresented Groups
Boğaziçi University is committed to measuring, monitoring and supporting the application and admission processes of underrepresented groups such as low- income students, students with disabilities, non-traditional students, women, ethnic minorities and newly settled refugee students. The University actively works to ensure that students from all sections of society have access to university education. This approach reflects the University's commitment to the principles of diversity, equality and inclusion.
Annual Statistics and Annual Reports
Boğaziçi University publishes various statistical and activity reports every year, providing information about the opportunities and services offered by the university to various student groups. These reports contain comprehensive data on the distribution of academic and administrative staff, student diversity, regulations and measures taken for students with disabilities. Through these reports, the University aims to ensure transparency and equal opportunity in the student admission process.
Boğaziçi University in Numbers 2023:
Department of Strategy Development Annual Reports for 2023:
https://sgdb.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/2023-yili-faaliyet-raporu-0
Reduced inequalities
Reduce inequality within and among countries.
