The first article of the Turkish Constitution claims that Türkiye is a social welfare state. Accordingly, Türkiye executes a wide set of social welfare policies within the fields of health, education and so on. This naturally includes Türkiye’s Ministry of Sports and Youth (GSB) where we conduct projects targeting the youth, the demographic group that represents more than a third of the Turkish population.
Parallel to its size and importance, this group has a variety of needs, and parallel to its needs, the ministry offers a variety of services. Providing accommodation for university students is one of the most prominent of these services. Since 2022, the accommodation services we offer have expanded continuously. The number of residence halls and their capacity to host has increased as the additional services they offer have become more varied. Today, GSB residence halls have become a one-of-a-kind public service.
One should really explore the topic of student residence halls in Türkiye because what we do and what we offer is an unmatched public service. The ministry has multiple networks of institutions within every city. The ones people will be the most familiar with are its Youth Centers and Youth Offices. Yet, there is a much bigger and greater service we offer, and that is the GSB residence halls. Türkiye kicked off the process of reforming education in the last two decades. Universities have been established within every city in the country and existing universities have been expanded with new faculties. Young people, especially women, are encouraged to pursue higher education via social campaigns. An all-out mobilization is being carried out for youth and we, as the Ministry of Youth and Sports, have assumed our role in it.
Taking action on this big of a scale requires more than goodwill. First, there must be a theory, an abstract concept and a goal to achieve that will also shape the follow-up steps of the grand movement. The fundamental point of education is to establish equal opportunities. It is the ultimate means, end and goal. Most people disregard that education is not a sudden act, but a process, and it can, as well as it should, serve the same ultimate purpose. In other words, by educating younger generations we can give them a chance to be a better version of themselves.
At the same time, we can equalize the chances and opportunities they get when they are receiving their education too. The right to stay at the GSB Residence Hall and gain a scholarship is determined by criteria based on the socioeconomic and welfare situation of families and students. To achieve equality of opportunity, a great deal of the quota is given to students coming from disadvantaged areas and sub-communities. A portion of the quota is also given to the relatives of martyrs to show our respect and gratitude. Academic success is also a criterion. By numbers, we can comprehend better. Currently, there are 800 residence halls serving students in all provinces and almost all districts of Türkiye which have the capacity to house 850,000. This huge capacity covers more than 90% of student accommodation.
In comparison, most of the European countries have less than 10% of coverage with the exception of France, which covers 15% of the total need. The density of residence halls is high in popular student cities and big cities such as the capital Ankara. This density led to a natural development that we call the "Residence Hall Campus" which contains multiple residence halls, sports areas, music rooms and other activity spaces. They are designed to be the first place for youth to turn to when they want to take action about anything they are interested in.
In a quantitative sense, the number of residence halls increased throughout the years. Also in the qualitative sense, we furnished the residence halls with additional services and projects. A residence hall is not a mere combination of beds and tables. It is a crucial place for life itself and when its dwellers want to take action, the necessary means are provided within the residence hall. It can be music, sports, art or anything else. The residence halls are designed to be open-ended, and open to improvement if a new need arises. As these places are natural gateways between the ministry and students, any news and projects concerning youth are spread in these areas. In reverse, residence halls are observing and deducing areas for the ministry to follow and keep up with youth trends, needs and visions.
Even though their primary duty is to serve students, GSB Residence Halls are used for multiple purposes, serving as natural additions to our other projects such as "Youth Likes Travel," where people travel to different cities within the country without worrying about a place to stay. Actually, for any project that we gather young people from all corners of Türkiye for, the GSB Residence Halls are used as a gathering place, not just for accommodation but for the execution of the project itself. Our Vision Clubs project is a fitting example.
During the summer term of academic years, residence halls are still active for traveling students and those working on internships. Also, students who have to travel to a city for personal reasons can apply to our ministry for accommodation. As observed, residence halls have many duties. As we wanted them to be, they are places where life's journey unfolds for pursuers of education. They are actively taking part in all dimensions of them. We have supported Turkish youth at every step of their life. This accommodation service is a renewed addition to our pool of services. In the following years, we will expand our network of residence halls even more, making sure nobody is left behind. The Youth And Sports Ministry will always be on duty to support the Turkish youth.
