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AI, digital careers open new doors for Türkiye’s university applicants

Students taking the Turkish language-geography session of the university entrance exam. (AA Photo)

New programs focused on AI, cybersecurity, data science, aly emerged as employment-driven fields, opening new doors for university applicants in Türkiye

With the results of its 2026 Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) now released, applicants are turning their attention to the placement process, where these so-called ‘professions of the future’ are drawing particular interest this year. Successful candidates will begin submitting their program preferences on Wednesday, July 29

Türkiye’s Higher Education Council (YOK), the body overseeing university admissions and academic programs nationwide, recently announced that 81 new programs in AI and information technology have opened over the past three years, reflecting growing academic interest in future-oriented fields

This year, YOK added 16 more programs to its placement guide, including history and AI, philosophy and AI, biotechnology and genetics, digital game technologies, and mobile security technologies

An elevated view shows university students walking up and down a staircase on campus. (Adobe Stock Photo)

AI set to reshape the job market

Zafer Kucuksabanoglu, president of the Artificial Intelligence Policies Association (AIPA), said it is not just technology that is transforming today, but professions, the economy, society and people as well

He said AI is automating some routine tasks while also creating entirely new professions that didn’t exist before. “The real question is no longer whether AI will take our jobs, but who will have the skills to work alongside it,” he said, adding that Türkiye has strong advantages in this transformation thanks to its engineering infrastructure, growing tech startups and young population, provided it invests in developing skilled talent.

Kucuksabanoglu advised future university students: “Whichever field you choose, law, medicine, psychology, business, communications or international relations, make sure to build your skills in AI.”

”It’s becoming a shared working space across every discipline. In the future, it won’t just be engineers who benefit, but also doctors, lawyers, teachers, journalists and public administrators who know how to use it.” He added

He stated that interdisciplinary fields combining AI with areas like sociology, psychology, law and international relations are expected to grow rapidly, and that companies will increasingly evaluate candidates based on their projects, language skills and adaptability, not just their university of graduation

Software federation predicts rapid job growth

Mustafa Calis, president of the Turkish Software Developers Federation (TUYAFED), said AI is the topic university applicants are most curious about this year, noting that new AI-focused undergraduate programs launched this year reflect the sector’s growing influence on education

Calis said AI is transforming every sector, from healthcare and defense to finance, agriculture and manufacturing, and that students trained in the field today will be part of the most strategic professions of the next 10 to 20 years

He said AI will not eliminate software engineering jobs but transform them, with future value placed on engineers who know how to work alongside AI systems

Calis noted that demand for AI talent is rising globally, with banks, defense companies, automakers, healthcare institutions, energy firms and public agencies now seeking AI specialists, a trend he expects to accelerate in Türkiye as well

He listed AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, robotics and autonomous systems, data science, AI-assisted software development, cloud computing, health technologies, defense technologies, fintech and smart manufacturing as fields likely to stand out in the coming years, adding that success in these areas will depend on strong math skills, foreign language ability, analytical thinking and a willingness to keep learning.