JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENCE (YUKSEKOGRETIM VE BILIM DERGISI), cilt.6, sa.1, ss.41-49, 2016 (Hakemli Dergi)
With the realization of soft power’s potential in time which was emerged by the canalization of international diplomacy conjuncture
directing to new quests after the industrial revolution and cold war, states have been led to apply various ways and methods regarding their
foreign policies. Turkey also utilizes soft power, defined generally as the ability to shape the preferences of others through appeal rather
than coerce, both through financial co-operations, constructive applications in international policy and through national institutions,
foundations and Non-Governmental Organizations for its appearance and perception in international system. Higher education, which
has an international characteristic, may also be assessed as a soft power element through international students and academics. Accordingly,
in the current study, power and soft power terms were investigated, and the role of soft power in Turkey’s foreign policy and Turkish
higher education was examined. The findings of the study showed that the strategies toward internationalism in higher education are not
sufficient, academics and university students have a certain level of awareness on the issue though. The results were interpreted within the
scope of the literature, and managerial and functional characteristics of Turkish higher education as well.