YÖK President Erol Özvar’s criticism of the growing use of multiple-choice exams at universities has pushed assessment reform back to the center of higher education debate in Türkiye. Academics and students say universities should place more weight on open-ended, practical and project-based evaluation to better measure thinking, interpretation and problem-solving skills.
Key facts
- Özvar said the spread of multiple-choice exams was not the right direction for universities.
- He said the core purpose of university education is to improve students’ ability to make sense of information, question sources and evaluate evidence.
- Academics called for more open-ended, practical and project-based assessment.
- Students said open-ended exams require them to combine information and explain it in their own words.
What does this debate mean for students and universities?
The debate shows that exam formats do more than assign grades: they shape how students study, what skills they develop and how course outcomes are measured. Özvar’s remarks point toward assessment methods that reward reasoning and interpretation rather than memorization alone, especially in fields such as law, engineering and the social sciences.
Academics interviewed in the discussion said multiple-choice tests can still be useful in some contexts, but they are limited when it comes to measuring higher-order skills. That is why universities may place more emphasis on open-ended questions, practical exams and a broader mix of tools matched to each program’s goals. For students, that means a greater need to build arguments, connect examples and apply what they have learned.
- Open-ended exams require students to combine information and express it in their own words.
- Özvar said assessment practices will be closely tracked to ensure they align with program goals and learning outcomes.
- One academic said artificial intelligence could reduce the workload of evaluating open-ended questions, but more research and technical infrastructure are needed.
What did Özvar say?
Özvar said university education should not be limited to transferring information and stressed the importance of developing students’ thinking, reasoning, analysis, expression and application skills. In his view, the way a student is tested strongly affects how much that student learns.
He also said assessment methods should fit the nature of the discipline, citing law students’ need to present reasoned opinions, engineering students’ need to explain assumptions behind solutions, and social science students’ need to compare approaches and build evidence-based interpretations.
Where do the academics agree?
The academics who responded did not argue for abolishing multiple-choice exams entirely. Instead, they said such tests should occupy a smaller share of assessment, with more varied formats used alongside them. Selahattin Gelbal of Hacettepe University said these tests are limited in measuring higher-order skills such as critical thinking, interpretation and problem-solving. Hülya Keleceoğlu said open-ended and practical exams make it easier to see how students think and where they make mistakes.
Ankara University’s Mehmet Tekerek said students need exams that allow them to express themselves, adding that he prefers open-ended exams in his own teaching. He also said AI-supported grading systems could reduce workload, but would require stronger technical infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the YÖK president criticize multiple-choice exams?
Because he said the purpose of university education is not only to transfer information, but to help students make sense of knowledge, question sources, evaluate evidence and develop original solutions. He argued that exams should measure those skills more effectively.
Which exam types could become more prominent at universities?
Based on the academics’ views, open-ended, practical and project-based exams could become more prominent. The dominant view is not that multiple-choice tests should disappear, but that they should be used in a limited and balanced way depending on the program’s needs.
