Türkiye Genelinde Lisans Düzeyindeki STEM Bölümlerine Ait 2013-2023 Yılları Arasındaki Kayıt ve Mezuniyet Eğilimlerinin Analizi

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Yükseköğretim Kurulu tarafından sağlanan resmî verileri inceleyerek Türkiye’deki yükseköğretim kurumlarında 2013-2023 yılları arasında STEM (Fen, Teknoloji, Mühendislik ve Matematik) alanlarındaki kayıt ve mezuniyetlere ilişkin ülke genelindeki eğilimleri incelemiştir. Araştırmanın bulguları, bu on bir yıllık dönemde lise mezunlarının yarısından fazlasının STEM bölümlerini tercih etmesiyle birlikte, STEM alanlarına yönelik kalıcı bir talebin olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Bununla birlikte üniversite giriş sistemindeki bazı politika değişikliklerine bağlı olabilecek birtakım dalgalanmalar da gözlemlenmiştir. Çalışmada ayrıca cinsiyete dayalı farklılıklar da analiz edilmiştir. İncelenen dönemin ilk yıllarında STEM alanlarında erkek öğrencilerin oranının belirgin biçimde yüksek olduğu görülürken son dönemde özellikle biyolojik bilimler gibi bazı alanlarda kadın öğrencilerin katılımının artmasıyla bu cinsiyet farkının daralmaya başladığı tespit edilmiştir. Her ne kadar STEM bölümlerinde genel anlamda kadın öğrenci kayıtlarında artış eğilimi olsa da, mühendislik gibi belirli alt alanlarda erkek öğrenci kayıt ve mezuniyet oranlarının hâlen önemli ölçüde yüksek olması nedeniyle ciddi farklılıklar görülmeye devam etmektedir. Bulgular, Türkiye genelinde STEM alanına yönelik ilginin makro düzeyde nispeten güçlü olduğunu ortaya koymakla birlikte, çeşitli STEM kariyer yollarına daha eşitlikçi katılımı teşvik etmek ve kalıcı cinsiyet eşitsizliklerini gidermek amacıyla hedeflenmiş, kanıta dayalı müdahale programları ve eğitim politikası reformlarına ihtiyaç olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu çalışma, Türkiye’deki STEM alanına yönelik ülke çapındaki ilk kapsamlı analizi sunmakta ve politika yapıcılar, eğitimciler ve diğer paydaşlar için değerli bilgiler sağlamaktadır.

Keywords

• Türkiye’de yükseköğretim
• STEM kayıt eğilimleri
• STEM mezuniyet eğilimleri
• STEM kariyer hattı
• STEM alan sınıflandırması
• STEM lisans programları

Analyzing Nationwide Enrollment and Graduation Trends in Undergraduate STEM Majors in Türkiye from 2013 to 2023

Abstract

This study explored nationwide trends in STEM enrollments and graduations in Turkish higher education institutions from 2013 to 2023 by examining the official dataset provided by the Council of Higher Education. The findings highlighted an enduring demand for STEM areas, with more than half of high school graduates choosing STEM majors during this eleven-year period, while there were some fluctuations that could be related to a number of policy changes in the university entrance system. Gender differences were also analyzed. In the earlier years, males were overrepresented in STEM fields. However, the gender gap has recently narrowed, with growing female participation in areas such as biological sciences. Despite an increasing trend in overall female enrollments in STEM majors, significant disparities still remain in particular subfields such as engineering, where male enrollment and graduation rates have been substantially higher. The findings suggest that Türkiye’s nationwide STEM pipeline appears relatively robust at the macro level; however, targeted evidence-based interventions and policy reforms are needed to promote more equitable participation in various STEM career pathways and address persistent gender disparities. This study provides the first comprehensive national analysis of the STEM pipeline in Türkiye and offers valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders.

Keywords

• higher education in Türkiye
• STEM enrollment trends
• STEM graduation trends
• STEM pipeline
• STEM classification
• undergraduate STEM programs

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