KAPGEM Proposes "Sports University" to Boost Turkey's Olympic Success

Academic Infrastructure and Thematic Specialization The Public Policy and Management Research Center (KAPGEM) at Karabük University has prepared a comprehensive report proposing the establishment of a thematic "Sports University" to help Turkey take a more active role in the international sports arena.
Karabük University Rector Prof.
Fatih Kırışık noted that the number of universities in Turkey has increased from 19 to 205 since 1981, with the country now ranking 15th globally in academic production.
Kırışık emphasized that this quantitative growth must now be supported by thematic structures that specialize in specific fields such as sports sciences.
Institutional Collaboration and Performance Management Coşkun Güven, the Karabük Provincial Director of Youth and Sports, stated that academic support is indispensable for the development of sports.
He noted that collaborations with universities would improve coaching quality and service standards.
Prof.
Mehmet Ali Öztürk, Head of the Youth and Sports Policy Desk at KAPGEM, pointed out that while the number of licensed athletes in Turkey has surged from 278,000 in 2002 to over 17 million today, this increase has not been directly reflected in Olympic medal counts.
A New Science-Based Model Evaluating the results of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Prof.
Öztürk argued that elite sporting success is not achievable through individual talent alone.
Instead, it requires institutional structures where scientific methods, performance management, and psychological support are integrated.
The proposed Sports University model aims to consolidate education, training, and scientific research under one roof.
The plan includes making academic calendars flexible to accommodate athletes' competition schedules and ensuring that sports federations are fully integrated into this new ecosystem.