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5.3.2 - Bahçeşehir University Non-Discriminatory Admissions and Women's Equal Access Policy
1. Institutional Commitment and Purpose
Bahçeşehir University (BAU), guided by its institutional vision of shaping the future of higher education through excellence in scientific research, educational quality, and societal contribution, and its mission of addressing local and global challenges through knowledge production, innovative learning models, and international collaboration, is firmly committed to promoting women's access to higher education and ensuring equal, inclusive, and non-discriminatory admission opportunities for all applicants.
The University recognizes that gender equality in higher education requires not only the elimination of discriminatory practices but also proactive institutional measures to encourage women's applications, address barriers to educational access, and strengthen women's participation across all academic disciplines.
In accordance with its institutional values of equality, inclusivity, and societal contribution, BAU considers women's equitable access to higher education, the active encouragement of female applicants, and the prevention of gender-based discrimination throughout admissions to be fundamental institutional responsibilities.
Admission and scholarship decisions are conducted in accordance with applicable national higher education regulations, programme-specific academic requirements, and established institutional procedures. Gender-based bias, discriminatory assumptions, and unjustified differences in treatment are not permitted at any stage of the application, assessment, admission, or scholarship allocation process. These principles apply across academic disciplines, including fields in which women have historically been underrepresented.
This policy establishes a comprehensive framework for ensuring that women are encouraged and supported in applying to Bahçeşehir University and that all applicants are treated fairly throughout the application, evaluation, admission, scholarship allocation, and enrollment processes.
The policy reflects BAU's commitment to SDG 5 (Gender Equality), particularly the elimination of barriers affecting women's participation in higher education, while also supporting SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
2. Scope and Non-Discrimination Commitment
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions processes, including national and international student applications, student recruitment, admissions communication, applicant evaluation, scholarship consideration, enrollment, and related administrative procedures.
Bahçeşehir University strictly prohibits direct or indirect discrimination against any applicant on the basis of gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, color, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, language, political opinion, age, disability, health status, marital or family status, immigration status, socioeconomic background, or any other personal characteristic unrelated to legitimate academic admission requirements.
The University is committed to ensuring that admission procedures are transparent, objective, merit-based, and consistent with applicable national higher education regulations.
All applicants must receive fair consideration based on relevant academic qualifications, programme requirements, and established admission criteria.
No woman may be discouraged from applying, denied admission, disadvantaged in the application process or scholarship consideration, or treated unequally during enrollment because of her gender or other personal circumstances unrelated to legitimate admission requirements.
This commitment applies equally to all academic disciplines, programmes, and admission pathways.
3. Women's Access, Applications, and Participation
Bahçeşehir University places women's equitable access, applications, admissions, and sustained participation at the heart of its institutional approach to gender equality in higher education.
The University recognizes that women may encounter social, economic, cultural, and structural barriers that influence their decisions to pursue higher education, their choice of academic discipline, and their ability to participate fully in university life.
Accordingly, BAU is committed to moving beyond the formal prohibition of discrimination by implementing measures that actively encourage women to apply, strengthen their access to educational opportunities, and support their academic development.
BAU is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all women, regardless of their socioeconomic background, disability status, field of study, family circumstances, or other personal characteristics. The University recognizes that while gender equality requires the elimination of barriers affecting women in general, some women may face additional challenges due to intersecting forms of disadvantage.
BAU therefore adopts an inclusive and intersectional approach to gender equality, recognizing that the combined effects of gender, disability, socioeconomic circumstances, migration background, and other factors may create additional barriers to higher education.
To advance women's access and participation, the University is committed to:
Actively encouraging applications from women across all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, ensuring that gender equality is promoted throughout every academic discipline.
Giving additional attention to encouraging female applicants in fields where women have historically been underrepresented, including relevant science, technology, engineering, and other disciplines.
Ensuring that recruitment communications, promotional materials, and admission procedures reflect gender-sensitive and inclusive principles.
Providing prospective women applicants with accessible information about academic programmes, admission requirements, scholarships, and available support opportunities.
Supporting outreach activities and collaboration with schools, civil society organizations, and community stakeholders to encourage young women to pursue higher education.
Facilitating access to mentoring, academic guidance, career development, and leadership opportunities that support women's educational participation and long-term success.
Through these commitments, BAU seeks to ensure that women across all fields of study are not only formally eligible to apply but are actively encouraged and supported in accessing higher education opportunities.
4. ApplyBAU Scholarship Programme and Women's Educational Opportunities
Bahçeşehir University (BAU) is committed to advancing gender equality in higher education through ApplyBAU, its institutional application and scholarship system, introduced in 2013. Complementing Türkiye's centralized university placement system, ApplyBAU provides an additional scholarship evaluation pathway that recognizes applicants' individual achievements, talents, interests, projects, social responsibility activities, and personal potential.
Bahçeşehir University recognizes that financial barriers can significantly affect women's access to higher education, particularly for applicants from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. A central feature of ApplyBAU is its institutional commitment to expanding women's access to higher education through dedicated scholarship opportunities. As part of this commitment, BAU establishes annual scholarship quotas specifically for female applicants across its academic departments, providing a targeted mechanism to support women's educational participation and address gender disparities.
This approach extends across the University's academic programmes, with particular attention to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and other disciplines in which women may be underrepresented. By combining gender-responsive scholarship provisions with individual assessment, ApplyBAU seeks to reduce financial barriers, broaden educational opportunities, and encourage women to pursue their academic and professional aspirations across different fields of study.
The system operates in accordance with BAU's Non-Discrimination and Gender Equality Policy, emphasizing fairness, transparency, equal opportunity, and respect for individual differences. Applications are evaluated through established institutional procedures designed to recognize candidates' competencies and potential while preventing discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion, age, or other personal characteristics.
Importantly, BAU systematically monitors scholarship applications and outcomes by gender, enabling the University to assess women's participation and identify potential disparities across academic departments. In accordance with its commitment to institutional transparency and accountability, the University also publicly discloses gender-disaggregated information on ApplyBAU scholarship recipients, providing measurable evidence of its efforts to promote women's access to higher education.
The ApplyBAU Scholarship Programme includes scholarship opportunities and incentives that support women's access to higher education across all academic disciplines, with additional attention to encouraging female applicants in fields where women have historically been underrepresented. These opportunities aim to reduce financial barriers, promote equal educational opportunities, and strengthen women's participation throughout the University.
The University integrates financial support with broader educational opportunities, including mentoring, academic guidance, leadership development, and career support initiatives that contribute to women's continued participation and advancement.
BAU is committed to ensuring that scholarship application and evaluation procedures are transparent, equitable, and free from discriminatory treatment.
Women applicants must receive fair consideration in scholarship allocation processes, and financial assistance mechanisms should contribute to the University's broader objectives of gender equality and inclusive educational access.
Through ApplyBAU and related institutional support initiatives, BAU seeks to strengthen women's opportunities to enter higher education, pursue their chosen disciplines, and develop their academic and professional potential.
5. Transparent, Merit-Based, and Gender-Sensitive Admissions
Bahçeşehir University is committed to maintaining admission processes based on transparency, academic merit, fairness, and equal opportunity.
Admission and scholarship decisions are made in accordance with relevant academic qualifications, programme-specific requirements, applicable national regulations, and established institutional procedures.
Gender-based bias, discriminatory assumptions, and unjustified differences in treatment are prohibited throughout the application and admission process.
The University promotes gender-sensitive admissions communication and encourages the use of inclusive language and objective evaluation criteria.
The ApplyBAU digital application and scholarship platform supports the administration of relevant application and scholarship procedures, enabling prospective students to access information and participate in established evaluation processes.
BAU recognizes the importance of ensuring that admission and scholarship practices do not create unnecessary barriers for women across any academic discipline, while giving additional consideration to applicants facing socioeconomic, accessibility-related, or other intersecting disadvantages.
Admissions and scholarship personnel are expected to uphold the University's principles of equality, impartiality, and non-discrimination.
6. Systematic Tracking of Women's Applications, Admissions, and Enrollment
Bahçeşehir University systematically monitors women's applications, admissions, scholarship outcomes, and enrollment patterns as part of its institutional commitment to gender equality.
The University recognizes that meaningful progress toward gender equality requires reliable information about women's access to higher education and the identification of potential disparities across different admission pathways and academic disciplines.
Gender-disaggregated data are used to examine women's participation at relevant stages of the admissions process, including:
National Student Admissions: Monitoring women's applications, admission outcomes, and enrollment across academic programmes to identify participation patterns and potential gender disparities.
ApplyBAU Scholarship Applications: Reviewing women's participation in scholarship application and allocation processes to assess how financial support contributes to equitable access.
International Student Admissions: Examining gender representation among international applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students to support equal opportunities across the University's international admissions pathways.
Programme-Level Gender Representation: Examining women's representation across all academic disciplines, identifying potential inequalities, and considering additional measures to encourage applications in fields where women remain underrepresented.
Relevant admissions information is reviewed to inform institutional planning, student recruitment, scholarship development, and gender equality initiatives.
This monitoring approach enables BAU to move beyond policy commitments by assessing women's participation through measurable admissions indicators and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
The University's Gender Equality Committee and relevant academic and administrative units contribute to the evaluation of gender equality priorities and the development of institutional responses to identified challenges.
7. Mentorship, Guidance, and Support for Women's Continued Participation
BAU recognizes that gender equality in admissions is closely connected to women's ability to remain engaged in higher education and achieve academic success after enrollment.
Accordingly, the University supports women's academic development, mentoring, professional guidance, and leadership opportunities across all fields of study.
These initiatives are designed to promote the participation and success of all women students, while also addressing additional barriers that may arise in particular disciplines or among students facing intersecting forms of disadvantage.
Mentoring, academic guidance, and professional development opportunities complement admission and scholarship policies by helping women navigate academic environments, develop professional competencies, and explore future educational and career opportunities.
By connecting equitable admissions with continued educational support, BAU promotes a comprehensive approach to women's access, participation, and success in higher education, regardless of their chosen academic discipline.
8. Institutional Responsibilities and Accountability
The implementation of this policy involves the University's relevant admissions, scholarship, student affairs, and academic units, together with institutional structures responsible for promoting gender equality.
These units are expected to ensure that admissions communication, applicant evaluation, scholarship consideration, and enrollment procedures comply with the principles of equality, fairness, and non-discrimination.
Institutional responsibilities include:
Encouraging women's applications across all academic disciplines and communicating educational opportunities inclusively.
Applying objective and transparent admission and scholarship criteria.
Supporting the collection and evaluation of gender-disaggregated admissions information.
Identifying potential barriers affecting women's access to higher education, including barriers that may disproportionately affect particular groups of women.
Promoting coordination between admissions, scholarship, mentoring, and student support activities.
Supporting the review and improvement of policies and procedures affecting gender equality.
The University's commitment to gender equality is a shared institutional responsibility that extends across all relevant stages of student recruitment, admission, enrollment, and continued educational participation.
9. Reporting Discrimination and Protection Against Retaliation
Bahçeşehir University is committed to ensuring that applicants and students can raise concerns regarding potential discrimination, harassment, bias, or unequal treatment during admission and scholarship processes.
Individuals who experience or witness such treatment may report their concerns through the relevant University administrative units, including the Student Affairs Directorate and applicable institutional equality mechanisms.
Reports should be handled fairly, respectfully, and with appropriate confidentiality, in accordance with relevant legal and institutional procedures.
No applicant or student is subject to retaliation or adverse treatment for reporting potential discrimination or raising a concern in good faith.
Where discriminatory practices or unjustified barriers are identified, the University is committed to considering appropriate corrective measures and improvements to relevant procedures.
10. Monitoring, Policy Review, and Continuous Improvement
Bahçeşehir University recognizes that advancing women's access to higher education requires sustained institutional commitment, regular evaluation, and continuous improvement.
The University reviews its admission and scholarship practices to identify potential inequalities and strengthen opportunities for women's participation across all academic disciplines.
Relevant reviews may consider gender-disaggregated application and enrollment data, scholarship outcomes, programme-level participation patterns, stakeholder feedback, and changing educational needs.
Findings contribute to the development of more inclusive recruitment strategies, equitable scholarship opportunities, and appropriate student support measures.
BAU remains committed to strengthening women's applications, admissions, and participation through evidence-informed institutional practices and ongoing attention to gender equality.
Through this policy, Bahçeşehir University reaffirms its commitment to actively encouraging women's applications across all academic disciplines, eliminating gender-based discrimination in admissions, supporting equitable access to scholarships, and systematically monitoring women's participation in higher education.
By combining non-discriminatory admission procedures with educational opportunities, financial support, mentorship, and institutional monitoring, BAU seeks to ensure that all women, regardless of their backgrounds or chosen fields of study, have meaningful opportunities to access, participate in, and succeed in higher education.
Policy Established: 2021
Revised: 2025
Scope: University-wide undergraduate and postgraduate admissions,
scholarships, and enrollment processes
In addition to the Bahçeşehir University Non-Discriminatory Admissions and Women's Equal Access Policy, the University has also established the Bahçeşehir University Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Policy, further reinforcing its institutional commitment to gender equality, non-discrimination, and equal opportunities. Details of both are provided below.
Bahçeşehir University Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Policy
1. Institutional Commitment and Purpose
Bahçeşehir University (BAU), guided by its institutional vision of shaping the future of higher education through excellence in scientific research, educational quality, and societal contribution, and its mission of addressing local and global challenges through knowledge production, innovative learning models, and international collaboration, is firmly committed to promoting gender equality, ensuring equal employment opportunities, and maintaining a fair, inclusive, and non-discriminatory working environment.
The University recognizes that gender equality in employment requires more than the formal prohibition of discrimination. It also requires proactive institutional measures to eliminate barriers affecting women's recruitment, professional development, career advancement, compensation, and participation in leadership and decision-making.
BAU regards equal employment opportunities for women, the prevention of gender-based discrimination, and equitable access to professional advancement as fundamental institutional responsibilities.
The University is committed to ensuring that all employees and job applicants are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect, regardless of their personal characteristics or backgrounds.
This policy establishes an institutional framework for non-discrimination and equal opportunity across all stages of employment, including recruitment, appointment, working conditions, compensation, performance evaluation, promotion, professional development, and termination.
The policy directly supports SDG 5 (Gender Equality), particularly women's equal participation and opportunities in professional life and leadership, while also contributing to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
2. Scope and Non-Discrimination Commitment
This policy applies to academic and administrative employees, job applicants, and relevant employment-related processes across Bahçeşehir University.
It covers recruitment, selection, hiring, appointment, compensation, benefits, professional development, promotion, access to leadership opportunities, workplace conduct, and termination of employment.
Bahçeşehir University strictly prohibits direct or indirect discrimination on the basis of gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, color, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, language, political opinion, age, disability, health status, marital or family status, pregnancy, parenthood, socioeconomic background, or any other personal characteristic unrelated to legitimate professional requirements.
All employment decisions must be based on fair, transparent, objective, and professionally relevant criteria, in accordance with applicable legislation and institutional procedures.
No woman may be disadvantaged in recruitment, employment conditions, compensation, promotion, professional development, or access to leadership opportunities because of her gender, pregnancy, maternity, family responsibilities, or other personal circumstances unrelated to legitimate employment requirements.
The University's commitment to non-discrimination extends to all employment categories, academic disciplines, administrative units, and levels of institutional responsibility.
3. Women's Equal Access to Employment and Inclusive Recruitment
Bahçeşehir University actively promotes women's equal access to employment opportunities across all academic and administrative positions.
The University recognizes that women may face structural, social, and professional barriers that affect their participation in employment and access to certain career pathways.
BAU is committed to ensuring that recruitment and selection practices encourage applications from qualified women and provide equal consideration to all candidates.
Recruitment procedures are guided by principles of transparency, fairness, academic and professional merit, and non-discrimination.
To support women's equal employment opportunities, BAU promotes:
Inclusive recruitment practices that encourage applications from women across all academic and administrative positions.
Equal opportunity in job advertisements, recruitment communication, candidate screening, and selection procedures.
Objective evaluation criteria based on relevant qualifications, competencies, professional experience, and position requirements.
Fair access to academic appointments, research positions, administrative employment, and institutional leadership pathways.
Additional attention to encouraging women's participation in professional fields and leadership positions where they have historically been underrepresented.
Recruitment procedures that recognize the importance of accessibility and the elimination of unjustified barriers affecting candidates from diverse backgrounds.
BAU's commitment to women's employment applies across the entire University and is not limited to positions or disciplines in which women are underrepresented.
Where additional measures are appropriate to address existing gender disparities, these measures complement the University's overarching commitment to equal opportunity for all women.
4. Equal Opportunities for Promotion, Career Advancement, and Leadership
Bahçeşehir University recognizes that meaningful gender equality in employment requires fair opportunities not only to enter the workforce but also to advance professionally and participate in institutional leadership.
BAU is committed to ensuring that women have equal opportunities for promotion, career development, academic advancement, and appointment to leadership and decision-making positions.
Promotion and appointment procedures are guided by transparent, merit-based, and professionally relevant criteria, including qualifications, performance, academic achievement, professional experience, and leadership competencies.
The University promotes women's participation and advancement across academic and administrative career pathways, including research, teaching, management, governance, and institutional decision-making.
BAU supports:
Equal access for women to promotion and professional advancement opportunities across all academic and administrative positions.
Women's participation in academic leadership, administrative management, committees, and decision-making bodies.
Transparent and objective evaluation criteria for promotion and appointment.
Equal opportunities to participate in training, professional development, research, and leadership programmes.
Mentorship, professional guidance, and capacity-building initiatives that support women's career development.
The identification and reduction of barriers that may affect women's progression into senior academic and administrative roles.
The University recognizes that some women may face additional challenges because of intersecting factors such as disability, socioeconomic circumstances, caregiving responsibilities, or other personal conditions.
Accordingly, BAU adopts an inclusive and intersectional approach to women's professional advancement, ensuring that its commitment to gender equality extends to all women while recognizing the need to address additional barriers affecting particular groups.
5. Equal Pay, Compensation, and Employment Benefits
Bahçeşehir University upholds the principle of equal pay for equal work and work of equal value, without discrimination based on gender or other protected personal characteristics.
The University recognizes that equitable compensation is an essential component of gender equality and fair employment practices.
Salaries, bonuses, allowances, and other employment benefits are determined according to relevant and objective criteria, including qualifications, professional experience, responsibilities, performance, and applicable employment frameworks.
Gender must not be used as a basis for unjustified differences in compensation, benefits, or employment conditions.
BAU supports the periodic review of compensation practices and relevant employment information to identify potential gender-related disparities and inform appropriate corrective measures.
The University is committed to ensuring that women and men have equitable access to employment benefits and applicable workplace support arrangements.
These include relevant leave entitlements, health and social benefits, professional development opportunities, and other benefits established under applicable legislation and institutional procedures.
The principle of pay equity applies across all academic and administrative employment categories and at every level of institutional responsibility.
6. Work-Life Balance, Parenthood, and Caregiving Responsibilities
Bahçeşehir University recognizes that gender equality in employment requires institutional attention to the challenges associated with balancing professional responsibilities and personal or family commitments.
The University acknowledges that caregiving responsibilities and unequal distributions of unpaid care work may create additional barriers to women's employment, career advancement, and leadership opportunities.
BAU supports working conditions and institutional practices that promote a fair and respectful balance between professional and personal responsibilities.
Pregnancy, maternity, parenthood, marital status, or legitimate caregiving responsibilities must not constitute grounds for discrimination in recruitment, promotion, compensation, professional development, or employment conditions.
The University ensures that maternity, paternity, parental, and other applicable leave entitlements are administered in accordance with relevant legislation and institutional procedures.
Where appropriate and compatible with institutional requirements, flexible working arrangements and other supportive measures may be considered to assist employees in balancing professional and family responsibilities.
BAU recognizes that support for family and caregiving responsibilities contributes to the retention, well-being, and professional advancement of women, while promoting equitable working conditions for all employees.
7. Professional Development, Mentorship, and Women's Empowerment
BAU is committed to supporting women's professional growth, leadership potential, and long-term career development across all academic and administrative fields.
The University promotes equitable access to professional development programmes, academic training, research opportunities, workshops, leadership development, and relevant institutional learning activities.
Women employees are encouraged to participate in opportunities that strengthen their professional competencies, expand their networks, and support their progression into positions of greater responsibility.
Mentorship, professional guidance, and capacity-building initiatives contribute to women's academic and administrative career development.
The University also recognizes the importance of creating an institutional environment in which women can participate meaningfully in research, innovation, governance, and strategic decision-making.
These opportunities are intended to support all women throughout the University, rather than being limited to specific disciplines, employment categories, or career stages.
Where particular barriers or disparities are identified, additional support may be considered to strengthen women's participation and professional advancement.
8. Safe, Respectful, and Non-Discriminatory Workplace
Bahçeşehir University is committed to maintaining a workplace characterized by respect, dignity, fairness, inclusion, and professional integrity.
The University adopts a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, gender-based harassment, bullying, intimidation, and retaliatory treatment in the workplace.
All employees have the right to work in an environment free from discriminatory conduct, harassment, and unjustified exclusion.
The University recognizes that gender-based discrimination and harassment can undermine women's professional participation, well-being, career progression, and equal opportunities.
BAU therefore promotes institutional awareness, respectful workplace conduct, and appropriate mechanisms for addressing concerns relating to discrimination or harassment.
All academic and administrative employees, including those in supervisory and leadership positions, are expected to uphold the principles of equality, mutual respect, and professional responsibility.
The prevention of gender-based discrimination and harassment is an essential component of BAU's commitment to women's equal participation in professional and institutional life.
9. Reporting Mechanisms, Fair Review, and Protection Against Retaliation
Employees and job applicants who experience or witness discrimination, harassment, unequal treatment, or other potential violations of this policy may report their concerns through the relevant University administrative units, including the Human Resources Directorate and applicable institutional equality mechanisms.
BAU is committed to ensuring that such concerns are considered promptly, fairly, objectively, and with appropriate confidentiality, in accordance with applicable legislation and institutional procedures.
No employee or job applicant is subject to retaliation, intimidation, or adverse treatment for reporting potential discrimination or harassment in good faith.
The University recognizes the importance of accessible reporting procedures and fair consideration of complaints, while respecting the rights and privacy of all individuals involved.
Where violations are established, appropriate corrective or disciplinary measures may be taken in accordance with relevant legal and institutional requirements.
The University also encourages the identification of systemic concerns that may require improvements to workplace practices, institutional procedures, or employee support mechanisms.
10. Monitoring Gender Equality in Employment
Bahçeşehir University recognizes that progress toward gender equality in employment requires systematic monitoring, institutional accountability, and continuous improvement.
The University supports the collection and evaluation of gender-disaggregated employment information to identify potential disparities and assess women's participation across academic and administrative employment.
Relevant monitoring activities include:
Recruitment and Employment: Reviewing women's representation among applicants, new appointments, and employees across academic and administrative positions.
Career Advancement and Promotion: Monitoring women's participation in promotion processes, academic advancement, and professional development opportunities.
Leadership and Decision-Making: Examining women's representation in academic leadership, administrative management, institutional committees, and other relevant decision-making structures.
Compensation and Benefits: Reviewing relevant compensation information and employment practices to identify potential gender-related disparities and promote equitable treatment.
Professional Development: Considering women's participation in training, mentorship, leadership development, and other institutional learning opportunities.
Relevant academic and administrative units, including Human Resources and institutional structures responsible for gender equality, contribute to the evaluation of employment practices and the identification of opportunities for improvement.
Findings from gender equality monitoring are intended to inform institutional decision-making, support the removal of barriers to women's professional advancement, and strengthen accountability for equal employment opportunities.
11. Institutional Responsibilities and Implementation
The implementation of this policy is a shared institutional responsibility involving the University's leadership, Human Resources Directorate, academic and administrative units, and relevant institutional equality mechanisms.
University units involved in recruitment, employment administration, professional development, promotion, and workplace management are expected to apply the principles of fairness, equality, and non-discrimination within their respective responsibilities.
These responsibilities include:
Ensuring transparent and non-discriminatory recruitment and appointment procedures.
Promoting women's equal participation across academic and administrative employment.
Applying objective criteria in promotion, compensation, and professional development.
Supporting equitable access to leadership and decision-making opportunities.
Recognizing and addressing barriers related to pregnancy, maternity, parenthood, and caregiving responsibilities.
Promoting respectful workplace conduct and appropriate responses to discrimination-related concerns.
Supporting the review of relevant employment practices and gender equality indicators.
The principles of this policy apply across all levels of institutional governance and employment, reinforcing BAU's commitment to gender equality as a university-wide responsibility.
12. Policy Review and Continuous Improvement
Bahçeşehir University is committed to periodically reviewing its employment policies and practices to ensure their continued alignment with gender equality, equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and applicable legal requirements.
Relevant reviews may consider gender-disaggregated employment information, staff feedback, changes in employment legislation, institutional priorities, and identified barriers affecting women's professional participation.
The University encourages continuous improvement in recruitment, promotion, compensation, professional development, workplace support, and access to leadership opportunities.
BAU reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that women across all academic and administrative positions have equal opportunities to enter employment, advance professionally, receive fair compensation, participate in leadership, and work in an environment free from discrimination and harassment.
Through this policy, Bahçeşehir University seeks to strengthen a university-wide culture of gender equality, professional fairness, institutional accountability, and respect for human dignity.
Policy Established: 2022
Revised: 2025
Scope: University-wide academic and administrative
employment
The image below is the front page of the Bau Gender Equality Action Plan 2025-2029
The table below is the full Bau Gender Equality Action Plan 2025-2029
| PURPOSE I: Developing a gender equality understanding in the University. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aim | Action(s) | Leading Unit & Related Units |
Time Range | Monitoring/Action Success Criteria |
| To assess the current situation regarding gender equality awareness | · Adapting and developing a needs analysis scale on the subject
according to the needs · Implementing the needs analysis · Reporting the needs analysis results |
BAUEQUAL Rectorate |
2025 - 2029 |
Verified/Implemented analysis studies and report |
| Raising awareness of gender equality | · Organizing events (panels, etc.) on related days, preferably through collaborations, and conducting communication activities. | BAUEQUAL Rectorate |
2025 - 2029 |
At least 6 events |
| PURPOSE II: Preparing and conducting supportive activities such as lectures, training programs, panels, workshops for students and employees in order to raise awareness on gender equality. | ||||
| Aim | Action(s) | Leading Unit & Related Units |
Time Range | Monitoring/Action Success Criteria |
| Updating education curricula to include gender equality | · Adding compulsory and elective Gender Equality courses to the
curriculum. · Adding modules and/or weekly trainings that look at gender equality from a gender equality perspective to existing courses. |
BAUEQUAL Academic Units |
2025 - 2029 |
Course evaluations Course recordings |
| To organize workshops, seminars and trainings - online and
face-to-face - specifically designed for university students and staff to raise awareness in the field of gender equality. To promote the perspective of gender equality in faculties and |
· Training topics: a) For academic staff: Introduction to gender equality Gender-sensitive course design b) For administrative staff and managers: How to create a gender-sensitive work environment? Gender-based violence and sexual |
BAUEQUAL Learning and Teaching Application and Research Center Student Dean's Office |
2025 - 2029 |
Outputs and feedback from training, seminars and workshops |
| Integrate with the departments' goals and objectives | What are the forms of violence? a) For students: A non-violent campus experience A non-violent campus and inequality in language What are the forms of gender-based violence and sexual violence? |
|||
| To raise awareness and draw attention to issues such as gender
equality, sexual violence, gender- based violence, etc. by organizing events on special days . |
· Main event dates: November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, December 10: Human Rights Day, March 8: Women's Day, last week of June each year: Pride Week · Organizing platforms and events where women scientists and women researchers who have achieved national and international success in their careers will share their experiences with university students and employees. |
BAUEQUAL COOP | 2025 - 2029 |
Student evaluations BAUEQUAL activity report |
| To raise awareness among students and employees about their expectations and responsibilities from the university in the field of gender equality. | · To produce visual materials, flyers, posters, etc. to make the
Equality and Inclusion Studies Unit visible on campus. To produce an animation-film that introduces the Equality and Inclusion Studies Unit and Commission and draws attention to gender equality. |
BAUEQUAL Faculty of Communication |
2025 - 2029 |
BAUEQUAL activity report Archiving of material |
| To ensure that students and employees from different faculties and branches of science have a common language in the field of gender equality. | · To prepare reports showing the university's competence and
deficiencies in the fields of gender equality and diversity and to circulate these reports within the university , and to request change in areas requiring solutions. |
BAUEQUAL Rectorate |
2025 - 2029 |
Archiving of reports and evaluations |
| PURPOSE III: Determining the ways students and employees can apply and taking the necessary precautions in order to create a non-violent academic and working environment that is free from all kinds of coercive and discriminatory actions such as gender-based violence, sexual violence, psychological harassment and discrimination. | ||||
| Aim | Action(s) | Leading Unit & Related Units |
Time Range | Monitoring/Action Success Criteria |
| To prepare documents to combat and take precautions against gender-based violence, discrimination, sexual violence and psychological violence. | · Preparation and publication of policy documents and guidelines on relevant issues | Rectorate General Secretariat BAUEQUAL |
2025 - 2029 |
Published documents |
| Organizing regular trainings for students and staff at the university to raise awareness of violence. |
· Training topics: Forms of sexual violence Discrimination and discrimination-based violence |
BAUEQUAL Academic Units Human Resources |
2025 - 2029 |
Training records and outputs |
| Raising academic awareness on the issue of violence | · Opening courses on this subject at associate, undergraduate and graduate levels in order to raise awareness about violence. | BAUEQUAL Academic Units |
2025 - 2029 |
Course records and printouts |
| Identifying sexual violence, including sexual harassment and assault, at university | · Conducting a survey among students, academic and administrative staff | BAUEQUAL | 2025 - 2029 |
Research report |
| Combating sexual violence and taking precautions | · Establishing an authority that can be applied to in the fight
against sexual violence . · Establishing a commission affiliated to the Rectorate to work effectively in the fight against sexual violence at the university and to be the first unit to which people can apply when such incidents occur. (The commission should include members who can provide psychological and legal support.) · Taking applications regarding sexual violence seriously and processing the applicant's statement . · Taking the necessary measures to prevent possible secondary victimization during the application process. |
General Secretariat BAUEQUAL Faculties Rectorate |
2025 - 2029 |
Report |
| To ensure that protective and preventive measures, including available legal remedies, are used effectively. | · An informative booklet should be prepared within the university on
what people should do step by step when such situations occur, and this
booklet should be shared in a way that it can be seen on every online and physical platform. |
General Secretariat Faculties Rectorate |
2025 - 2029 |
Commission activity report |
| To cooperate with professional organizations and non-governmental organizations such as bar associations that carry out studies on the subject. | · Conducting research and organizing meetings with the Istanbul Bar
Association Women's Rights Commission. Conducting studies on gender discrimination with KAGIDER and similar women's civil society organizations. |
BAUEQUAL Faculty of Law and other Faculties COOP |
2025 - 2029 |
Continuity of collaborations Recording and outputs of trainings and workshops |
| PURPOSE IV: Ensuring that gender-sensitive scientific research projects and academic publications aiming at "Gender Equality" are given priority and a sustainable data pool is created for in-house and institution-supported research. | ||||
| Aim | Action(s) | Leading Unit & Related Units |
Time Range | Monitoring/Action Success Criteria |
| Encouraging research projects on gender equality, gender-based violence and discrimination | · Following up on the European Union (Horizon 2020) and other
national and international funding sources covering these issues .
· Announcing the calls to relevant researchers . · Supporting researchers during the application process. |
TTO Vice Rector for Research at Faculties |
2025 - 2029 |
At least 4 project applications |
| Encouraging scientific publications on gender equality, gender-based violence and discrimination | · Encouraging international book publications on these subjects. | Strategy Development and Planning Department Vice Rector for Faculties Research |
2025 - 2029 |
At least 2 published books |
| To disseminate the results of research on gender equality, gender-based violence and discrimination. |
· Hosting an international conference on these topics | Faculties Vice Rector for Research Institute of Graduate Education |
2025 - 2029 |
At least 1 conference |
| PURPOSE V: Developing positive action strategies to create an egalitarian and inclusive corporate culture within the University and encouraging structural changes to implement these strategies. | ||||
| Aim | Action(s) | Leading Unit & Related Units |
Time Range | Monitoring/Action Success Criteria |
| Evaluating the university strategic plan in terms of equitable and
inclusive institutional culture benchmarks . Encouraging the units within the university to adopt an equitable and inclusive institutional culture in a holistic manner. |
· Preparation of evaluation reports of all recruitment, training and promotion based activities carried out within the university. |
BAUEQUAL Rectorate Faculty Administrations |
2025 - 2029 |
Annual evaluation report and development indicators (KPIs) |
| To ensure that positions at the university are open to everyone
without discrimination and to increase the inclusiveness of recruitment processes. |
· Creating diversity profiles of academic and administrative units
within the university, identifying units that need improvement and
reporting them to guide recruitment processes. · Preparing recruitment announcements for academic and administrative staff in a way that encourages diverse applications . · Determining actions that can be taken to ensure continuity of staff diversity. · Providing gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness training to teams carrying out recruitment processes. |
Rectorate Human Resources BAUEQUAL |
2025 - 2029 |
Policy document and evaluation report |
| Include gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness as the basic framework in advertising and promotional content (regardless of the communication format) | · Not including stereotypical images and discriminatory language in
the content used in advertising and promotional activities .
· Emphasizing corporate sensitivity on equality and inclusiveness in promotional activities carried out as an employer brand. |
Rectorate General Secretariat Corporate Communications Human Resources |
2025 - 2029 |
Evaluation Report |
| Appointment and promotion processes of academic and administrative staff | All regulations and procedures regarding the appointment and promotion of academic and administrative staff. | Rectorate General Secretariat |
2025 - 2029 |
Evaluation report |
| to increase equality and inclusiveness | Reviewing the regulation and determining whether it supports an egalitarian and inclusive corporate culture |
Human Resources | ||
| Developing and implementing mentoring programs for academic and administrative staff | · Establishing a mentor system to support academic and administrative staff in their career advancement and appointing mentors. | Rectorate Deanships | 2025 - 2029 |
KPI – Determining and officially announcing the mentor percentages in each unit |
| Developing practices to improve the working conditions of female academics within the university | · Encouraging quantitative and qualitative research on identifying
problems. · Making institutional support mechanisms more effective
in ensuring equal opportunities for female academics and female administrative staff. |
Rectorate TTO | 2025 - 2029 |
Reports of the results of workshops, academic research or administrative problem-finding processes |
| To create programs and/or courses with an egalitarian and inclusive
approach in all education and training processes within the
university (except for the Gender Equality course and trainings). |
· Organizing workshops to adopt an egalitarian and inclusive
approach when determining the content, topics, discussions, assignment
topics and course materials in all department programs and
courses. · Making a status determination regarding the criteria examined in the course opening and content editing / approval processes carried out by the Education Commission regarding equality and inclusiveness. |
Rectorate Education Commission Deanships and Directorates |
2025 - 2029 |
Course syllabuses and committee evaluation reports |
| To organize the educational processes within the university in a way that meets the needs of different and diverse student groups. | · Establishment of a working group on accessible and flexible
teaching methods, assessments and design of learning environments · Academic staff acquiring pedagogical formation to work with different student social groups · Creation of an “equality and inclusiveness checklist” for the evaluation of each course program and periodic reporting of the academic staff for their courses · Information within the university |
Rectorate Deanships Education Commission Student Deanship Human Resources BAUEQUAL |
2025 - 2029 |
Programming of trainings and reporting on the process |
| “BAU Equality & Diversity Fact Sheet” is broadcasted monthly on TV screens. | ||||
| Ensuring gender equality and inclusiveness in administrative committees, councils and boards within the university |
· Appointment of a “Gender Equality & Diversity Officer” to work
directly with senior management within the university. · Appointment of an equality and inclusion representative to each faculty . · Ensuring gender equality in managerial and decision-making positions . · Ensuring a minimum of 40% representation in any managerial and educational activity and decision-making process . · Making supporting gender equality and encouraging processes in this regard one of the performance criteria of employees in managerial and decision-making positions. |
Rectorate General Secretariat Deanships |
2025 - 2029 |
Regulations and policy documents |
| Conducting a transparent communication process for appointments of management positions within the university, establishment of working groups and other additional duties. | · Internal calls for open management positions at the university
should be made to everyone in an equal environment and at the same
time . · Any working group or additional assignment processes that academic and administrative staff may be involved in should be carried out equally and on a voluntary basis. · Appointment and promotion processes should be decided at the end of a transparent and equitable process. |
Rectorate General Secretariat Deanships Human Resources |
2025 - 2029 |
Evaluation reports |
| PURPOSE VI: Monitoring of studies on gender equality within the University. | ||||
| Aim | Action(s) | Leading Unit & Related Units |
Time Range | Monitoring/Action Success Criteria |
| Determining gender equality norms, standards and criteria | Review of international/regional agreements, relevant multilateral documents, policy documents and national legislation and demonstrate examples of good practice. | BAUEQUAL | 2025 - 2029 |
Evaluation report |
| Review of the university strategic plan in terms of gender equality | · Establishing a commission to conduct an investigation within the framework of the determined gender equality norms, standards and criteria. | Rectorate General Secretariat Faculties BAUEQUAL |
2025 - 2029 |
Evaluation report |
| Determining the current situation regarding gender equality in the university | · Collecting quantitative and qualitative data, including numerical
parity, in the fields of gender equality studies, education and research
from existing sources or through field research. |
BAUEQUAL Rectorate General Secretariat Student Dean Human Resources |
2025 - 2029 |
Evaluation report |
| Monitoring actions towards gender equality | · Collecting information from relevant units about the purpose, objectives, duration, frequency, number of users and/or beneficiaries and results of the actions taken. | Rectorate Dean of Students Human Resources BAUEQUAL |
2025 - 2029 |
Annual evaluation reports |
| Informing the university and the relevant public about monitoring activities. | · Publishing reports, making informative announcements, meetings and news | Rectorate, BAUEQUAL | 2025 - 2029 |
Publication and announcement of the annual monitoring and evaluation report |
