07.08.2025 19:50
Following the fake diploma scandal, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Ömer Fatih Sayan spoke about his six bachelor's degrees, two master's degrees, and two doctoral degrees. Sayan addressed the speculation about his diplomas on social media, stating, "All the accusations are baseless; my entire life has been spent on studying," and explained what he has accomplished year by year.
The Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure and the person responsible for the Information Technologies and Communications Authority (BTK), Ömer Fatih Sayan, has come to the public's attention due to his numerous diplomas and academic titles. While information regarding his 6 diplomas, 2 master's degrees, and 2 completed doctoral programs has sparked discussions in the public, Sayan responded to the allegations with a comprehensive statement.
"I READ IT WITH GREAT SURPRISE" Sayan stated in an interview with Yeni Şafak that he read the news about him "with great surprise." Describing the allegations regarding his degrees as "biased, malicious, and lacking research," Sayan shared all the details of his educational process one by one to clarify the questions in the public's mind.
"I COMPLETED BOTH DOCTORATES WITHIN THE LEGAL TIME" Pointing out that the most curious topic is his simultaneous doctoral education, Sayan referred to the Graduate Education and Training Regulation of YÖK, which came into effect on April 20, 2016, and said:
"This regulation provides exceptions for students who registered for multiple programs before 2016. I had started my doctoral programs before this date. With the additional time during the pandemic, I completed both of my doctoral educations in 2023, before the legal time expired. This process is the result of 8 years of intense effort."
Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Ömer Fatih Sayan "I COMPLETED MY MASTER'S AT TUM AND WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR" Sayan stated that he completed his undergraduate education in 2000 in the Department of Electronic Engineering at Istanbul University and completed his master's degree at the same university in 2002. He then announced that he completed his second master's degree at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), one of Germany's most prestigious universities. He also emphasized that he worked in the private sector in Germany and the USA after his education:
"I worked in chip and mobile phone production in Silicon Valley. However, my desire to serve this land prevailed, and I returned to my country."
"I PASSED THE LAW FACULTY AND CONTINUED TO DOCTORATE" Sayan stated that after returning to Turkey, he pursued a doctorate in Biomedical Engineering at Istanbul University and completed it in 2008. He mentioned that he passed the Law Faculty of Bahçeşehir University in 2011 and graduated in 2015, adding that he also pursued a doctorate in this field and successfully completed it in 2023.
"MY GRADUATIONS FROM ANADOLU UNIVERSITY HAVE NOT BEEN DELETED" Responding to claims in some news articles that his graduations from Anadolu University Open Education Faculty were deleted from the website, Sayan stated that this information is still available on the official website of the Ministry of Transport and that the allegations are completely unfounded.
Sayan, who said, "If I had something to hide, why would I add it to my publicly available resume?" emphasized that graduating from non-exam programs within the scope of a second university is a legal right and found the inquiries on this matter meaningless.
"I WILL CONTINUE TO STUDY" Sayan concluded his statement by emphasizing that he values reading and self-improvement throughout his life with the following words:
"I cannot give up on my enthusiasm just because someone will slander. Everyone who knows me knows that I have placed reading, learning, and becoming proficient in different disciplines at the center of my life. I will continue to study from now on."