In a bold stand against what they call the “corporate takeover” of their university, students at Boğaziçi University, İstanbul, have occupied the newly opened Ethos Café for over a week, Evrensel reported. The protest erupted after the school administration replaced a student-friendly canteen with a café allegedly linked to the EspressoLab chain, deepening concerns over the growing privatisation of higher education in Turkey.
The demonstration, which began with a march of over a thousand students, has since transformed the occupied café into a space for open discussion, student forums, and free tea and coffee distribution. Protesters argue that their university is prioritising profit over education, reducing public spaces for students while inviting private businesses onto campus.
“This isn’t just about a café; it’s about capitalism taking over our education,” said one student involved in the protest. “We are losing spaces to gather, to study, to be a community. The university administration is selling out to corporations, while we struggle to afford basic necessities.”
The backlash intensified when the administration temporarily banned nearly 20 students from campus for participating in the protest, despite a 2024 court ruling that such measures are illegal. However, the occupation has only grown stronger, with students calling for Ethos Café’s closure and the creation of a student-run cooperative instead.
Privatisation in Turkish universities is not new, but students at Boğaziçi have a history of fighting back. In 2011, they occupied a Starbucks branch for 80 days, forcing its closure and converting the space into a study hall. Today’s protesters see the Ethos Café occupation as part of the same struggle—one against the encroachment of corporate interests into academic spaces.
While the administration denies any connection between Ethos Café and EspressoLab, students remain sceptical, believing the café represents yet another instance of public universities being reshaped for private profit. Meanwhile, the café’s management has complained of financial losses, as students continue their boycott.
As debates continue over the next steps, students are discussing whether to push for a permanent student cooperative or to demand broader reforms that curb the influence of private businesses on campus. What is clear is that Boğaziçi students are determined to challenge the growing presence of capitalism in their education—one occupation at a time.
The protest is also linked to wider grievances against the government’s influence over Boğaziçi University. Since 2021, the university has been at the centre of student and faculty protests following the controversial appointment of rector Naci İnci by presidential decree. Critics argue that the move undermined academic independence, turning the university into a testing ground for political control over higher education.
Students view the café occupation as part of their broader struggle for democratic governance within the university, a battle that has now extended from the administration offices to everyday spaces on campus.
