Despite low numbers, Istanbul's Erasmus students defy security worries

Defying grave security challenges and high-tension politics, thousands of European exchange students continue to live and study in Istanbul, although their numbers have almost halved since last year. 

Some 114 Turkish universities accept European students as part of the Erasmus Program, a popular EU initiative that encourages cultural exchange as well as academic diversity for university students. But the number of visiting students for this year has fallen to almost half compared to 2015, said Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Public Relations Representative Kamil Can Erdem, who is also a student at Istanbul Technical University. 

"The attacks occurring in Turkey and the coup attempt that took place this summer have caused the number of international students to decline by almost half. The students have become more hesitant. Turkey has never stopped accepting students from abroad, but some countries or universities have not allowed their students to come to Turkey. Others have allowed it but refused to accept any [insurance] responsibility," said Erdem.  

Despite these conditions, thousands of students have overcome security concerns and still opted to come to Turkey. Erdem said the ESN office had released a statement, telling students that "all measures were being taken to make sure that life returns to its normal course." 

"We could not say 'come, there are no risks.' But we have given them the guarantee that we will help them in the best way possible. It is now up to the experiences of foreign students here if Turkey becomes a popular Erasmus route again," said Erdem.

Two Greek students, Eleni Spyrou, 21, and Filippa Skarmoutsou, 22, who are spending their semester at Yıldız Technical University's Turkish Literature...