Current status and future of agricultural higher education

Aims: The purpose of this review is to discuss the current status of higher agricultural education in our country, and to offer suggestions to improve agricultural teaching and education of the undergraduate programs in the agricultural faculties (Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies). Methods and Results: For evaluation, the data includes Higher Education Information Management System for 2019 and Higher Education Program Atlas for 2015-2018. Between the years 2015 and 2018, average quota, percent filled quota, minimum score and ranking were 35 students, 89%, 228 thousand and 284 thousandth, respectively, in the undergraduate programs of agricultural faculties. Conclusions: In Turkey, there are 21 different and total of 196 undergraduate programs in agricultural faculties. While the average quota and percent filled quota were generally reduced between the years 2015-2018, students were placed on these programs with higher scores, but they were placed in the lower ranks. Significance and Impact of the Study: In order to train qualified Agricultural Engineers and to increase agricultural R & D activities, agricultural faculties should be structured, agricultural undergraduate programs should be opened, developed and supported