Turkey¡¯s president, Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, has been criticised for appointing his personal doctor to be head of a new medical university.

Cevdet Erd?l, who is also a deputy in Mr Erdo?an¡¯s Justice and Development Party (AKP), is to become rector of the newly opened Health Sciences University, H¨¹rriyet Daily News

The Istanbul-based university will exercise an influence over all training and research hospitals across the country, the paper said.

Professor Erd?l¡¯s appointment has been been criticised by the Turkish Medical Association, which claims that it is another example of the AKP¡¯s efforts to expand its influence over more aspects of life in Turkey.

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¡°The naming of a political figure as the rector of a university is a typical example of the AKP¡¯s moves to control everything,¡±? Beyaz?t ?lhan, head of the Turkish Medical Association, told H¨¹rriyet Daily News.

¡°The people who study in the Health Sciences University will be appointed to training and research hospitals across the country, and these hospitals will therefore come under the control of the party,¡± he added.

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The row comes amid continuing calls for greater university autonomy in Turkey, where political interference in elections for university leaders has been criticised and where candidates loyal to Mr Erdo?an have been selected over those who won the most faculty votes.

The creation of new universities has also been controversial. Critics have claimed that these institutions have been used by Mr Erdo?an to promote for a ¡°religious and conservative generation¡± in defiance of the country¡¯s secular founding principles.

Dr ?lhan said that the Health Sciences University has been designed to be ¡°under the political will of the government¡±, noting that its board of trustees will be headed by the undersecretary of the Health Ministry.

Installing Professor Erd?l as rector ¡°openly shows that the AKP has designed the university as its backyard¡±, Dr ?lhan added.

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?jack.grove@tesglobal.com