An Empirical Analysis on the Long-term Relation Between Unemployment and Higher Education in Turkey

In this empirical paper, a long-run co-integration between higher education and unemployment in Turkey has been investigated. ARDL bounds model which is a long-run co-integration method has been used based on the number of unemployed and higher education graduates time series in Turkey in 1961-2012 period. The results of bounds test conclude that there is no long-run co-integration and evidence between higher education and unemployment in the reference period in Turkey. As a result, this study supports to some extent the current debate on the availability of "non-qualified" higher education which does not generate adequate link between higher education and labor market to employ particularly for higher education graduates in Turkey.