Republic of turkey

Existing Situation and New Developments in Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Turkey

Although the issue of quality assurance in higher education in Turkey has been in the agenda in various forms in the last ten years, until recently, it has not been considered on national level, within a systematic structuralization parallel to new establishments and developments abroad in this area. Therefore, in the evaluation of higher education systems of countries in Bologna process (Bologna Report), weakest area of higher education system in Turkey has been quality assurance. However, as the issue has recently gained importance in the international level and due to significant developments in this area in the framework of Bologna process, interest shown by higher education institutions in our country towards the issue has increased significantly.

In this section, the existing situation in Turkey with respect to the issue as well as studies, which were and are still made will be summarized.

Opening academic units and sub units under higher education institutions can be done in compliance with criteria set by the Council of Higher Education and through permission of the Council. Although this process ensures that minimum criteria are met at the beginning and related units starts service at a certain quality level; there is no clear legal procedure to evaluate and monitor the later effectiveness and quality level of services of these units.

In the last ten years, quality assurance in higher education has always been in the agenda in our country and consequent to close interest shown by certain universities to the issue, there have been a number of important steps taken in our country in this respect. These are mainly;

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  In the framework of international recognition and accreditation, engineering programs under established universities in our country have been subject to ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology-USA) reviews at various times starting from the first half of 1990 and received ABET Substantial Equivalence (equivalence accreditation given by ABET outside of USA), thus provided international quality assurance to their related engineering programs.
  

Up to date, 43 engineering programs in four universities have been reviewed in this respect by ABET and accredited.

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  The cooperation process with ABET has brought together an important process of establishment of a similar national quality assurance system in our country. In 2002, under the Council of Deans of Engineering Faculties consisting of deans of engineering faculties, Engineering Accreditation Board (MÜDEK) has been established and this has provided a model beginning in our country for the establishment of a national quality assurance system in fields of engineering. As of date, MÜDEK has a portfolio of 60 trained assessors and in 2003-2004 10 engineering programs in 8 universities have been subject to MÜDEK Assessment Process. However, until today, MÜDEK has not been able to receive a legal identity recognized by the Council of Higher Education.
  
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  In 1997, the Council of Higher Education, in cooperation with British Embassy, has developed a pilot project called Turkish University Quality Assessment Project and in this context, 13 departments of various fields from 8 universities have been included in the project. In the context of this project, an opening conference, 2 workshops, 4 study visits and 2 pilot assessments have been done and in the light of obtained results, a feasibility report⁵⁴ on the establishment of a quality assurance system in Turkish universities, similar to those in OECD and EU countries, has been prepared.
  
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  This project aims at starting studies to improve quality, monitoring and accreditation of universities in Turkey and establishing a quality assurance system through self evaluation of institutions, peer review, performance assessment, reporting of results and establishment of national quality office. However, this project could not be implemented.
  
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  Starting from 1998-99 academic year, restructuralization of faculties of education has been undertaken by the Council of Higher Education. In the context of these studies, teacher training programs in faculties of education has been rearranged and new arrangements have been made for the accreditation of teacher training and improvement of quality in this respect.
  
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  In the recent years, another quality assessment method that has received the attention of higher education institutions in Turkey is “Institutional Assessment Program” by European University Association (EUA). Up to date, 7 universities have been subject to this assessment process of EUA. In Institutional Assessment Program of EUA; based on the internal assessment report of the institution that is being assessed, compliance of activities of the institution with the strategies defined, effectiveness of decision making mechanisms and quality improvement studies are reviewed by 4 experts in two visits during which they interview various representatives of the institution and in the final report suggestions are made to contribute to the studies of the institution.
  
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  Another quality culture development activity of higher education institutions in Turkey is “Quality Culture Project” of EUA. From 2002 up to date, 5 universities have been included in the scope of this project. The project aims at developing and sharing quality culture among Bologna countries.
  
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  Another accreditation application recognized in universities hosting faculty of medicine and consequently a university hospital, is an accreditation process developed by “International Accreditation Joint Commission” for healthcare facilities.
  

As summarized above, quality awareness and studies of higher education institutions in Turkey, accelerated especially by Bologna process has resulted in a considerable accumulation and experience. However, up to date, a national quality assurance system could not be established other than practices brought by law no 2547.

Most important step for filling the gap in this respect has been the “Academic Assessment and Quality Development in Higher Education Institutions” regulation implemented after being published in Official Gazette on September 20, 2005. The regulation defines the general principles of assessment of education, training and research activities and administrative services, improvement of quality of higher education institutions, approval and recognition of quality levels of these institutions through an independent “external assessment” process as well as liabilities of Higher Education Supreme Councils and higher education institutions

According to the regulations, a commission consisting of 9 members selected by Interuniversity Board has started operations to run and coordinate efforts in the framework of regulations. The regulations has been prepared taking into consideration the developments in the world and in Europe especially in Bologna process, thus, it has the characteristics to be taken as basis for applications foreseen in international quality assurance in higher education.

The studies of the Commission, which will establish the national quality assurance structure in the framework of regulations, require that, starting from this year, higher education institutions each year make self assessment studies, which is one of the most important components in the context of European Quality Assurance Principles and Basis, based on their institutional principles and establish their own strategic plans based on the conclusions drawn, review their improvement through periodical monitoring and improvement process for continuous improvement. On the other hand, the regulations also require that, within the principles and basis established in this framework, higher education institutions shall, once in every five years, go through “external assessment” process, which is one of the most important components of European Quality Assurance Principles and Basis. These studies, which are in compliance with basic components of the Quality Assurance system that is desired to be established within Bologna process, objectives defined in law no 5018 on “Public Finance Management and Control Law” and principles of regulation no 26179 on “Principles and Basis of Strategic Planning in Public Administrations”, are expected to start, as of this year, an effective quality assessment and development process in our higher education institutions.

Figure 17 shows Main Process Map of academic assessment and quality development studies is higher education institutions prepared on the basis of Regulations on Academic Assessment and Quality Development in Higher Education Institutions. As can be seen in the figure, the main process requires higher education institutions to structure strategically on the basis of their own institutional principles (mission, vision and values) and in this framework, to carry on quality development studies, in the light of Regulations on Academic Assessment and Quality Development in Higher Education Institutions and Higher Education Strategic Plan of the Council of Higher Education, taking into consideration the quality assessment and development processes (Institutional Assessment and Periodical Monitoring and Improvement Processes including Strategic Planning, Self Assessment and Environmental Assessment) defined by the Commission for Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement in Higher Education (YÖDEK).

In the context of this structure, strategic planning studies of higher education institutions shall be prepared and applied under the joint responsibility of senate and administrative board of related institution. Academic assessment and quality development studies in higher education institutions will be carried out under the responsibility and coordination of Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement Boards (ADEK) established by higher education institutions in accordance with Regulations on Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement at Higher Education Institutions.

Higher education institutions may review their “Institutional Assessment” studies including “Self Assessment” and “Environmental Assessment analysis and their institutional activities and their results comprehensively and systematically each year or may carry out self assessment processes at terms as considered appropriate together with an independent institution, corporation or board having Quality Assessment Registration License.⁵⁵ External assessment can be done on institution basis as well as on the basis of any unit(s), sub unit(s) or program(s) under a higher education institution.

In the scope of this process, in light of the assessment reports prepared by assessors consequent to institutional assessment (internal or external) that would take place in an higher education institution, Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement Board (ADEK) of that higher education institution shall prepare an academic assessment and quality development report of the higher education institution and shall send the report to the higher education institution’s senate and administrative board together with any improvement action plan related to improvement areas defined in the report, if any. YÖDEK shall prepare a Higher Education Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement Report in the light of these reports received from higher education institutions and shall present it to the Council of Higher Education. This process shall be repeated each year in light of the developments in Strategic Plan of Council of Higher Education and principles defined by YÖDEK. The period foreseen for external assessment is five years.

In this respect, although an internal assessment system on the institutional and national level would be established through “Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement Reports” prepared consequent to self assessments of higher education institutions, legislations are required to promote establishment of independent institutions or organizations that can make external assessments on the basis of institution and unit, sub unit, program in line with related regulations and procedures developed by the Commission for Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement at higher education institutions.



Figure 17. Main Process Map of Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement at Higher Education Institutions

On the other hand, the Council of Higher Education has started studies on the establishment of a National Qualifications Framework for higher education which is in progress in the context of Bologna Process and Lisbon Objectives and studies are in progress to prepare the descriptors of qualifications and in this respect the Council carries out studies that would ensure quality assurance of definition of qualifications and learning outcomes. Until the end of 2006 it is expected that the quality assurance system to establish the overall frame in this respect shall be formed.