Ensuring the Quality of Higher Education Programs

In order to safeguard the quality of higher education programs:

• The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) is responsible for the planning, organization, administration, and supervision of education and training activities and other operations carried out in higher education institutions.

• Within the framework of criteria determined by YÖK, “University Monitoring and Evaluation Reports” are published annually for higher education institutions. Based on these reports, additional reports containing quantitative and qualitative evaluations of higher education institutions are prepared and shared with the public by YÖK.

• YÖK also publishes the annual “Foundation Higher Education Institutions Report,” which includes academic, administrative, and financial data of foundation (private) higher education institutions. These reports, containing quantitative and qualitative evaluations of foundation universities, are made publicly available by YÖK.

Quality Assurance of Undergraduate Programs in Higher Education

The quality assurance of undergraduate programs is ensured in accordance with the “Procedures and Principles for Ensuring the Quality Assurance of Higher Education Diploma Programs.”

1. Design and Approval of Academic Programs

1.1. YÖK determines the minimum standards and criteria required for the establishment of undergraduate departments and programs at higher education institutions.

1.2. The curriculum of undergraduate programs and the intended learning outcomes to be acquired by students are determined by the senates of higher education institutions, in line with the fundamental principles set by YÖK.

1.3. After the curricula of National Core Education Programs are approved by the relevant Council of Deans, they are implemented by higher education institutions following approval by YÖK.

2. Assessment and Evaluation

The methods for assessing and evaluating whether students have achieved the intended learning outcomes of each undergraduate program are carried out in accordance with the education, instruction, and examination regulations prepared by higher education institutions, based on the fundamental principles determined by YÖK.

3. Certification

Students enrolled in undergraduate programs are awarded a bachelor’s degree upon successfully completing the required course credits and fulfilling all other academic obligations determined by the higher education institution.

4. Internal Evaluation and External Evaluation

As part of continuous monitoring, higher education institutions submit their “Institutional Internal Evaluation Reports” for the previous year to the information system prepared by the Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK) at the beginning of each year.

YÖKAK shares with the public the “Institutional Feedback Report” it prepares as part of the external evaluation of higher education institutions. In addition, accreditation decisions issued by accreditation agencies authorized or recognized by YÖKAK demonstrate that programs meet the required qualifications and that their quality assurance has been ensured.

In accordance with YÖKAK legislation, regular review activities are conducted with respect to the defined qualifications.