The Quality Assurance System encompasses all the principles and procedures governing the planning and implementation of internal and external quality assurance and accreditation processes for the educational, research and community engagement activities, as well as the administrative services, of higher education institutions.
The fundamental principles of the quality assurance system are as follows:
Promoting a quality assurance culture throughout the University.
Ensuring that quality assurance activities conducted within the University are based on the principles set out in the University's published Quality Policy.
Ensuring that academic staff take ownership of quality processes in academic matters and administrative staff in managerial matters, and that both regard these processes as one of their core responsibilities.
Planning all activities, implementing them in accordance with the established plans, conducting measurements to assess implementation outcomes, identifying areas for improvement based on the results, and carrying out improvement activities accordingly.
Documenting the principles governing all processes within the University and defining responsibilities in writing, and ensuring that these processes are implemented as documented.
Source: Council of Higher Education Quality Board (YÖKAK) Information Portal.
One of the essential requirements for universities to remain competitive is the development of a quality culture. An effective quality culture enhances a university's reputation and strengthens public trust in the institution.
In higher education, a quality assurance culture refers to an institutional culture that aims to achieve sustainable improvements in quality and coordinates quality-related activities in line with the institution's values and expectations. Quality culture encompasses not only structural and managerial processes but also cultural and psychological dimensions.
To establish an effective quality culture:
The University should have a quality policy covering all academic and administrative processes.
Fairness should be ensured in human resource management, and successful staff members should be rewarded.
A sense of institutional belonging should be established and sustained.
Within an effective leadership framework, leaders should take ownership of quality processes and promote the sharing of responsibilities.
Effective communication should be maintained with key stakeholders, and activities should be carried out through consensus and cooperation.
An effective communication network should be established between academic and administrative units and University management. Quality assurance processes should be supported by information management systems.
Within a commitment to continuous improvement, the quality culture should facilitate ongoing interaction between top-down structural and managerial processes and bottom-up cultural and psychological factors.
Structural and managerial factors that positively influence the development of quality culture include the formulation of a strategy for the University's continuous development, the establishment of effective and user-friendly quality management and quality assurance systems, and the involvement of students and academic staff in decision-making processes. Taking students' constantly evolving needs, expectations and decisions into account in management processes is also an important component of quality culture.
These structural and managerial processes are complemented by cultural and psychological factors, such as recognising shared values and creating supportive academic environments that encourage the coexistence of different quality subcultures.
On the other hand, significant barriers to the development of quality culture include the exclusion of students from decision-making processes and the lack of empowerment of academic staff. Ignoring the evolving needs of students, academic staff and administrators, as well as the lack of adequate financial and human resources, also poses serious obstacles to establishing a quality culture.
An excessively bureaucratic, top-down quality control system may be intended to make processes more transparent. However, it can create a lack of trust in the competence of academic staff and, consequently, undermine their sense of institutional belonging.
Leadership and communication are the two most important means of ensuring interaction between structural and managerial factors and cultural and psychological dimensions in the development of quality culture. Leaders' willingness to share authority, their trust in academic and administrative staff, and their commitment to merit-based practices are particularly important in fostering a quality culture within the institution. Furthermore, when leaders take ownership of quality processes, the level of quality culture within the institution improves.
Sharing good practices between academic and administrative units and ensuring that external stakeholders have easy access to the University's quality assurance activities also help make quality culture sustainable. Effective and accurate communication involves not only the exchange of information but also mutual consensus. Therefore, reaching agreement with key stakeholders on quality-related activities strengthens internal communication and contributes to the development of quality culture.
Defining performance indicators for strategic objectives and processes and systematically monitoring them are among the most important dimensions of internal and external quality assurance in institutional development.
Institutions should establish performance indicators to ensure that their strategic aims and objectives are achieved through the processes they carry out. Measuring these indicators makes it possible to monitor institutional performance and, consequently, implement improvement initiatives.
Furthermore, institutions are encouraged to identify and monitor their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), selecting those that best reflect their distinctive characteristics and consider most important in line with their mission and objectives.
Key performance indicators selected from among the established performance indicators are measurable values or metrics used to assess how effectively a university achieves its objectives.
When identifying key performance indicators, stakeholder opinions should be taken into account, and the following criteria should be considered:
Relevance: The indicator should be aligned with the institution's aims and objectives.
Reliability: The indicator should be based on consistent and dependable data.
Transparency: The data underlying the indicator should have a clear and unambiguous meaning.
Timeliness: The data supporting the indicators should be available on an up-to-date basis and enable comparisons over time.
Kilis 7 Aralık University:
Provides education based on universal and local values, aiming to equip students with the qualifications and skills required by the contemporary world.
Adopts the principles of practical applicability and prioritising local needs in its research and development activities.
Prioritises the satisfaction of all stakeholders, particularly students and staff, in all its academic and administrative activities.
Operates with a quality-oriented approach that embraces continuous development and renewal in order to fulfil its institutional mission and achieve its objectives.
Following the publication and entry into force of the Regulation on Higher Education Quality Assurance in the Official Gazette on 23 July 2015, the Quality Commission of Kilis 7 Aralık University was established.
To establish the University's internal and external quality assurance system; identify institutional indicators; and, in line with the University's strategic plan and objectives, evaluate and improve the quality of educational and research activities and administrative services. To conduct the relevant activities in accordance with the procedures and principles established by the Council of Higher Education Quality Board (YÖKAK) and submit the results to the University Senate for approval.
To conduct internal evaluation activities; prepare an annual institutional evaluation report covering the outcomes of institutional evaluation and quality improvement activities; submit the report to the Senate; and, following approval, make the annual institutional evaluation report publicly available on the University's official website.
To make the necessary preparations for the external evaluation process and provide all necessary support to the Council of Higher Education Quality Board (YÖKAK) and external evaluation organisations.