THEQC organizes “Student Evaluator Training” with the attendance of 61 students selected from HEIs

The THEQC is to assign student evaluators for the first time as part of the “2018 Institutional Evaluator Training Program”. The training process of the 61 student evaluator candidates, who will assume roles in the evaluation teams, was completed with a program organized on September 26.

An evaluation team comprising 5 to 8 persons is assigned to perform the institutional evaluations of universities at least once in every five years. After an evaluator pool is formed following the applications of evaluator candidates, the candidates undergo an institutional evaluation training. Along with the academics and administrative personnel who are experienced in the field of quality assurance in higher education institutions, students will also be assigned in the evaluation teams for the first time this year. As the most significant participants of the higher education system, student evaluators are expected to contribute to the program by evaluating the educational processes, learning sources and living spaces of universities through the student perspective. 

The training program, attended by the THEQC members, started with the keynote speech of THEQC President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas. During his speech, Elmas remarked: “The primary objective of higher education institutions is to produce competent graduates who can keep up with the requirements of our age and stand on their own feet in any place across the world. Therefore, students are the centerpiece of the institutional evaluation program. Throughout this process, we expect our student evaluators to analyze if the evaluated institutions have a student-focused approach and have achieved continuous improvement in various aspects such as curriculum design and performance, learning environment in and out of class, laboratories, libraries, cafeterias and student clubs.”

“Today, institutions have to catch up with the latest technologies of the new world. To that end, academics must act as mentors or CEOs aside from giving lectures. Students must be equipped with extracurricular competencies. Regardless of their majors, all students must acquire globally acknowledged traits such as digital competence, ability to solve complex problems, communication skills, analytical thinking and ethical awareness. The student evaluators will evaluate the education, research & development, and management systems of universities in this framework.”

During the meeting, THEQC Acting Deputy President Prof. Dr. Sibel Aksu Yıldırım and THEQC Member Specialist Ayhan Koçer informed the evaluator candidates on the general principles of the institutional evaluation program and the duties, authorities and responsibilities of the student evaluators. Following the presentations, the questions raised by the student evaluator candidates were answered.

At the end of the program, Elmas engaged in conversation with students and had photos taken with them.

Click here for the presentations made during the training program: 

Click here Prof. Dr. Sibel AKSU YILDIRIM presentation

Click here Uzman Ayhan KOÇER presentation