THEQC Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Hcéres

The Higher Education Quality Council of Turkey (THEQC) President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas and the High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres) President Prof. Michel Cosnard signed a memorandum of understanding with the aim of establishing cooperation between the two Councils in the field of quality assurance and evaluation in higher education.

Following THEQC President Prof. Elmas’ visit to Hcéres office in July, 2018, a meeting between the two national quality assurance councils were organized in Ankara on January 9, 2019 to improve cooperation and discuss possible joint projects in the field of higher education quality assurance. The meeting was attended by THEQC President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas, THEQC Vice President Sibel Aksu Yıldırım, Hcéres President Prof. Michel Cosnard, Hcéres Europe and International Department Director Prof. François Pernot, THEQC members and advisors. During the meeting, Prof. Elmas and Prof. Cosnard made presentations on the national quality assurance approaches in the higher education systems of Turkey and France. In addition, the current practices on external evaluation and program accreditation were discussed and collaboration possibilities were negotiated. After the negotiations, THEQC and Hcéres presidents signed a memorandum of understanding for developing cooperation in the field of quality assurance in higher education.

It is stated in the agreement that concrete collaboration is aimed in following activities:

• Exchanging experiences and approaches regarding the quality evaluation of academic and research processes in higher education,
• Undertaking joint external evaluations and/or accreditation processes in Turkey and France,
• Promoting mobility and exchange of evaluators and experts.

Following the meeting, Hcéres officials also paid a visit to the Council of Higher Education (CoHE) President Prof. Dr. M. A. Yekta Saraç, expressing their appreciation for the exchange of ideas and experiences on quality assurance.