Students’ Quality Societies Gather at THEQC Student Summit

ANKARA – The 2022 Student Summit for Quality Societies held by the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (THEQC) with the theme, “Student Awareness Regarding the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education,” ended.

The Summit, organised for the first time in Türkiye to address quality assurance works in higher education, was held on 3-5 June 2022 at Ege University (EU). A total of 247 students from 53 students’ quality societies established at 73 universities attended the Summit.

THEQC Students Commission coordinated the Summit, which was organised to ensure sufficient participation of higher education students in quality assurance processes, improve the interaction between students’ quality societies, give the societies the chance to collaborate, and contribute to the development of internal quality assurance systems of Turkish higher education institutions through their works. The first day of the Summit started with the opening speeches by Prof. Muhsin Kar, THEQC President, and Prof. Cemil Gürgün, the EU Vice-Rector.

Prof. Birol Akgün, the Chairman of the Turkish Maarif Foundation, contributed to the Summit with the speech titled, “Future Perspective for Türkiye at the Junction of Global Transformation,” and Prof. Mustafa Yavuz, the Founder of Researching School Evaluation and Accreditation Centre, with the speech titled, “Creativity and Innovation in Higher Education.” Additionally, Mehmet Bora, the Student Member of THEQC Council and the Chair of THEQC Students Commission, and Asst. Prof. Gonca Uludağ, the Summit Coordinator and the Academic Coordinator of THEQC Students Commission, made a presentation titled, “The Quality Assurance System in Higher Education and Student Involvement.” President Kar presented a plaque and a certificate of appreciation to THEQC Students Commission for its contribution to the Summit and its leadership and guidance on student involvement in higher education quality assurance works.

On the second day, students’ quality societies from 53 universities shared their experiences by making presentations at synchronous sessions moderated by THEQC Students Commission. The program continued with a speech by Prof. Hande Gürer Orhan, the EU Accreditation and Quality Management Office’s Unit Supervisor, on “The View of an Accredited University on Student Involvement in the Quality Work” and a speech by Oğulcan Baki, the EU Students Council’s Vice-Chair, on “Being a Student in an Accredited University: Advantages and Opportunities” at the panel titled, “The Experiences of an Accredited University,” and moderated by Prof. Süheyda Atalay, a former faculty member at EU. Afterwards, student participants attended the group works based on knowledge-sharing and brainstorming about the quality of higher education, the benefits of quality assurance works, and the duties and responsibilities of students’ quality societies. The program continued with a ”Networking Cocktail” organised to encourage students to meet each other and build a network between them.

On the last day, the Final Declaration was announced, and students’ quality societies were rewarded with plaques of appreciation for their works in three categories. Karabük University’s Students’ Quality Society was granted the Award for “The Most Active Society in Quality Assurance System Works,” Kütahya Dumlupınar University’s Quality Volunteers’ Society the Award for “The Most Active Society on Social Media,” and Gaziantep University’s Young Quality Society the Award for “The Most Active Society as Stakeholder.”

*Click here to view the Summit Program and the students’ quality societies attended.

*Click on the following links to see photos from the Summit activities: Day 1| Day 2 | Day 3

*Final Declaration (To be Published)