Atatürk University, accredited by The Higher Education Quality Council of Turkey (THEQC) for two years, received the Institutional Accreditation Certificate in the presentation ceremony held with the participation of Head of THEQC, Prof. Dr.Muzaffer Elmas. In addition, the 2020 Academic Encouragement Awards, which were held for the first time in 7 dimensions within the scope of the New Generation University Design and Transformation Project, found their owners.

Head of THEQC Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas, who came to Erzurum as the guest of Atatürk University, and the accompanying delegation visited the units established within the New Generation University Design scope Transformation Project and received information from the unit managers about the studies before attending the presentation ceremony.

Later, the delegation went to the Cultural Center July 15th National Will Hall and attended the THEQC Institutional Accreditation Certificate Presentation Ceremony and the Academic Encouragement and Award Ceremony of 2020.

Atatürk University is One of the 12 Accredited Universities

Ataturk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı, THEQC President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas, Member of CHE (The Council of Higher Education) Prof. Dr. Muammer Yaylalı, Erzurum Technical University Rector Prof. Dr. Bülent Çakmak, Deputy Mayor of Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Fevzi Polat, MHP Erzurum Provincial President Naim Karataş, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Sajad Soltanzadeh, university administration, academicians, students and guests attended the ceremony. The program started with a Turkish Classical Music concert performed by Assoc. Dr.İsmail Hakkı Seçer, Atatürk University State Conservatory Lecturer.

Atatürk University, whose evaluation process was completed within the scope of the Institutional Accreditation Program, which was started to be implemented by THEQC for the first time in 2020, to which nearly 60 institutions among 209 universities applied and 12 universities were accredited in 2021, was entitled to be accredited after the evaluation program carried out by independent evaluation teams.

Head of THEQC Elmas Came to Erzurum to Present the Institutional Accreditation Certificate

In the ceremony held with the participation of Head of THEQC Prof. Dr.Muzaffer Elmas, who came to Erzurum to present the Institutional Accreditation Certificate, Atatürk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı said that the most essential feature that distinguishes Atatürk University from other universities is that it has the realization story of one of the crucial projects of the Republic of Turkey since its establishment.


Rector Çomaklı stated that with the responsibility brought by this awareness, Atatürk University has been seriously considering how to restructure its academic values, educational methodologies and social role with the requirements of being a modern university in line with the New System Approach of CHE and the vision of THEQC. Rector Çomaklı said, "Acting with this vision with our staff, we continue our efforts to carry our university to the status of a universal world university based on being a regional university. In this sense, we have made significant strides by taking big and bold steps.

Atatürk University has embarked on the path where it will be positioned as a university at the forefront of universal science, works with a problem-oriented approach, can produce scientific solutions to social problems, and is sensitive to social well as directs societal demands. In order to achieve these goals, our university systematically carries out an intensive study. This effort became concrete with Atatürk University New Generation University Design and Transformation Project and produced essential outputs. With 19 separate search conferences organized within the scope of the New Generation University Design and Transformation Project, common sense was created, and essential outputs were obtained."


Rector Çomaklı: We Had The Opportunity to Hear the Dynamic Structure of THEQC"


Prof. Dr. Çomaklı: "Within the scope of the Institutional Accreditation Program carried out by THEQC, necessary guidance was given to the units, and our university has been accredited for two years. Stating that the number of undergraduate accredited programs, which was six at the time the Quality Coordinator was established, has increased to 16 as of today, the accreditation process of 35 undergraduate programs and 1 institute continues, and the accreditation process of 12 undergraduate programs is planned to start as of January 2022. The academic encouragement and award ceremony, held in 7 dimensions for the first time this year, includes significant differences. Our awards will be at the level of faculty, department, and unit. This makes the reward and encouragement system more fair and inclusive. I sincerely congratulate our award-winning academics and unit managers. We had the opportunity to benefit from your valuable comments during your previous visits to our university. I am sure that with your visit, we will have the opportunity to listen and better understand the dynamic structure of THEQC firsthand.
On this occasion, for his honor of our University, Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas, I would like to thank him again, I wish our Award and Encouragement Ceremony to be beneficial, and I present my respects."


"THEQC has become A Full Member of the World's Leading Agencies."

Head of THEQC, Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas, started his speech by stating that THEQC, established as a commission affiliated to CHE but became an independent board after 2018 by doing essential works quickly. Elmas said that they have carried out necessary reforms to take this path, which they started as a new institution, with firm steps. Emphasizing that at the end of the second year of its establishment, they became full members of all of the world's leading agencies, President Elmas said that as a result of the determined criteria and evaluations, they started the Institutional Accreditation process in order to increase the quality of universities even more.

Prof. Dr. Elmas: "We are an Institution that Talks to the Whole World"

Expressing that The Higher Education Quality Council of Turkey does not include an imported criteria process, they have made this process a model that can be applied to our universities: "We see that universities have entered a new atmosphere all over the world. The first thing to ask is how much we have changed and transformed when it comes to change and transformation. In the light of our visits and the information we have obtained, we see that Atatürk University has grasped the logic of change and transformation. We started to talk about intelligent systems, big data, robots, metaverse, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, which the world is talking about, but their emergence is not new. Atatürk University, with its 65-year history, has carried out essential studies by combining today's technology with yesterday's experience.

"A More Flexible and More Self-Management Form Has Been Adopted With The Changing World"

Pointing out that the difference between institutions, universities, and individuals has been widening in recent years, Prof. Dr. Elmas Emphasizing that there are two methods to close this gap, stated that the first is to gain competence for everyone, and the second is to adopt an information-supported agile management approach: "Now, a person and a position must have these competencies in order to survive in the world. Previously, managers and institutions were making 5-year strategic plans, but a flexible, more concise, and shorter management style was adopted with continuous change. This has taken us from a managerial position to a leadership position. Individuals need to gain all the competencies to be able to stand. In the past, those with a diploma were considered successful, but now certificates, co-educational studies, minors, more than one foreign language make the difference."

"Education Will No Longer Be Like It Was Before March 20, 2020"

Stating that another education model was applied in the world until the pandemic, but a new education model was adopted with the coronavirus that started to be seen in our country after March 20, 2020, THEQC Head Muzaffer Elmas said that educators used to convey information to students. However, students are compelled and stated that the trainers should develop themselves with the new term. Noting that the institutions accredited for five years also got their share from this changing and transforming world, Elmas said: "There was not much change in the accredited institution. Deciding that this should change, we implemented a system in line with this idea and started implementing the 2-year accreditation process. We hold the job very tight during the accreditation process, but our university needs to introduce themselves well to make our decision debatable. That is why we carry out this process mutually, very meticulously. As a result of this process, which we carried out in a very successful and coordinated manner with Atatürk University, we delivered the Institutional Accreditation Certificate to Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı, in the presence of him, I would like to congratulate all the quality team and university members and wish the process to be fruitful."


The Award Ceremony Was Held In 7 Dimensions For The First Time This Year

After the Institutional Accreditation Certificate delivery ceremony, the program continued with delivering the 2020 Academic Encouragement Awards to the winners. The Academic Encouragement and Award Ceremony of 2020, which has been implemented in 7 dimensions, unlike the award and encouragement ceremonies held so far, education, research, contribution to society, research-based education, education-based social contribution, which blends the mission fields of Education, Research and Contribution to Society within the scope of New Generation University studies, found its owners in the fields of research-based social contribution and multiplier contribution.

The program ended with a souvenir photo taken by the protocol committee and the award-winning academics.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE – 07.12.2021