Accreditation
Accreditation is an external evaluation and quality assurance process that assesses whether predetermined academic and field-specific standards, set by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), are met by a higher education institution or program. Accreditation may be granted at the institutional level or at the departmental/program level. Institutional accreditation is awarded by the Higher Education Quality Council of Türkiye (YÖKAK), while program-level accreditation for our department may be awarded by YÖKAK and STAR.
The Institutional Accreditation Program (KAP) is an external evaluation method that assesses the quality assurance system, education and training, research and development, societal contribution, and governance processes of higher education institutions within the framework of the “plan–do–check–act” cycle.
KAP is carried out by evaluation teams appointed by the Higher Education Quality Council, in accordance with the Institutional External Evaluation and Accreditation Criteria and the Institutional External Evaluation and Accreditation Guide.
Each year, YÖKAK determines the higher education institutions to be included in KAP and forms evaluation teams suitable for the characteristics of these institutions. These evaluation teams conduct two visits to each institution: a preliminary visit and a site visit.
Following these visits, the evaluation teams prepare Institutional Accreditation Reports (KAR), and YÖKAK makes accreditation decisions based on these reports.
Within the scope of KAP, YÖKAK may issue the following decisions:
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Full accreditation (for five years)
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Conditional accreditation (for two years)
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Rejection of accreditation
Program Accreditation refers to the external evaluation and quality assurance process carried out by an accreditation body to determine whether a higher education program meets predetermined academic and field-specific standards.
In Türkiye, YÖKAK is responsible for the authorization and recognition of accreditation bodies. The authorization of national accreditation agencies and the recognition of international accreditation organizations are conducted in accordance with the principles and criteria set by YÖKAK.
Since 2016, information regarding accredited programs has been published in the YKS Higher Education Programs and Quotas Guide (formerly the ÖSYS Guide), listing the programs accredited by bodies authorized or recognized by YÖKAK.