A Accreditation
The process by which the quality of a higher education institution or programme is certified after review by an independent and authorized external evaluation body against previously published criteria.
A Accreditation Body
An independent body authorized by YÖKAK (nationally) or recognized by it (internationally) to evaluate and accredit programmes in a given field.
A Action Plan
The document in which improvement steps identified from evaluation results are planned, together with those responsible and the timetable.
C Criterion
A previously published standard that an institution or programme is expected to meet in evaluation processes.
E Evaluation Team
The team appointed by YÖKAK for institutional external evaluation and accreditation processes, composed of academic, student and external stakeholder evaluators.
E Evidence
A document, record or item of data that substantiates the statements put forward in self-evaluation and external evaluation processes.
E External Evaluation
The review of an institution's quality assurance system by independent evaluators from outside the institution; the IAP and IFR processes fall within this scope.
G Goal
A measurable result set out in the strategic plan and expected to be achieved within a given period; its realization is monitored through performance indicators.
I IAP (Institutional Accreditation Program)
YÖKAK's programme for accrediting institutions through a holistic evaluation of their leadership, learning and teaching, research and service-to-society processes.
I IAR (Institutional Accreditation Report)
The report prepared by the evaluation team following the visits conducted under the IAP, which forms the basis of the accreditation decision.
I IFR (Institutional Feedback Report)
The report in which the evaluation team sets out the institution's strengths and areas open to improvement following an institutional external evaluation.
I Improvement
The betterment of processes on the basis of monitoring and evaluation results; the output of the “Act” stage of the PDCA cycle.
I Internal Evaluation
The process by which an institution reviews its own quality assurance system; its principal output is the Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER).
I ISER (Institutional Self-Evaluation Report)
The report in which an institution evaluates its quality assurance, learning and teaching, research, service-to-society and governance systems on an evidence-based footing and submits annually to YÖKAK.
M Mission
The statement defining an institution's reason for existence and the core value it offers to society.
M Monitoring Report
The interim evaluation report prepared by YÖKAK after an external evaluation in order to follow the institution's progress.
P PDCA Cycle
The continuous improvement cycle consisting of the steps Plan-Do-Check-Act; the basic operating model of the quality assurance system.
P Performance Indicator
A quantitative or qualitative measure used to gauge the extent to which strategic goals have been achieved.
P Pre-Visit
The first visit made by the evaluation team during the IAP process in order to become acquainted with the institution and plan the process.
P Programme Accreditation
The evaluation and accreditation of a single associate or bachelor's degree programme by an independent body against field-specific standards.
Q QDMS (Quality Data Management System)
The management system through which processes at our University are defined and documented and institutional quality documents are made accessible from a single point.
Q Quality Ambassador
A student who, having completed YÖKAK's training programme, is able to take part in higher education quality processes.
Q Quality Assurance
The body of planned and systematic activities that provide assurance that an institution's learning and teaching, research and governance processes meet defined standards.
Q Quality Committee
The senior board that conducts the University's quality assurance work, chaired by the Rector and composed of representatives of the criterion areas and a student representative.
Q Quality Culture
Quality becoming a shared value and mode of behaviour internalized by all members of the institution.
Q Quality Policy
The overarching document setting out the institution's fundamental approach and commitments regarding quality assurance; at our University it is defined in seven areas.
Q Quality Programme Record
The monitoring schedule in which quality activities carried out at our University (meetings, training, reports, visits and so on) are recorded in chronological order.
R Registration
The authorization or recognition of an accreditation body by YÖKAK; registration periods are renewed at intervals.
S Self-Evaluation
The examination by an institution or unit of its own processes, strengths and areas open to improvement on an evidence-based footing.
S Site Visit
The visit during which the evaluation team examines the institution or programme on site and meets managers, teaching staff, students and stakeholders.
S Stakeholder
All internal parties (students, staff) and external parties (graduates, employers, society) that are affected by or that affect the institution's activities.
S Strategic Plan
The principal planning document setting out an institution's medium-term aims, goals and performance indicators and guiding its budget and activities.
S Survey
A measurement instrument through which the satisfaction and views of students, staff and external stakeholders are collected systematically; its results feed into improvement decisions.
U Unit Quality Committee
The committee that carries out quality assurance work in faculties, institutes, schools and vocational schools, composed of academic, administrative and student representatives.
U USER (Unit Self-Evaluation Report)
The annual self-evaluation document in which a unit sets out, on an evidence-based footing, its current position in learning and teaching, research, service to society and governance processes.
V Vision
The statement defining the position an institution aims to reach in the long term.
Y YÖKAK (Higher Education Quality Council of Türkiye)
The administratively and financially autonomous council responsible in Türkiye for the external evaluation of higher education institutions, the authorization of accreditation bodies and the dissemination of a quality assurance culture.