Internal Quality Assurance Assessment Report (İKGDR-2023)

MiAK Architectural Education Accreditation - Quality Assessment Unit (MiAK-KDB)

(MiAK-MAK 2023 studies were examined through Articles 3.1.a, b, c, d of the Quality Assessment Unit Directive.)

 

3.1.a. MINUTES OF MiAK AND MiAK-MAK MEETINGS

Documents and reports regarding all studies of MIAK, including the accreditation process and results, are archived in accordance with the procedures determined by the "MIAK Archiving Directive".

3.1.b. ACCREDITATION DECISIONS

Visiting teams have been formed for fourteen programs that applied for accreditation in 2022. Institution visits, program evaluation processes and accreditation procedures were completed in 2023:

Table 1. 2023 Accreditation Decisions

ATILIM ÜNİVERSİTESİ	Turkish	3 Years
BAŞKENT ÜNİVERSİTESİ	%30 English	2 Years Supervised
BAHÇEŞEHİR ÜNİVERSİTESİ	English	6 Years Conditional
ÇANKAYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ	English	3 Years
DOKUZ EYLÜL ÜNİVERSİTESİ	Turkish	6 Years
HALİÇ ÜNİVERSİTESİ	Turkish	2 Years Supervised
İSTANBUL KÜLTÜR ÜNİVERSİTESİ	English	3 Years
İSTANBUL KÜLTÜR ÜNİVERSİTESİ	Turkish	6 Years Conditional
İSTANBUL MEDİPOL ÜNİVERSİTESİ	Turkish	3 Years
KARADENİZ TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ	Turkish	6 Years Conditional
MİMAR SİNAN GÜZEL SANATLAR ÜNİVERSİTESİ	Turkish	6 Years
TED ÜNİVERSİTESİ	English	3 Years
TRAKYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ	Turkish	3 Years

 

Applications were received from ten different institutions in the 2022 application period, and one institution was added from the previous period according to the 2023 Calendar. These institutions attended the Program Information Workshop and nine of them submitted their Self-Assessment Report. Two institutions that could not submit reports applied to MiAK-MAK for postponement to continue in the 2024 Calendar. Visiting teams of nine institutions were formed, reports were delivered to the team members and the preliminary report stage was reached:

Table 2. Architecture programs that have reached the Preliminary Report Stage in the MiAK-MAK 2023 Accreditation Calendar

·        İSTANBUL AREL ÜNİVERSİTESİ – Turkish

·        DOĞU AKDENİZ ÜNİVERSİTESİ - English

·        ABDULLAH GÜL ÜNİVERSİTESİ - English

·        BALIKESİR ÜNİVERSİTESİ – Turkish

·        ERCİYES ÜNİVERSİTESİ – Turkish

·        ESKİŞEHİR TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ – Turkish

·        İZMİR EKONOMİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ - English

·        TOBB EKONOMİ VE TEKNOLOJİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ - %30 English

·        YILDIZ TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ - %30 English

Since the MiAK accreditation processes spanned several periods and did not match the ÖSYM calendar, the MiAK-MAK Accreditation Calendar was rescheduleed to be in line with the ÖSYM calendar and applications for the 2024 MiAK-MAK Accreditation Calendar were received in September 2023. Two institutions applied for the 2024 Calendar, and both institutions were shifted from the previous calendar. The accreditation processes of these institutions are planned to coincide with the ÖSYM Calendar and printed booklet. In addition to these institutions, an information workshop was held on December 16, 2023 for programs that want to apply to MiAK in the future. More than twenty programs participated in the open call workshop. 

Table 3. Programs Applicants in the MIAK-MAK 2023 Accreditation Calendar

·        YEDİTEPE ÜNİVERSİTESİ - English

·        YILDIZ TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ - English

·        AKDENİZ ÜNİVERSİTESİ - Turkish

·        SAKARYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ – Turkish

3.1.c. EVALUATION PROCESS DOCUMENTS OF THE TWO PROGRAMS

The establishment of the MiAK Consistency Committee, whose working procedures have been determined in a multifaceted manner with the 2024 MiAK Consistency Committee Directive prepared in accordance with the MiAK-MAK 2023 Accreditation Processes Document, is important in preventing possible inconsistencies between accreditation decisions.

The "Visiting Team Result Reports" of two programs, one of which was accredited for "6 years" (Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Architecture Undergraduate Program) and the other for "2 years supervised" (Başkent University Architecture Undergraduate Program (30% English)) accreditation, were examined. MSGÜ Architecture Program was entitled to 6-year accreditation due to its accreditation experience, proper execution of preparations, large teaching staff, well-constructed training program and design studios, physical spaces that will contribute to the learning culture, and collaboration environments with other departments of the unit. It was deemed consistent within the framework of "MiAK-MAK Processes Document" and "MiAK-MAK Conditions Document". Başkent University Architecture Program is entitled to a 2-year accreditation due to the relatively low number of academic staff, elective courses that can be opened depending on part-time faculty members, the lack of adequate coverage of some subjects in the training program, not being able to present them in the information packages, and the lack of adequate cooperation environments with other departments of the unit. It was deemed consistent within the framework of "MiAK-MAK Processes Document" and "MiAK-MAK Conditions Document".

3.1.d. ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT

Annual Activity Report includes those sections: 1) Introduction; 2) Corporate Information; 3) MiAK and MiAK-MAK 2023 Studies and Activities; 4) Financial Situation of MiAK Association and MiAK Economic Enterprise; 5) Contains. The report can be viewed publicly on the MiAK Website.

EVALUATION 

3.1.d (i) Compliance of MiAK activities with regulations and directives on issues such as institutional structure, sustainability, continuous improvement, participation, standards, reliability, training, transparency and archiving.

·       Institutional structure: The General Assembly, which is the most authoritative decision-making body, consists of 82 members registered with MİAK as of 2023. The MİAK Association Board of Directors (7 members) and the Board of Auditors (3 members) are elected by the General Assembly. The Architectural Accreditation Board (MİAK-MAK) (7 members) has 5 members determined by MOBBİG, and 2 members determined by the Central Executive Board of the Chamber of Architects.

There are three members each in the MİAK-MAK Commissions (Quality Assessment Unit; Document Update Commission; Education Commission) and the MİAK Committees (Consistency Committee; Finance Committee; Objection Committee). Finally, in 2023, the MİAK Working Groups (International Studies Group 6 members; Press and Broadcast Communication Group 5 members) were established.

In addition to the MiAK and MiAK-MAK Members, the members of the commission, committee, and working group are determined from among the volunteers who respond to the calls made to the academicians and professionals who support MiAK-MAK with their work. Within the framework of the institutionalization efforts that started with the association and continued with the establishment of the MiAK Economic Enterprise, the “Architectural Education Accreditation Association (MiAK) Accreditation Studies Agreement” will enable the institutions and MİAK to continue their work under the legal guarantee was developed and completed.

·       Sustainability: The 2-year "Quality Assessment Registration Certificate" received by MİAK as an Association on 17.11.2021 has been extended for two years until 17 May 2025 as a result of the evaluator meetings, studies and YÖKAK inspections following the application made on 09.06.2023. It is observed that the distribution of duties within the commissions, committees, and working groups within the MİAK Board of Directors and MİAK-MAK, strategic plan studies, program accreditations that are tied to the annual calendar and whose numbers do not decrease, and MİAK activities are carried out within the framework of the annual budget in accordance with the regulations and guidelines.

·       Continuous Improvement: The “Internal Quality Assurance Assessment Report”, the first of which was prepared for 2022 and published on the Website and prepared for 2023, also serves to reflect continuous improvements.

The “Thematic Analysis Report”, which aims to determine strong and developmental aspects by examining the evaluations of the programs whose MİAK-MAK accreditation evaluations and decisions were finalized in 2022 and announced on the Website, through tables and graphs, has been prepared and published on the Website. Considering that this report will be used in the preparation of the programs, it would be positive to share the report every year. In addition to the “Thematic Analysis Report”, the “Objection Committee Directive” and the “Complaint, Objection, and Information Form” developed have also been published on the Website.

Among the “MİAK Working Groups” that contribute to the institutionalization and development of MiAK, the “International Working Group” is expected to contribute to internationalization. The application for membership to the “Central and Eastern European Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (CEENQA)” is an important step towards the goal of providing international qualification to architecture programs in Turkey.

The development and updating of the website have ensured that it is published in English as well as Turkish. The “MiAK Press and Broadcast Communication Group” was established and the “MiAK Bulletin” was planned and started to be published digitally periodically. The MiAK Bulletin aims to ensure continuous communication with architecture and architectural education, environment, and components. The bulletin is planned to include news, announcements, short articles, explanations, and analyses regarding the interactions of MiAK with all its organs, MiAK-MAK, and also the components in the profession and education of architecture with MiAK.

·       Participation: 3 meetings (“Architecture and Education Congress XII” / İYTE, İzmir; “MOBBİG 55” International Cyprus University, Lefkoşa; “MOBBİG 54” Fırat University, Elazığ) were attended by MiAK stakeholders and presentations were made on behalf of MiAK.

New members are accepted to MİAK by the decision of the Board of Directors. In order to increase the number of program evaluators and observers, which are still at a sufficient level, for 2024 and the following years, an announcement was made by MİAK-MAK for evaluator and observer candidates in 2023; There is an “online” application opportunity through the website.

·       Standards: MiAK and MiAK-MAK continue to document and secure their independence and their own independent standards with the legislation they are rapidly creating. It is known that the legislation should ensure that programs continue their self-assessment studies while preserving their own originality, as well as MİAK’s own independence.

Some arrangements have been made to comply with external determinants. Due to the MiAK accreditation processes being spread over several periods and not being compatible with the ÖSYM calendar, the MiAK-MAK Accreditation Calendar has been re-planned to be compatible with the ÖSYM calendar, and applications for the 2024 MiAK-MAK Accreditation Calendar were received in September 2023

·       Reliability: The “Architectural Education Accreditation Association (MİAK) Ethical Rules Document”, which was accepted by th