Department of Political Science and International Relations in the accreditation process

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Üsküdar University, specifically the Departments of Political Science and International Relations (Turkish and English), has been included in the accreditation process by the Social, Human, and Basic Sciences Accreditation and Rating Association (STAR). As part of the process, which aims to evaluate the faculty's educational quality in terms of its compliance with national and international standards, comprehensive reviews were conducted over a period of two days. 

The program began with an opening meeting held in the Kuzguncuk Hall of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. 

The meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Fehmi Ağca, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations (Turkish); Department Chair Assoc. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Arslan, Political Science and International Relations (English) Department Chair Dr. Lecturer Fehmi Ağca, Rector's Advisor Responsible for Quality Lecturer Serdar Karagöz, Quality Manager İlknur Güzel and her team, faculty academics, and the STAR accreditation team.  

During the evaluation process, various discussions were held regarding the structure of the department and faculty. The STAR team conducted interviews with academics, administrative staff, and students to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the quality of education.

Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak: "We see accreditation efforts as an opportunity."

Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, gave a comprehensive presentation on the faculty as part of the program. Providing information about the faculty's academic structure, the curriculum's alignment with current needs, student support mechanisms, and ongoing quality improvement efforts, Kaynak stated the following in his speech:

"We see accreditation efforts not only as an evaluation process, but as an important opportunity to strengthen our institutional development. As a faculty, we are constantly renewing and developing ourselves to bring our education and training activities in line with national and international standards. The review conducted by STAR is very valuable in terms of both highlighting our strengths and identifying areas for improvement."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Arslan: “We prioritize providing a strong academic framework”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Arslan, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations (Turkish), emphasized that accreditation is a critical step in increasing the international visibility of education programs. Arslan said, "As the Department of Political Science and International Relations, we prioritize offering a strong academic framework both theoretically and practically. We aim for our students to have globally competitive skills. This evaluation conducted by STAR serves as an important guide for improving our quality standards and increasing our international visibility."

Dr. Assistant Professor Fehmi Ağca: "We aim to develop analytical thinking skills."

Dr. Fehmi Ağca, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations (English), provided information about the department's academic structure within the scope of the evaluation program. Ağca stated that the English curriculum is structured in line with international standards. Ağca said, "Our department has a strong English curriculum that aims to develop students' analytical thinking skills in the field of global politics. We continuously update our course content and teaching methods to be in line with international academic standards."

The accreditation process progressed through intensive discussions

The STAR team examined the academic activities carried out at the faculty on-site; 

- Course content,

- Assessment methods,

- Quality assurance mechanisms, and 

- Practices related to the student experience. 

Comprehensive data on the functioning of educational processes was collected through interviews with academic staff, students, and administrative units.

The closing report was presented

At the end of the two-day evaluation, the STAR team presented the closing report containing their observations and findings at a meeting attended by faculty management, department chairs, and academics. 

At the meeting, a general framework was shared regarding the strengths of the departments, areas open to improvement, and the level of compliance with quality standards. 

It was stated that the official results of the accreditation process would be announced following the final decision of the evaluation committee.