What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is a process that evaluates whether a higher education institution or program meets certain standards and quality criteria, documents this evaluation and aims for continuous quality improvement. In this context, the main purpose of accreditation is to ensure that education and research are carried out effectively and efficiently, to determine quality standards, to increase national and international recognition, to ensure the comparability of diplomas, to give confidence to students and stakeholders, and to create a competitive advantage at national and international level.

The accreditation process includes internal (institutional self-assessment) and external (assessment by external independent accreditation bodies) assessments. This process is applied to ensure that the institution or program meets established standards, aims to continuously improve quality, and protects and guarantees ethical standards.

The authorization and recognition activities of accreditation bodies in higher education are managed by the Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK) in Turkey. YÖKAK coordinates the process of authorizing national accreditation bodies and recognizing international accreditation bodies within the framework of the principles and criteria it sets.
The Guide to Higher Education Programs and Quotas published by ÖSYM includes information on programs accredited by accreditation bodies authorized or recognized by YÖKAK.

Benefits of Accreditation;

• It ensures that education, training and research are carried out effectively, efficiently and in accordance with the standards of the age. This goal aims to ensure that higher education institutions provide quality education to students and conduct research in accordance with the requirements of the age.
• It encourages institutions to create innovative and up-to-date teaching programs, supports the development of existing programs and ensures their effective implementation.
• It assesses the conformity of curricula to established standards and provides a seal of quality to these programs, thus providing students with a reliable educational experience.
• Demonstrates the conformity of higher education institutions to national and international standards, thereby increasing their recognizability and encouraging cooperation.
• It evaluates compliance with established quality standards and thus aims to continuously ensure the quality of education.
• Ensures the national and international validity of the diplomas and titles received by students, thus giving them a competitive advantage on a global scale.
• Facilitates the transfer of students and teaching staff between institutions by increasing mutual recognition and respect between different higher education institutions.
• It facilitates the exchange of students and teaching staff across different institutions, giving them access to a variety of educational experiences and expertise.
• It sets the standards required in specific professional fields, enabling graduates to succeed in these fields.