Accreditation of Engineering Programs in Turkey: MÜDEK Initiative

1. Accreditation of Engineering Programs in Turkey: MÜDEK Initiative ABET Campus Visit October 14-15, 2004 Middle East Technical University Ankara, Turkey

2. Outline • How it all started • MÜDEK : An initiative for accreditation of engineering programs in Turkey • First impressions & way ahead ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

3. How It All Started: A Brief History of Accreditation of Engineering Programs in Turkey ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

4. Stage 1: ABET Evaluations • 1994: 2 eng. programs from METU applied to ABET and obtained “Substantial Equivalency” status • 1994-2003: 41 engineering programs from 4 universities (METU, Bilkent, Boğaziçi Univ., ITU) obtained or in the process of evalution for “Substantial Equivalency” from ABET ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

5. ABET Evaluation vs Potential Need ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

6. STAGE 2: National System for Accreditation of Engineering Programs • Jan 2001:Engineering Deans Council (Mühendislik Dekanları Konseyi-MDK) established • Deans of engineering faculties in state & private universities in Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC). • 87 members as of 2003 • Jan 2002: Engineering Deans Council (MDK) decision for establishing National Accreditation System for Engineering Education • May 2002: Engineering Evaluation Board (Mühendislik Değerlendirme Kurulu-MÜDEK) formed by MDK ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

7. MÜDEK An Initiative for Accreditation of Engineering Programs in Turkey ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

8. MÜDEK(Mühendislik Değerlendirme Kurulu)Engineering Evaluation Board • A non-governmental initiative for accrediting engineering programs in Turkey • Initiated by Engineering Deans Council on May 2002 • An independent body which periodically renews a portion of its members by itself ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

9. MÜDEKEngineering Evaluation Board Objectives: • Develop and run a detailed program for evaluating (accrediting) engineering programs of MDK member faculties which grant “engineering degree” to their graduates Main Tasks: • Evaluation (accreditation) of engineering programs • Selection and training of evaluators • Providing information and training to program chair persons and staff members on program evaluation • Reviewing and updating the program evaluation criteria ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

10. MÜDEK Membership • Total of 8 members • 4 academicians • 1 TMMOB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects)representative • 1 KalDer (Turkish Society for Quality) representative • 2 industry representatives • Voluntary duty • MDK members may not be MÜDEK members • 2 years serving term (max. 3 consecutive terms) • 3 of the members: chairman, assistant chairman (chairman elect), previous chairman ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

11. MÜDEK Evaluations • Non-governmental • Voluntary • Outcomes based objective accreditation criteria • Self-assessment: Self-study by the institution and program • Peer-review (Evaluation Teams) • On-site evaluation • Periodic re-evaluation (maximum 6 yrs.) ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

12. MÜDEK Evaluation Criteria • Students • Program Educational Objectives • Program Outcomes and Assessment • Professional Component • Faculty • Facilities • Institutional Support and Financial Resources • Program Specific Criteria ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

13. Evaluation Team Evaluation Team Evaluation Team MÜDEK Organization MÜDEK Training Working Group ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

14. MÜDEKEvaluation Teams • One TEAM is formed for each faculty running the programs to be evaluated. • TEAM LEADER has to be a MÜDEK Member • At least one EVALUATOR for each program to be evaluated ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

15. MÜDEK Program Evaluators • Program evaluators are selected among people known for their competency in their specialty areas. • Program evaluator candidates have to attend program evaluator training workshops. • Program evaluators serve on a voluntary basis. • MDK members cannot serve as program evaluators. • Teams are formed from a pool of evaluators. • Conflict of interest issues are addressed during the appointment of evaluators to teams. ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

16. Typical Evaluation Cycle • Jan : Institutions express intent for evaluation • Jan-Aug: Institutions prepare and submit self-study reports for programs to be evaluated • Sept-Oct: Teams formed & evaluations start • Nov-Dec: Site visits (3 days) • Jan-Feb: Teams prepare evaluation reports • March-June: MÜDEK concludes evaluation process and takes accreditation decisions ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

17. MÜDEK Evaluation Activities ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

18. MÜDEK Training Events • Evaluator Training Workshop (ABET-ASME), January 2003 • Evaluator Training Workshop, September 2003 • Training Workshop for Deans and Dept. Chairs, January 2004 • Evaluator Training Workshop, September 2004 • A total of 38 trained evaluators from 14 engineering disciplines • 16 from ITU • 13 from METU • 2 from BU • 3 from Bilkent Univ. • 1 from Sabancı Univ. • 1 from Marmara Univ. • 2 from industry ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

19. First Impressions & Way Ahead ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

20. First Impressions • MÜDEK evaluation process is viewed as a vehicle for genuinely increasing quality of engineering education • Self Study Report (process) acts as an important tool for • continuous quality improvement in engineering programs • motivating constituencies • External evaluation results are considered as • constructive feedback for quality improvement • leverage for resource allocations needed for these improvements ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

21. What is Next? • MÜDEK needs to beinstitutionalized (association) • MÜDEK needs to be recognized as the national accreditation body for engineering programs (by governmental authorities) • MÜDEK has to seek international recognition (e.g., Washington accord) ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

22. MÜDEK http://mudek.me.metu.edu.tr/ THANK YOU ABET Campus Visit, October 14-14, 2004, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey