Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, which was included in the Institutional Accreditation Program (IAP) by the Higher Education Quality Board (YÖKAK), has come to an end in the IAP process. The face-to-face meeting process planned by the IAP Evaluation Team for the KAEU started on 7 December 2021. Under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Macit Fikret Suner, the evaluation team consisting of Prof. Dr. Suleyman Dogan, Prof. Dr. Ali Bilgin, Prof. Dr. Füsun Eyidogan, Prof. Dr. Erdogan Çicek, Asst. Prof. Dr. Sevda Ciftci, Alaattin Soruklu and Turkan Yalçın visited the Rector of KAEU Prof Dr. Vatan Karakaya. During the meeting held at the Rector's Office, the studies of the university in the process of quality were discussed.

Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya explained that they started the quality process in 2015 and that they believe they will successfully complete this process, and said, "We set out on this path believing, I believe that we will successfully pass the IAP Evaluation process." said. Rector Karakaya, who stated that they carry out quality studies with all their units and staff, noted that he believes the IAP Evaluation Team will leave KAEU satisfied. Expressing his satisfaction with the visit, Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya thanked the Head of IAP Evaluation Team Prof. Dr. Macit Fikret Suner and his companions.

After the meeting at the Rector's office, the IAP Evaluation Team met with the top executives of KAEU in the Senate Hall. Making a speech in the Senate Hall, Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya informed the IAP Evaluation Team about the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) designed by the university. Rector Karakaya said that Kırşehir Ahi Evran University designed IQMS itself and that it is a quality management system that includes the 5018 Public Financial Management Law, which is subject to the Court of Accounts, information and food safety, Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) requirements, YÖKAK internal evaluation and KİDR requirements. He continued his speech as follows: “The setup of this system consists of the 'Plan, Do, Check and Act' cycle in general terms. We take the strategic plan as the main axis, especially in planning the strategic plan. The strategic plan we prepared together with all external participants, internal participants and stakeholders describes the future of KAEU. After creating the main axis in this way, we prepare an annual activity plan, considering the annual performances of the strategic plan and their projections based on departments. Together with the activity plan, we reveal the risk activity plans of the activity plan. We start the process by planning for improvement and process performances. In the implementation part, especially the strategic plan is followed up by the Head of Strategy Development Department. After the implementation, activities to prevent risks come into play. In the continuation of all these processes, we carry out the implementation together with the improvement activities and performance indicators.”

Stating that the Check phase is carried out in IQMS after the Planning and Implementation phase, Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya stated that the quality commission held unit-based meetings, held management review meetings twice a year, conducted a satisfaction survey and recorded the official data of the strategic plan and carried out the control process. Rector Karakaya added that in the last stage, which is the Prevention Stage, they realized the deficiencies in the stages they stated as an implementation activity, and they provided a PUKÖ cycle. Underlining that the PUKÖ cycle should be especially recommended to other institutions, Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya noted that Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) of Kırşehir Ahi Evran University is a system that can be applied in all institutions. At the end of his speech, Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya stated that he believed that KAEU would be successful in the IAP Evaluation as well and wished the IAP Evaluation Team Field Visit to be beneficial for the university.

After the speech of Rector Karakaya, IAP Evaluation Team negotiated with Vice-Rectors Prof. Dr. Ahmet Gokbel, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Secretary-General Mehmet Zeki Küçük, Senate and Board Members, faculty deans and vice deans, research unit managers, department heads, managers and institution stakeholders.

At the meeting held with the Quality Commission Members, Deputy Coordinator of Quality Ekrem Öztürk made a presentation on the Integrated Quality Management System carried out by the university within the scope of the management quality assurance system. Then, Deputy Coordinator of Education Quality Assurance Coordinatorship Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Şimşek introduced the Ahi Competence-Based Education Portal.

The IAP Evaluation Team Field Visit will continue until 9 December 2021.