We Received the Quality Management Certificate from the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE)
The quality process speedily progressed with intensive training. Rector Karakaya, who explained that the excitement in the quality work had started in the spirit of the team that undertook the quality work, said that no work that had not been internalized would yield results. Internal Control Monitoring and Steering Committee was established. Karakaya explained his request from the Committee was their belief in and ownership of the quality study for the future of the university. KAEU was successful in the external audit to be carried out by the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) within the scope of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Standards. Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya stated that they got prepared for the quality studies based on the ISO 9001:2015 version and progressed step by step and that they worked on a strategic plan within this scope and they made innovations in the plan. Our university, which progressed with the aim of becoming a university that made a name for itself, firstly, in its region and, then, nationally, was able to stand out both with its quality studies and pilot projects.
We Will Protect the Quality Teachings of Ahi Evran-ı Veli
At KAEU, which successfully completed the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Standard External Audit Process and was awarded the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Certificate, Rector Karakaya shared his work with the public, considering the fact that it was not possible to stay away from the quality teachings of Ahi Evran-ı Veli in the land of Ahi-order understanding, which was the historical source of raising quality people. At that time, we came to the point of setting an example for other universities, since we were the only university in Turkey to receive the Quality Management System Certificate with all its units from the TSE. Karakaya said that they would also support other universities in the implementation of the quality system, and he and his team accepted their visits.
Our Priority is Students, Their Satisfaction Will Determine Our Quality Process
Our university, which has worked devotedly on quality, learned quality by doing and experiencing it. At the meeting held in 2017 aimed to evaluate the quality management process, Rector Karakaya said, "Our priority is students, their satisfaction will determine our quality process" and explained that a student-oriented approach was the priority in quality studies. Meanwhile, at our university, which was selected as a pilot in agriculture and geothermal fields, Karakaya said that those processes were the elements that would support each other and he was in favor of progressing by incorporating strategic plans into the quality process. Rector Karakaya, who gave importance to what was done, in other words, to measure, wanted to see what was done within the strategic plan. Meanwhile, Quality Process Management Review Meetings were held and the process was being internalized and evaluated. In the first of those meetings, Karakaya stated that he was excited about the current stage of the quality process and said “If we are going to create value for society, then, we have to do it with quality because something without quality has no value.” and he added "a university is an institution that trains people and it should not think of "leaving it to chance". Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya requested a close follow-up by stating that it was necessary to be ready for the External Evaluation of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE) to be held on November 5, 2017. After that meeting, the Higher Education Quality Board External Evaluation Team made the planned visits to our university between 5-8 November 2017. As a result of the visits and evaluations that lasted for 4 days, the Higher Education Quality Board External Evaluation Team gave our university full marks.
Great Achievement of KAEU: The Name and Trademark of the Integrated Quality Management System was Registered
Our university, which started an exemplary quality process, continued to introduce its Integrated Quality Management System to institutions and organizations. The system, which was introduced to dozens of institutions, was constructed by making use of the Public Financial Management and Control Law No. 5018, ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, THEQC External Evaluation Criteria, ISO 22000 Food Management System, EFQM Model, and ISO 27001:201 Information Security Management System. The systems developed by Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, which was a pioneer in quality studies, started to bear fruit. The application made to the General Directorate of Copyrights of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for the quality management system software of KAEU was concluded, and as a result of the application, the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office registered the name of Ahi Evran Integrated Quality Management System as a type of computer program. The application of KAEU to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT) for the registration of the quality management system software has been concluded positively and the system was decided to be called "Ahi Evran University Integrated Quality Management System" on 06.01.2022.
Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Received Full Institutional Accreditation Certificate
Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, which was one of the 12 universities that took part in the Institutional Accreditation Program implemented in the field of higher education by the Higher Education Quality Board (THEQC) in Turkey in 2021, received the Full Institutional Accreditation Certificate for 5 years. Accreditation in higher education was referred to as a means of academic quality, transparency, and accountability. Since the day the Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya took office, significant successes had been achieved in quality studies. The success of Kırşehir Ahi Evran University in quality studies made our university the "First State University with Quality Management Certificate" and made it a role model for Turkish Higher Education. The devoted efforts of our university in quality studies contributed to the Institutional Accreditation Certificate that THEQC put into practice and which all universities were required to receive.
Today, THEQC President Prof. Dr. Muhsin Kar stated that The Shed Belt was presented to people who were experts in their field by the notables of the Ahi Hearth, and presented the shed belt and the Institutional Accreditation Certificate to Rector Karakaya. Rector Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, who was full of excitement and pride, explained that they had been evaluated over 1000 points with 22 criteria and 56 sub-criteria parameters set by THEQC and that the project was the rectorate project for him. Karakaya, emphasizing that a new system, in which the future of young people would be prioritized and they would receive education in a structure indexed with quality, would be implemented, wished that the five-year full accreditation process would be beneficial for our university and our city.
AYDEP, the Ahi-Order Movement of the 21st Century, Came to Life
Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, which set an example for other universities in Turkiye with its quality process, continued to be a model for other universities with the projects it carried out in the field of education. Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya drew attention to the Ahi Competence-Based Education Project (AYDEP) and stated that they also carried out quality studies in the field of education and that quality in education was the most important factor for the country. The project attracted attention in the national and international arena. Saying that the Quality Management System Certificate was the first step for our university, Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya noted that AYDEP, of which output was based on proficiency, was also the second step, and said "We are doing our projects to see our children happy in the future.". With the importance of distance education during the pandemic period, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University kept that process under control, allowing students to continue their education without interruption. Karakaya said, “AYDEP, which we implemented as a pilot by our Education Faculty in 2015, has become a model for the distance education system today. We are very happy that we have achieved a goal of the mission of our university via AYDEP, which has been used in all units of our university since the Coronavirus Outbreak". AYDEP was a model aiming at competency-based learning, acquisition-oriented assessment, competency-based program development, and providing quality education, and this model protected the efforts of the students. Ahi Competence-Based Digital Education Project (AYDEP), which guaranteed quality education developed by Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, attracted the attention of both universities and the press. Karakaya and his team shared the details of the system during mutual visits.
AYDEP Received a Patent from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office
Ahi Competence-Based Digital Education Project (AYDEP), which was prepared by our university targeting quality education and student competence and started to be implemented as a pilot project in the Faculty of Education in 2016, received a patent from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. AYDEP, which was successfully implemented in online education during the COVID-19 process experienced all over the world, started to be implemented in all departments of our university in 2022 with the decision of the Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Senate. AYDEP, which was one of the important needs of Turkiye in the field of education, was developed in the process and became the first local software in our country. Thus, AYDEP, which became a model for many universities and educational institutions and for which a patent application was made two years ago, was registered by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.
