Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, which takes firm steps forward in its quality journey, held the Management Review (YGG) Meeting of 2022. Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, Quality Management Coordinator and Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Vice-Rectors Prof. Dr. Ahmet Gökbel, and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt, Secretary-General Mehmet Zeki Küçük, quality coordinator team, quality officers of the units, academic and administrative staff, and students attended the meeting held on 11 January 2023 at the Ahi Evran Congress and Culture Center on 15 July Milli İrade Hall.
Karahocagil: “We Feel Duty-Bound to Carry the Quality Understanding of the Past to the Future”
The opening speech of the YGG Meeting was first made by Quality Management Coordinator and Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil and he gave brief information about the quality process of KAEU. Explaining the quality experience of Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Karahocagil noted that the work on establishing an Internal Quality Assurance System for KAEU started quickly after the appointment of Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, and he felt duty-bound to carry the quality understanding of the past inherited the Ahi-Order to the future. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil explained that in our university, which has successfully carried out the journey of quality, the work on establishing an Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) for administrative processes and a Quality Assurance System in Education (EKGS) for Education and Training processes had begun before the binding decisions taken by the Higher Education Quality Board (THEQC) for the establishment of internal quality assurance systems. Karahocagil continued his speech as follows: “Following the five-year implementation period, the naming rights of the IQMS software as a type of computer program under the name of “Integrated Quality Management System” registered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Copyrights. The Quality Assurance System in Education, on the other hand, was registered as a Utility Model by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, under the name AYDEP, following a three-year pilot implementation process. Both of our originally developed Internal Quality Assurance Systems have become good practice examples for other higher education institutions, and IQMS and AYDEP software have come to the stage of being marketed as a commercial product.”
Karahocagil: “Quality is a Human-Centered Management System Philosophy, Compatible with the Ahi-Order Heritage”
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, who mentioned the quality experience of our university and Ahi-Order and Quality Management Philosophy, emphasized that quality was a human-centered management system philosophy, compatible with our Ahi-order heritage. Explaining the functioning of the quality management philosophy of our university, Karahocagil continued his speech as follows: “Our aim is to be the first university to implement ISO, YÖKAK-KAP and EFQM quality models in all its units and to carry out corporate performance management in the digital environment with BKYS/AYDEP software by creating an Institutional Quality Culture unique to our university originating from the Ahi-Order value. Quality is not a result, but a process to be managed. Participating in the National Quality Movement with the leadership of Rector Karakaya, KAEU started the 'Journey to Excellence in Quality' with EFQM Excellence Model studies."
Rector Karakaya: “KAEU Has Become the Focus of Higher Education in Turkiye in Quality Processes”
After the speech of the Quality Management Coordinator and Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya took the floor and explained the point they have reached regarding the quality processes. Rector Karakaya, who said that they would evaluate the year 2022 with the YGG Meeting, said that they would determine how much of the predictions and targets of KAEU for 2022 had been achieved and progressed. Emphasizing the importance of planned life, Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya noted that KAEU Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) was a very suitable system for planned work. Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, who explained that Kırşehir Ahi Evran University managed hard work in quality studies, stated that KAEU became the focus of Turkish Higher Education in quality processes.
Rector Karakaya: “We Did a Quality Job, Changed the Result and we are Happy with the Process”
Emphasizing that raising human beings was the most difficult task, Rector Karakaya continued his speech as follows: "What we call human is the being with the problems and all the solutions in itself. Because the only being has an infinite thinking quality is human-being. If so, this treasure needs cultivation.” Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya said that raising people with IQMS in universities was carried out in a planned and equipped way. He stated that IQMS, the domestic software of our university, was used by 4 universities and it had started to be implemented as a quality assurance system in those universities. Emphasizing that their priority was always students, Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya said, "If our graduates have a better life after higher education, it shows that we did a quality job, we changed the result and we are happy with the process.".
Rector Karakaya: “What matters is not reaching the top, but staying at the top”
Rector Karakaya, who stated that Kırşehir Ahi Evran University had taken many firm steps and reached the summit, noted what matters was not reaching the top, but staying at the top. Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya stated that it was possible to stay at the top when quality processes were implemented by people, they became a habit in institutions and they were sustained. He added, “We have completed the processes that have been improving so far, our next target is sustainability and we aspire to do better than good.” said. Rector Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, who said that they were making an effort to make quality a corporate culture in our university, continued as follows: “A minimum of 25 years of application of quality process in an institution is required in order for the formation of a quality culture. If this continues for 25 years, it means that quality has become a corporate culture at Kırşehir Ahi Evran University. In order to leave quality as a cultural heritage from today to the future, we must first try to transform these systems into a culture in our own lives.”
Rector Karakaya: “The Understanding of Ahi-Order Should be Implemented Again”
Rector Karakaya, who always stated that he believed that quality was Ahi-Order practice of today, stated that they aimed to realize quality again, as and understanding of Ahi-Order in KAEU, which was named after Ahi Evran-ı Veli. Emphasizing that Akhism was also an act of kindness and honesty, Prof Dr. Vatan Karakaya continued his speech as follows: “Goodness is never a material entity, it is an entity of humankind. That's why it's never out-dated and Ahi-Order should be in our lives and continue to be implemented.”
At the end of his speech, Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya emphasized that the same diligent and meticulous work would continue during the quality processes, and thanked everyone who contributed to the process and brought the quality to the present, and wished the meeting to be productive.
After the speech of Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, the meeting continued with the presentation of the YGG Reports by the unit representatives.