Institutional accreditation is an independent external evaluation process aimed at documenting the adequacy, functionality, and sustainability of higher education institutions’ internal quality assurance systems. In this process, institutions are required to demonstrate, in a holistic manner, how they manage and continuously improve their quality assurance mechanisms established in the areas of education and training, research and development, community engagement, and governance.
In Türkiye, the institutional accreditation process is carried out by the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK). YÖKAK evaluates the quality assurance systems of institutions through a structured assessment framework consisting of 14 criteria and 46 sub-criteria. These criteria cover all aspects of institutional structure—from leadership and governance to student support services, and from research strategies to community engagement activities. During the evaluation process, the institution’s practices for each sub-criterion are analyzed within the framework of the PDCA cycle (Plan–Do–Check–Act) and scored on a maturity scale ranging from 1 to 5.
The institutional accreditation process begins with the submission of the Institutional Internal Evaluation Report (KİDR) by the university. Subsequently, an external evaluation team appointed by YÖKAK conducts an on-site review, holds meetings with stakeholders, and prepares the institutional evaluation report based on the data collected. At the end of the process, the university is granted one of three possible statuses:
Hitit University became involved in institutional evaluation processes in 2018. In the same year, the Institutional External Evaluation (KDD) process conducted by YÖKAK was completed, and the university’s strengths, areas for improvement, and recommendations for development were identified. In 2021, this evaluation process was followed by a monitoring visit, during which the development of the quality assurance system and the level of institutionalization of processes were evaluated positively by YÖKAK experts.
The institutional accreditation process is not merely about preparing for external evaluation; it also fosters the establishment of a quality culture within the institution, the dissemination of systematic operations, and the enhancement of data-based decision-making capacity. In this respect, Hitit University positions institutional accreditation not as an “outcome” but as a strategic “means” for sustainable development.
As part of the preparation process for institutional accreditation, Unit Internal Evaluation Reports (BİDR) are collected annually through the Hitit Action Plan System (HEP), and based on these reports, the Institutional Internal Evaluation Report (KİDR) is prepared at the institutional level. The functionality of the quality assurance cycle is monitored through quantitative indicators. All these processes are carried out under the coordination of the Strategic Management and Quality Office.
In line with its Strategic Plan, Hitit University aims to achieve institutional accreditation and continues to strengthen its internal quality assurance system in all aspects to reach this goal. The university’s current quality management structure largely aligns with YÖKAK’s institutional accreditation criteria, and this alignment is reinforced through a continuous improvement approach.
