Workshop on University Hospitals in Terms of Medicine and Health
Education in Foundation Higher Education Institutions Takes Place at
CoHE
November 16, 2021 / Ankara
The Council of Higher Education organized the “Workshop on University
Hospitals in Terms of Medicine and Health Education in Foundation Higher
Education Institutions” to discuss the issues related to medicine and
health education offered in foundation higher education institutions in
detail.
The workshop was held with the participation of CoHE President Erol Özvar.
CoHE members, the administrators of foundation universities with medical
schools and the related academics attended the workshop.
The educational activities carried out in foundation university hospitals
and the evaluations and solution proposals related to the provision of
health services were discussed in the panels. CoHE President Prof. Erol
Özvar and CoHE Deputy President Prof. M. İ. Safa Kapıcıoğlu made speeches
at the opening of the meeting.
In his speech, CoHE President Özvar emphasized that foundation higher
education institutions were their rising values and stated that these
universities stood out with their ability to adapt to innovations quickly.
He said that while the number of these universities, which offered
opportunities to students through different programs and played important
roles in issues such as international relations, employment of
international faculty members and the promotion of our country, was just
three until 1996, the number increased rapidly in the 2000s, rising to 77.
He stated that these institutions differed from state higher education
institutions during that period and added, "The issues that come to the
fore especially in the Routine Audit Reports not only revealed different
needs in terms of the evaluation of foundation higher education
institutions but also constituted a source for the development of the
current legislation. Sharing our findings with the field through the
reports for foundation higher education institutions, where we share
academic, administrative and financial data with the principle of
transparency, shed light on the development of Turkish higher education
institutions in every aspect and their self-evaluation within their
ecosystems.”
- “A quality ecosystem in foundation higher education institutions”
CoHE President Özvar highlighting that many universities still failed to
meet even the minimum criteria when the data was evaluated. He pointed out
that the fact that the incomes of universities that were mostly collected
from students were not transferred to students and to a high-quality higher
education process in the academic environment created public loss.
CoHE President Erol Özvar emphasized that they were negotiating with the
chairmen of the Board of Trustees and the rectors of foundation
universities, as well as the members of the Higher Education Audit Board
and representatives of other relevant state institutions. “We are making
efforts to create a more qualified ecosystem. In the 2019-2020 academic
year, 72 foundation higher education institutions were subject to routine
audits, 457 sanctions were applied, and 74 sanctions were lifted as a
result of the corrections. Routine audit procedures are an important
external evaluation for our institutions and reveal aspects that are open
to improvement. As a matter of fact, 149 sanctions were lifted after the
audits carried out in the 2016-2017 academic year, 230 in the 2017-2018
academic year, and 274 in the 2018-2019 academic year as a result of the
corrections the institutions made on the relevant issues.”
-“It is necessary to make arrangements in financial matters.”
He said that the minimum condition for all foundation universities with
medical schools to start or continue education according to the legal
regulation made in 2020, was to have a hospital within their institutions
and in their possessions.
“However, there are also ongoing affiliations. In fact, according to the
current legislation, it is still possible to make affiliations according to
the number of quotas. In other words, in order to provide the number of
patients and patient diversity required for medical school education,
universities can also be affiliated with another hospital, in addition to
their hospitals, according to the number of beds within the framework of
the legislation. In the medical schools that do not have their own
hospitals, affiliations with a maximum of two hospitals can be allowed by
considering the number and distribution of faculty members according to the
number of quotas, the general situation of medical school education in that
university and all other issues. In these hospitals, it is essential to
take the necessary precautions to carry out education and clinical
practices. Unfortunately, during the on-site visits, it was observed that
there were schools in which medical education and students remained in the
background. The lack of peer education in the specialty education of
students, fewer encounters with cases, and participation of students mostly
as observers are reported as issues particularly for postgraduate
education.”
Özvar concluded his speech by stating that CoHE aimed to work to contribute
to higher education with much closer communication and cooperation with
Turkish universities.
Click here to read the full transcript of the speech made by CoHE President
Prof. Erol Özvar. (In Turkish)
After the opening speeches, Prof. Zeliha Koçak Tufan, Coordinator of the
Committee for the Coordination of Foundation Higher Education Institutions,
gave a speech titled “Standards, Regulations and Findings Regarding Medical
Education at Foundation Universities”. Afterwards, panel sessions were held
in which the evaluations and solution proposals regarding the education and
training activities in the foundation university hospitals and the
provision of health services were discussed.
Firstly, the panel titled "Issues Encountered at Foundation Universities
without a Health Research Center (University Hospital) and Affiliated with
Private Hospitals and Solution Proposals" was held. In the afternoon, the
panel titled “Issues Encountered at Foundation Universities with a Health
Research Center (University Hospital) and Solution Proposals” panel was
held.