CoHE Introduces Criteria of "Publication" and "Accreditation" to
Improve Graduate Education Quality
Universities will be required to have at least one accredited program
to apply for a PhD program.
The average number of qualified publications/works per faculty member
in master's and doctoral programs should be one, at least.
National or international qualified researchers with a PhD degree
working outside higher education institutions (within the scope of
Annex 46.) can also be primary advisors.
March 18, 2024
The Council of Higher Education has redefined the principles regarding the
opening and execution of graduate programs to improve the quality of
graduate education.
Accordingly, certain qualifications will need to be met for each program to
be opened within the framework of the Regulation on Graduate Education and
Training.
Faculty members must be employed at the university where the program will
be opened and have a doctorate or associate professorship in the field
where the program will be opened. If the program is interdisciplinary,
their doctorate or associate professorship must be in directly related
fields determined by the CoHE Executive Board.
The doctoral program can be opened with a minimum of six faculty members in
the university staff, at least two of whom must be professors. If one of
them is a professor, at least two of them must be associate professors.
In case a doctoral program is opened with the same name as the department
in the undergraduate program, four of these faculty members can be directly
from the field in which the program will be opened, and two of them can be
from the relevant fields determined by the CoHE Executive Board.
A master's program can be opened with a minimum of three faculty members in
the university staff, at least two of whom must have the title of professor
and/or associate professor.
Opening a master's program requires faculty members to have taught for at
least two semesters in an undergraduate program. To open a doctorate
program, the faculty members must have taught for at least four semesters
in an undergraduate program or two semesters in a master's program with
thesis.
The university that will open a graduate program will be required to have
education and research facilities such as libraries and laboratories
required for the relevant program.
The CoHE Executive Board will be authorized to require faculty members from
different departments in master's and doctoral programs.
- Criteria for opening a master's degree
The average number of publications/works per faculty member in the master's
program applied for must be one, at least, taking into account the calendar
year preceding the year of application.
- Criteria for opening a doctoral program
In order for the university to apply for a doctoral program, they must have
at least one accredited program.
The average number of publications/works per faculty member in the applied
doctoral program will be one, at least, taking into account the calendar
year preceding the year of application.
- Requirement of qualified publications
The criteria to be taken into consideration regarding the
publications/works of faculty members who will take part in master's and
doctoral programs were determined as follows:
"For the fields of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Engineering, Health
Sciences, Agriculture, Forestry and Aquaculture: Articles published in
journals within the scope of Web of Science (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI) or Scopus,
or registered patents,
For the fields of Architecture, Planning and Design: Articles published in
journals within the scope of Web of Science (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI, ESCI) or
Scopus, registered patents or degrees in competitions,
For the fields of Educational Sciences, Theology, Philology, Law, Sports
Sciences, Social, Humanities and Administrative Sciences: Articles
published in journals within the scope of Web of Science (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI,
ESCI), Scopus or TR Index, or original scientific books related to the
field of study,
For the field of Fine Arts: An article published in journals within the
scope of Web of Science (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI) Scopus or TR Index, or an
original work related to the field."
Faculty members who will work in graduate programs will also have to meet
this publication requirement. The minimum qualifications of faculty members
will be reviewed every year in May and the publication qualifications of
faculty members will be reviewed at the end of three years. New students
will not be admitted to the programs that do not meet the requirements.
- Appointment of Advisors
In line with the new decision of the Council of Higher Education, faculty
members with these qualifications will be appointed as advisors in the
graduate programs opened with the decision of the board of directors of the
institute to which the relevant program is affiliated.
Primary advisors will be appointed from among the faculty members of the
university (including those assigned in accordance with the Annex 46 of Law
No. 2547).
Thus, national and international qualified researchers with a PhD degree
working outside higher education institutions can also be primary advisors
within the scope of Annex 46.
Secondary advisors can also be appointed from among faculty members outside
the university staff and persons/researchers with a PhD degree.
Faculty members who leave the relevant higher education institution due to
reasons such as retirement or transfer to another higher education
institution will continue to work as advisors. The inner cover of the
thesis will include the names of the thesis advisor and other thesis jury
members.
- Deadline for minimum qualifications
Graduate programs that meet the previous qualifications but cannot meet the
new minimum qualifications will be required to meet the new qualifications
within three years (until the end of the 2026-2027 academic year). Student
admission to the graduate programs that fail to meet the requirements will
be suspended.