February 13, 2026

A cooperation protocol was signed between the Council of Higher Education and the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) to bring a culture of standardization to university campuses, raise students’ awareness of standards, and bring together scientific knowledge and quality infrastructure on a strong foundation.

Within the scope of the protocol, the goals include expanding awareness of standardization, increasing academic participation in standards development committees, and conducting joint R&D and innovation projects with universities.

“TSE Personnel with Doctoral Degrees Will Be Able to Teach Under Appendix-46”

CoHE Deputy President Prof. Naci Gündoğan stated that the protocol was designed to establish a multidimensional framework of cooperation between higher education institutions and TSE.

Gündoğan noted that the protocol covers many areas, including the dissemination of a culture of standardization, the establishment of joint committees, the development of educational programs, reciprocal use of laboratory infrastructure, cooperation in R&D projects, and providing students with internship and applied education opportunities.

He stated that through this collaboration, institutions are expected to act in coordination across all stages ranging from R&D and innovation to intellectual property, product validation, and certification processes, and said:

“Thus, products and utility models developed at our universities will have the opportunity to transform into competitive products and high-value technologies through the combination of TSE’s laboratory infrastructure and certification experience. Opening elective courses in standardization and conformity assessment, enabling TSE’s expert personnel with doctoral degrees to teach at universities under Appendix-46, and the reciprocal use of laboratory infrastructure will make important contributions both to enriching curricula and increasing research capacity.”

Cooperation on Internships Included in the Protocol

Gündoğan emphasized that another key focus area is the applied education model. In line with this understanding, he noted that instead of short internships of around 20 days, which no longer adequately meet current needs and have largely lost their function, new models based on program characteristics have been introduced — such as 3+1 or 2+2 models for associate degree programs and 7+1 or 6+2 models for undergraduate programs.

He added that the protocol formally establishes cooperation on internships between the parties and said: “Allowing our students to intern at TSE facilities will enable our young people to observe conformity assessment processes on site, experience real laboratory environments, and develop their professional skills at an early stage. After graduation, our students will be able to apply the experience they gain in this field within the sectors where they are employed.”

“All Stakeholders Are Ready to Provide Every Contribution”

He emphasized that the protocol signed with TSE is significant not only for universities but also for the competitiveness of many sectors, stating: “In particular, developing qualified human resources is one of our country’s most important needs. All stakeholders in our higher education system are fully aware of this responsibility and are ready to provide every possible contribution to ensure that our country becomes one of the leading nations in international standardization.”

TSE President Şahin: “We Are Bringing Together Universities’ Academic Capacity and TSE’s Institutional Experience Toward a Common Goal”

President of the TSE Board, Mahmut Sami Şahin, stated that the protocol brings together the academic capacity of universities and TSE’s institutional experience toward a shared goal. Emphasizing that standardization plays a critical role in quality, safety, and sustainability, Şahin noted that cooperation with universities will increase young people’s awareness of standards.

The signing ceremony held at TSE was attended by CoHE Deputy President Prof. Naci Gündoğan and TSE President Mahmut Sami Şahin, as well as Executive Board Members of the Council of Higher Education Prof. Erol Arcaklıoğlu and Prof. Hüseyin Karaman, several rectors, institute officials, academics, and university students interning at TSE.

Following the speeches, the protocol was signed by CoHE Deputy President Gündoğan and Turkish Standards Institution President Şahin.