Quality in Yıldız Technical University

Yildiz Technical University, founded in 1911 as Kondüktör Mekteb-i Âlisi/Conductors (Technicians) School of Higher Education to meet the need of the “Science Officer” of the Municipality Public Works Section, has achieved significant success both in our country and in the world and it owes its over 100 years old successful history to the importance it attributes to quality in education.

Quality in Foreign Language Preparatory Program

In 2018, YTU SFL, which has total quality awareness within the scope of continuous improvement studies of this education quality of our university, applied to Pearson Assured Organization, which has an international reputation in the field of English language education for accreditation.

As YTU SFL, our mission is to provide our students with a strong background in English both in writing and speaking, to help them acquire the basic academic study habits and skills required in their undergraduate and graduate education by providing them with critical thinking skills, and help them have the understanding of lifelong learning process in team or individual works, to take responsibility for their own learning processes, to lead them for effective use of information and communication technology tools for educational aims[1], to help them make moral decisions in their university and professional lives.

Within this mission, another responsibility that we regard as critical is to teach English to the technology leaders of future and entrepreneurs in the fields of science, technology, and social sciences and to pave the way for them to communicate with self-confidence throughout their education life and become responsible and confident individuals with the help of the knowledge and skills gained in our school after completing the preparatory education when they start their education in their departments. In this aspect, the aim of the language education program is to provide students with language skills and to educate them as productive individuals competitive at both national and international level and representing contemporary values in social sciences besides engineering, architecture and science education and reflecting their dynamism to these fields.

Why Accreditation?

Accreditation enables stakeholders  to focus on mission and vision, reinforces the transparency and commitment to the organization, and balances personal and institutional objectives. Apart from those, accreditation is a chance to see and assess opportunities, challenges and strengths. This is also reinforced by the self-evaluation process that has been performed by the institution.

Process and Accreditation

YTU SFL, with its competent and dynamic academic staff, provides languages training for approximately 3000 students in the Department of Basic English Compulsory English Preparatory Program and approximately 5500 students in the Department of Modern Languages every year. Improvement efforts initiated before accreditation has gained momentum in this process, and a detailed report was prepared for the Compulsory English Preparatory Program of the Department of Basic English with a very intensive effort. The main headings of the report, which consists of 40 criteria, are Management-Institutionalism, Education-Training, and Assessment-Evaluation. All these criteria have been examined by the established accreditation commission; the necessary review, changes, and arrangements have been made and the application report has been prepared.

In the final step of the process, a qualified quality auditor who was appointed by Pearson Assured Organization in December 2019 evaluated the Department of Basic English Compulsory English Preparatory Program of YTU SFL within the framework of the evidence presented in the application report. With the aim of evaluating the quality of the organization as a whole, Pearson Assured Organization quality auditor examined the competence and feasibility of the classes, the hardware, financial and personnel infrastructure of the program, student records, archives, and the adequacy and security of data storage and sharing systems and also held interviews with academic and administrative staff.

Following the assessment, the decision for accreditation was made at the Pearson Assured Organization's general assembly. According to this decision, the Department of Basic English Compulsory English Preparatory Program of YTU SFL has been notified that it meets the required international criteria and regarded as suitable for the accreditation. As one of the major language education institutions worldwide that have been accredited by the Pearson Assured Organization, YTU SFL keeps its efforts on continuous quality improvement as a part of the quality approach adopted by Yıldız Technical University. 

YTU SFL DIRECTORATE

For Pearson Assured Criteria, please click here.