The quality-oriented initiatives carried out throughout 2024 at Bursa Uludağ University (BUU) were recognised at a comprehensive awards ceremony. Awards were presented in six different categories to faculties, vocational schools, administrative units, academics, administrative staff, and students.

Organised by the BUU Quality Coordination Office, the ceremony featured a total of 33 awards presented under the categories of Accreditation Award, Unit Quality Award, Student Satisfaction Survey Award, Alumni Engagement Award, Societal Contribution Award, and Quality Volunteer Award. The ceremony was attended by BUU Rector Prof. Dr. Ferudun Yılmaz, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. İrfan Kırıştıoğlu and Prof. Dr. Cafer Çiftci, as well as academic and administrative staff and a large number of students.

“QUALITY IS OUR GREATEST STRENGTH IN PURSUING OUR RESEARCH UNIVERSITY GOAL”

Speaking at the ceremony, Rector Prof. Dr. Ferudun Yılmaz emphasised the University’s determination to maintain and further strengthen its status as a “Research University,” noting that quality constitutes a decisive parameter in this process. He stated that academic performance cannot be reduced solely to quantitative indicators and stressed that an education and research culture reinforced through quality assurance processes ensures institutional continuity and sustainability.

Highlighting the increasingly competitive environment among universities, Rector Yılmaz noted that BUU had achieved significant momentum in programme accreditation and had reached the averages of its target peer groups. He further stated that these achievements represented an important source of institutional motivation and extended his appreciation to all volunteers and stakeholders who had contributed to the process.

“THE CULTURE OF QUALITY HAS PERMEATED ALL OUR UNITS”

Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İrfan Kırıştıoğlu described quality as a continuous journey of improvement and expressed his satisfaction that this awareness had been embraced by all units across BUU. He noted that it was particularly encouraging to observe the growing momentum of quality-related initiatives not only in the fields of natural and health sciences but also in the social sciences.

Although further progress was required in areas such as alumni engagement and societal contribution, Kırıştıoğlu underlined that the University’s level of institutional maturity was increasing steadily. Reminding participants that accreditation certificates are granted for limited periods, he emphasised the importance of maintaining institutional dynamism to ensure the sustainability of success. He also offered special thanks to the student quality volunteers and the Quality Coordination Office team.

“THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR SHARED VISION”

Quality Coordinator Lecturer Yasemin Özdemir stated that the quality assurance system established by BUU was not merely composed of forms and audits, but represented a dynamic and living institutional culture. She noted that the University’s inclusion among the distinguished institutions awarded five-year full institutional accreditation by the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (THEQC), together with the renewal of its ISO 9001:2015 certification, provided tangible evidence of this achievement.

Özdemir further stated that the University’s 29 accredited programmes and 25 Turkish Qualifications Framework labels demonstrated full alignment with international standards. Emphasising that these accomplishments were the outcome of disciplined and sustained efforts, she expressed her gratitude to the University administration and all stakeholders for their support and congratulated all award recipients.

Full List of Quality Award Recipients

Accreditation Award

Presented to departments and programmes that were accredited or whose accreditation was renewed in 2024:

• Graduate School of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Medicine – Department of Paediatric Surgery
• Faculty of Medicine – Department of General Surgery
• Faculty of Engineering – Department of Automotive Engineering
• Faculty of Arts and Sciences – Department of Archaeology
• Faculty of Education – Department of Turkish Language Teaching
• Faculty of Education – Department of Primary School Teaching
• Faculty of Education – Department of Early Childhood Education
• Faculty of Education – Department of Art Education
• Harmancık Vocational School – Culinary Arts Programme
• İznik Vocational School – Tourist Guiding Programme
• Mustafakemalpaşa Vocational School – Food Technology Programme
• Orhaneli Vocational School – Accounting and Tax Applications Programme
• Quality Coordination Office

Unit Quality Award

Presented following the evaluation of applications submitted by units on the basis of their 2024 Unit Internal Evaluation Reports, completed continuous improvement activities, and performance indicators included in the monitoring criteria of the Council of Higher Education and the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council:

• Faculty of Engineering
• İnegöl Vocational School
• Department of Library and Documentation

Student Satisfaction Survey Award

Presented on the basis of the results of the 2023 student satisfaction surveys:

• Graduate School of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
• Mennan Pasinli Equine Vocational School

Alumni Engagement Award

Presented following the evaluation of applications submitted by units on the basis of the number of registrations in alumni tracking systems and the activities, meetings, and other events organised with alumni throughout 2024:

• Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• İnegöl Vocational School

Societal Contribution Award

Presented following the evaluation of applications submitted by units for activities carried out in 2024 in accordance with the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council’s “Societal Contribution” criterion and in support of the University’s strategic objective of promoting societal contribution through social responsibility:

• Faculty of Theology
• Orhangazi Yeniköy Asil Çelik Vocational School
• Centre for Turkish States and Related Communities Studies and Research

Quality Volunteer Award

Presented following the evaluation of applications concerning individual contributions made to the University’s quality assurance processes throughout 2024:

• Prof. Dr. Gülşah Çeçener
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zuhal Şimşek
• Lecturer Dr. Buse Vatansever
• Emine Yılmaz
• Ayşe Öztürk
• Yusuf Yıldırım
• Azragül Duman