BY YÖK, EUROPEAN VISA IS ISSUED TO 129 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS OF 39 UNIVERSITIES IN TURKEY
The undergraduate programs in the list in our department have been given the right to use the TQF and EQF Logos on their diplomas.
For the first time in Turkish higher education history, the qualifications of 129 undergraduate programs in 39 Turkish universities were placed in the Turkish Qualifications Framework (TQF) database by the Turkish Qualifications Framework Board. Thus, 129 undergraduate programs gained the right to have the Turkish Qualifications Framework (TQF) and European Qualifications Framework (EQF) logos on their diplomas. Students who graduate from these programs will have their diplomas recognized faster abroad, employment opportunities will increase, and horizontal and vertical student mobility will be facilitated.
- A first in Turkish Higher Education
According to the information obtained from YÖK, the TQF Board decided to place the qualifications of 129 undergraduate programs in 39 universities in TQF for the first time on 21 December 2021. The quality assurance of the learning outcomes of 129 higher education programs placed in TQF was approved by YÖKAK and presented to the Higher Education Council. As a result of the 129 diploma programs sent to the TQF Board with the decision of the Higher Education Council, they were registered in the TQF database with the approval of the TQF Board, and these programs were entitled to use the TQF and EQF logos in their diplomas.
- What kind of privileges will diplomas with TQF and EQF logo gain?
Graduates of 129 diploma programs in Turkey will have mutual recognition of their higher education and upper secondary education and internship qualifications and achievements of study periods abroad. The directive on the recognition of professional qualifications in the EU will enable the cross-border movement of professionals, enabling them to practice their profession or be employed abroad. In accordance with the Lisbon Treaty, it will allow the recognition of academic qualifications in Europe and outside of Europe.
- The structure of the TQF Board
The TQF Board consists of representatives of labor and employer unions, professional organizations and relevant non-governmental organizations, especially the Council of Higher Education and the Ministry of National Education, under the coordination of the Vocational Qualifications Authority (VQA) in order to carry out all relevant technical studies and ensure the quality assurance of qualifications. TQF refers to the national qualifications framework, which is designed to be compatible with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and shows all the qualifications gained through vocational, general and academic education and training programs and other learning paths, including primary, secondary and higher education.
- Which countries are included in the EQF?
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF), on the other hand, is defined as an eight-level, learning outcomes-based framework that functions as a kind of translation tool between different national qualifications frameworks for all types of qualifications. This framework aims to increase the transparency, comparability and portability of individuals' diplomas and certificates. It helps and enables the qualifications of different countries and institutions to be compared. Besides EU member states, 11 countries including Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway (European Economic Area countries), Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey (candidate countries), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (potential candidates) and Switzerland are members of the EQF. working towards its implementation. Diploma-granting programs, whose accreditation studies have been completed by the TQF Board, which have completed the process of harmonization with the EQF, are entered in the TQF Database and gain the right to use the TQF and the EQF logo.
