Elected Representation

The Senate
Our University Senate is composed of 17 distinguished members, including the Rector, Vice Rectors, Deans, Institute and School Directors, elected Faculty Senators, and the General Secretary serving as Rapporteur. The Senate plays a central role in shaping the academic, administrative, and strategic direction of the University.

The University Executive Board
Our University Executive Board is composed of 10 esteemed members, including the Rector, Deans, academic representatives, and the General Secretary serving as Rapporteur. The Board is responsible for implementing the decisions of the Senate, ensuring the effective administration of academic and administrative affairs, and guiding the University’s strategic and operational activities.

The Academic Council
Our University’s Academic Council consists of 13 distinguished academic and administrative leaders, including the Rector, Vice Rectors, Deans, Directors, and Department Heads. The team plays a vital role in shaping institutional policies, overseeing academic excellence, and driving the strategic vision of Kadir Has University.

STUDENT COUNCIL

University life represents a pivotal phase in our educational journey, distinct from the structured environment of our previous academic experiences. To make it count, students should engage purposefully with a wide range of opportunities and activities.

At the core of enhancing the quality of university life is the University Student Council, the official student representative body of our institution. The Council is a dynamic, student-driven organization dedicated to improving the university experience for all students. One of the primary functions of the University Student Council is to provide unwavering support to the student body. It serves as a bridge between students and the university administration, advocating consistently for student needs and concerns. Whether the focus is on resolving academic issues, upgrading campus facilities and services, or safeguarding the overall welfare of the student community, the Council works to ensure that students’ voices are heard, that feedback informs decisions, and that concerns are addressed with clear, timely, and accountable action.

Moreover, the Council is a driving force for creativity and innovation on campus. It continually designs, pilots, and delivers a wide array of initiatives that enrich the university’s academic and co-curricular landscape. These efforts range from evidence-based academic projects that enhance teaching and learning to forward-looking social and community engagement programs that cultivate leadership, civic responsibility, and professional growth. Through this sustained work, the Council expands opportunities for students to experiment, collaborate, and turn ideas into real impact.

Beyond the academic realm, the University Student Council plays a crucial role in nurturing a vibrant and inclusive campus culture. By organizing a diverse array of social and cultural activities, the Council strives to make university life distinctive and memorable. These activities, ranging from cultural festivals to sports events and community service initiatives, encourage student participation and collaboration. They not only serve as a platform for students to showcase their talents and interests but also foster a sense of unity and belonging within the university community.

The Kadir Has University Student Council is composed of representatives from the English Preparatory School, the Core Curriculum Program, and the Faculties. The Student Council Executive Board consists of a total of 7 representatives: one from each Faculty, one from the Preparatory School, and one from the Core Curriculum Program.

The Executive Board holds regular monthly meetings with the Rector, the Vice Rector for Education, and the Dean of Students. These meetings aim to ensure that the concerns and suggestions raised by our students are communicated to the university administration in a more systematic, effective, and inclusive manner, and that the discussed issues are followed up efficiently.

Kadir Has University is committed to fostering a dynamic and inclusive educational environment that values the active participation and engagement of its student body. This commitment is exemplified in the “KADIR HAS UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS FOR THE REPRESENTATION OF STUDENTS IN FACULTIES, INSTITUTES, VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, AND UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES.”

These regulations demonstrate the university’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and meaningful student representation in decision-making at every level. They set out a structure that guarantees students a voice and the ability to shape policies, programs, and activities that directly influence their studies and overall campus experience.

One of the fundamental aspects of these regulations is the formal representation of students in various university entities, including faculties, institutes, vocational schools, and university committees. Students are provided with the means to elect their representatives, who, in turn, serve as a vital link between the student body and the university’s administrative and academic structures.

By ensuring student representatives sit on these decision-making bodies, the regulations bring student perspectives, concerns, and priorities into discussions on curriculum design, academic policy, and broader institutional affairs. This democratic model fosters open dialogue between students and university leaders, leading to a more responsive, student-centered academic environment.

Additionally, these regulations help maintain accountability and fairness in university governance by specifying the processes for the selection, responsibilities, and terms of student representatives. This clarity and structure ensure that student voices are heard consistently and their roles within the university are well-defined.

Students in Decision-Making Processes

One of the most significant developments in stakeholder engagement in 2024 was the establishment of the Student Assembly, which includes representatives from all departments and class levels, as well as from the Preparatory School and student dormitories.

Formed for the first time, the Student Assembly’s members were elected through departmental elections. The Executive Board of the Student Assembly held regular meetings with the Rector, Vice Rectors, and Deans.

As a result of faculty visits organized by the Vice Rector for Education, several improvement actions were proposed, and a detailed report was shared as supporting evidence.

The Student Council consists of below members:

Student Clubs Activities

Kadir Has University actively enriches both its campus life and the wider local arts and cultural scene through the diverse activities of its student clubs. These clubs organize more than 20 public events and performances each year, creating meaningful opportunities for students to engage with the community while promoting creativity, cultural awareness, and social responsibility.

Below is the list of student clubs at Kadir Has University and the SDGs they actively support through their events, projects, and community-based initiatives.

Please find below the related regulation.

KADIR HAS UNIVERSITY

REGULATIONS FOR THE REPRESENTATION OF STUDENTS IN FACULTIES, INSTITUTES, VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES

SECTION I

Aim, Content, Legal Foundations and Definitions

Aim

Article 1- This regulation sets forth the guidelines for the establishment, responsibilities, rules and regulations and working principles of Higher Education Institutions’ Student Representative Committees that aim to ensure the protection and improvement of students’ rights regarding education, health, sports and culture and convey the expectations and requests of students through efficient communication between them and higher education institutions’ administrative units, as well as ensuring their participation in decision-making concerning education.

Content

Article 2- This regulation includes articles concerning the establishment, rules, responsibilities, and working principles of a Student Council which shall be entrusted with the authority to represent students of associate, undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Legal Foundations

Article 3- This regulation has been prepared in accordance with the Regulation for Student Councils in Institutes of Higher Education and National Student Councils in Institutes of Higher Education which is based on Article 7 and Article 65 of Higher Education Law 2547.

Definitions

Article 4- In this regulation:

1. Student Council shall mean a student collective based on democratic principles that has been established by students and is comprised of students;
2. (Amended: Senate 24.04.2019 – 2019/04) The Section/Program/Department Student Representative: It refers to the student that is selected by the students of each section/program/department under the Kadir Has University faculty, college, vocational high school or institute among themselves to represent the students of their section, program or department in the Student Council.
3. (Amended: Senate 24.04.2019 – 2019/04) The Section/Program/Department Student Representatives Board: It refers to the board that is comprised of student representatives of the sections/programs/departments under the Kadir Has University faculty, college, vocational high school or institute.
4. (Amended: Senate 24.04.2019 – 2019/04) Faculty/College/Vocational                High School/Institute Student Representative: It refers to the student that is selected by the student representatives of the sections, programs or departments under the Kadir Has University faculty, college, vocational high school or institute among themselves to represent the students of their faculty, college, vocational high school or institute in the Student Council.
5. A Student Council General Committee shall mean a committee comprised of the representatives of faculties, vocational schools or institutes;
6. A Student Council Assembly shall mean a general committee meeting of the Student Council held with representatives of faculties, schools, conservatory, vocational schools and institutes of Kadir Has University;
7. A Student Council Assembly Board shall mean a board which is selected by the Student Council General Committee charged with the responsibility of ensuring that articles on the agenda are implemented according to the principles of this regulation;
8. A Student Council Executive Board shall mean the managing body of the Kadir Has University Student Council;
9. A Student Council Superintending Committee shall mean the body which superintends the Kadir Has University Student Council; and,
10. A Head of the Student Council shall mean the head of the Kadir Has University Student Council and Student Council Executive Board.

The definitions stipulated in Article 3 of Law 2547 shall be deemed valid for this regulation unless otherwise indicated.

SECTION II

Student Council

PART I

General Provisions

General principles about the election of student representatives

Article 5- Elections for Student Council members and boards shall be held by the Rectorate with a timeframe and program determined by the Council of Higher Education. If an election does not result in the nomination of a candidate for a unit, then that unit will not have a representative. Students who wish to run as candidate representatives must announce their intention to run at least one week prior to elections, and they shall be permitted to campaign until the end of the work day prior to the election date.

Eligibility criteria for student representatives Article 6- Student representative candidates:

1. Must be a registered student of the related faculty, school, vocational school or the institute;
2. Must not be a member of, or have connections with, a political party;
3. Must never have been subject to disciplinary punishment, and must have a clean police record;
4. Must be properly registered at the university for the semester in which elections are to be held;

1. Must not have failed more than two courses in previous semesters;
2. Must have at least a 2.00 GPA;
3. Must not have exceeded the requisite period for completing the educational program she/he is enrolled in.

PART II
Student council boards

Article 7- Student council boards consist of a department/program student representative, department/program committee, representative of a faculty/vocational school/institute, student council general committee, student council assembly, student council assembly board, student council executive board, student council superintending committee and head of the student council.

PART III
Department/program Student Representative

Election of student representatives

Article 8- Department/program student representatives shall be students registered in, and shall be elected by students from:

1. Each department of all faculties or schools;
2. Each department of vocational school programs; and,
3. (Amended: Senate 24.04.2019 – 2019/04) The section/program/department student representative is selected once by the students of each department under the institute among themselves and for two years with the simple majority of the participants.

Representatives must win the majority of votes for a given election and shall be elected for a single term lasting two years.

In the case that a department/program student representative fails to meet the eligibility criteria or leaves the position before completion of the required period, another representative shall be selected from the related department, program or science department to serve for the remainder of that term.

Student representative duties

Article 9- Department/program student representatives shall be entrusted with the following duties:

1. To carry out student council activities for their departments, programs or science institutes;
2. To announce student council board decisions to the department represented and oversee their implementation;
3. (Amended: Senate 04.2019 – 2019/04) To attend the Student Representative Board meetings of the sections, programs or departments under the faculty, college, vocational high school/institute and to represent the students of their own sections, programs or departments in these meetings.
4. To identify students’ problems in the departments, programs or science institutes that they represent, and notify the student council and the university’s related                                                                                 boards     regarding potential solutions for these problems;
5. To represent students in their departments, programs, or science departments when student events and activities are held;
6. To improve communications between students in the departments, programs, or science institutes which they represent and the administrative boards of these units;
7. To coordinate the events and activities of students in the department, program, or science institutes that they represent; and,
8. To participate in the academic meetings of her/his department, program, or science institute when there are issues which concern students.

PART IV
Department/Program Student Representative Committees

Article 10- A department/program committee shall consist of student representatives from:

1. Departments at faculties or schools;
2. Programs at vocational schools; and,
3. (Amended: Senate 04.2019 – 2019/04) It is comprised of the student representatives of the departments under the institute and it carries out the Student Council’s works in the University’s relevant academic units. It is accountable to the Section/Program/Department Student Representatives Board as well as the Student Council General Assembly and Board.

The department/program committee shall carry out student council work for academic units in the university. These committees shall be under the supervision of the student council general committee and student council executive board.

The department/program committee shall hold their first meeting under the leadership of the student representative of the related faculty/school/vocational school or institute within one week following the finalization of elections. The committee shall meet at least once per month. The agenda, place and date of meetings shall be announced by the head of the committee at least one week in advance to student representatives. The majority of representing members must be present for the committee to convene and a majority of votes must be raised for the committee to come to a decision. In case of a tie, the chair shall cast the deciding vote.

Duties of the student council

Article 11- The duties of the student council shall be as follows:

1. To carry out work and oversee the implementation of student council decisions by representatives in their units;
2. To discuss and arrive at decisions concerning the problems of departments, programs, and science institutes;
3. (Amended: Senate 04.2019 – 2019/04) To create and coordinate common student events in their faculty/college/vocational high school and institute.
4. To implement projects with the aim of improving communications among the students in their departments, programs, and science departments;
5. To implement projects with the aim of improving communications

between the students of departments, programs, and science departments and the administrative boards of related units; and,

1. To prepare reports and maintain a database about projects

PART V
Representatives of Faculties/Schools/ Vocational Schools/Institutes

Student representatives

Article 12- Faculty/school/vocational school/institute student representatives shall be students registered in, and shall be elected by students from:

1. Departments of faculties and schools;
2. Programs of vocational schools; and,
3. (Amended: Senate 24.04.2019–2019/04) The faculty/college/vocational high school/institute student representative is selected by the student representatives of the departments under the institute, among themselves and for two years with the simple majority of the participants. In the faculty/college/vocational high school or institute which has only one section/program/department, the existing Section/Program/Department Student Representative acts as the representative of the relevant faculty/college/vocational high school or institute.

In the case that a faculty/school/vocational school/institute student representative fails to meet the eligibility criteria or leaves the position before completion of the required period, within one month another representative shall be selected from the related faculty/school/vocational school/institute to serve for the remainder of that term. Until a new representative has been elected, the committee of the department/program/science institute shall select one of its members to serve in this position.

Duties of student representatives

Article 13- The duties of the student representative of faculties/schools/vocational schools/institutes shall be as follows:

1. To carry out student council activities for the faculties/schools/vocational schools/institutes that they represent;
2. To announce student council board decisions to the faculties/schools/ vocational schools/institutes that they represent and oversee the implementation of such decisions;
3. To identify students’ problems in the faculties/schools/vocational schools/institutes that they represent, and notify the student council and the university’s related boards regarding potential solutions for these problems;
4. To represent students in their faculties/schools/vocational schools/institutes when student events and activities are held;
5. To coordinate student events and activities in the faculties/schools/vocational schools/institutes that they represent;
6. To lead student representative meetings of the faculty/program/science department in the faculty/school/vocational school/institute that they represent and to notify the related boards about decisions which have been made; and,
7. To participate in the board meetings and the academic meetings of the faculties/school/vocational schools/institutes that they represent whenever issues concerning students arise.

PART VI
Student Council General Committee

Article 14- (Amended: Senate 24.04.2019 – 2019/04) Student Council General Assembly is comprised of the student representatives of the faculty, college, vocational high school and institute, and is the highest decision making body in the Student Council. The student council general committee shall meet at least once a year under the title of Kadir Has University Student Council Assembly and form student council boards. The majority of the members must be present for the student council general committee to convene. The student council assembly and its agenda shall be announced in writing by the head of the student council at least fifteen days in advance. In the case that the number of members stipulated by this regulation is not met, the announcement shall be repeated in the same manner. Decisions concerning the drawing up of boards in the student council general committee shall be made with the majority of participants in a meeting via a confidential vote and public counting; any other decisions which are reached through an open majority vote shall be presented to the Rectorate in the form of a report. The student council general committee may convene for a special session upon the decision of the student council executive board or via a written request of one-fourth of the general committee members. In such cases, the general committee meeting must be held within a maximum of fifteen days. The meetings and the agenda of special sessions of the general committee shall be specified and executed by the student council executive board.

Duties of the student council

Article 15- The duties of the student council shall be as follows:

1. Electing the head of the student council;
2. Electing members of the student council executive board;
3. Electing members of the student council superintending committee;
4. Discussing and making decisions regarding problems pertaining to the student council as well as problems which students are experiencing; and,
5. Determining the semester objectives of the Student

PART VII
Student Council Assembly Board

Article 16- The Student Council Assembly Board consists of a chair and two vice-chairs elected from within the ranks of, and by a majority vote of, the Student Council General Committee in the Student Council election which meets under the title of Student Council Assembly with a timeframe and program determined by the Council of Higher Education. Members of the Council Assembly Board may not be candidates for the Student Council Executive Board or Student Council Supervisory Committee.

Duties of the Student Council Assembly Board

Article 17- The duties of the student council assembly board shall be as follows:

1. To carry out items on the agenda in the student council assembly;
2. To prepare separate voting tickets for candidates running for head of the student council and for membership in the student council executive board and student council superintending committee;
3. To ensure that elections for the positions of head of the student council, student council executive board and student council superintending committee are conducted via confidential voting and counted in an public manner; and,
4. To announce the results of elections for the positions of head of the student council, student council executive board and student council superintending committee in the student council assembly. Also, to finalize the assembly with a speech delivered by the newly elected head of the student council and prepare a concluding report which shall be then presented to the rector.

PART VIII
Student Council Executive Board

Article 18- The student council executive board shall consist of nine students: a chair, vice chair, secretary, accountant, public relations officer, IT officer, external relations officer, work group coordinator, education officer, and a health, sports and culture officer, all of whom shall be elected by, and be recruited from, student council general committee members. Candidates must receive a majority of votes to be elected and are to serve for two years. In the case that there are not enough representatives on the student council general committee, then the board shall be comprised of five students: head, secretary, accountant, education officer, and health, sports and culture officer. The student council executive board shall operate under the supervision of the student council general committee.

The student council executive board shall meet at least once per month under the supervision of the head of the student council executive board. The agenda, place and date of the meeting shall be announced at least one week in advance to the members of the executive board. The majority of the board must be present for the board to convene, and for any decisions to be made, a majority of votes must be obtained. In the case that the head does not attend the meeting, the vice head will preside, and in the case the vice head does not attend, a member selected by the head shall serve on her or his behalf as the head and shall have the right to vote. In case of a tie, the chair, or representative thereof, shall cast the deciding vote.

Duties of the Student Council Executive Board

Article 19- The duties of the student council executive board shall be as follows:

1. To ensure that decisions made by the student council general committee are implemented;
2. To identify students’ problems and notify the concerned administrative boards about their opinions and comments;
3. In collaboration with NGOs, to develop projects which support the raising of social awareness and to motivate students to participate in these projects;
4. To carry out work which encourages students to participate in domestic and international education and youth programs;
5. To develop and improve relations with domestic and international student organizations;
6. To create teams who will be charged with developing ideas about campus dining facilities, transportation, accommodation, cafeterias, clubs, scholarships, education, art, culture and sports, and to ensure that these teams function properly;
7. To notify the student council general committee about the work they have completed;
8. To announce and oversee the implementation of decisions which have been made by the National Student Council; and,
9. To generate reports about work that has been undertaken and to maintain databases for these reports.

PART IX
Student Council Superintending Committee

Article 20- The student council superintending committee shall be selected by the student council general committee from among members of the student council executive board whose tenure is nearing completion and who will graduate in at least two more years. In the case that there are not enough executive board members from which to choose, under the same conditions stipulated in the previous sentence members shall be selected from the general committee with a majority vote and shall serve for one year. The student council superintending committee shall consist of a chair and two members.

Duties of the Student Council Superintending Committee

Article 21- The duties of the Student Council Superintending Committee shall be as follows:

1. To ensure that the student council executive board operates in accordance with the articles stipulated in this regulation and in accordance with the decisions made by the student council general committee.

PART X
Head of the Student Council

Article 22- The head of the student council shall be elected via a majority vote held by the student council general committee. The head shall serve for one term which shall last two years. In the case that the head of the council fails to fulfill the eligibility criteria or leaves the position before completion of the term, within one month a new head shall be elected through a majority vote and the new head shall serve for the remaining period. Until a new head is appointed, a member of the student council executive board selected by the other members shall serve as deputy head.

Duties of the Head of the Student Council

Article 23 – The duties of the head of the student council shall be as follows:

1. To represent students in domestic and international student events and activities;
2. To serve as meeting leader and generate the agendas of student council executive board meetings;
3. To ensure that decisions made by the student council executive board are announced and to oversee the implementation of student council executive board decisions;
4. At the end of the term, as head of the student council, to present a one-year activity report to the student council executive board; and,
5. To participate in senate and board meetings when issues pertaining to students are on the agenda.

In the case that the head cannot attend a meeting, the vice head or a board member selected by the head may participate in senate or board meetings.

SECTION III
Other regulations

Covering the expenses of students working for the student council

Article 24- The expenses of the heads of the boards of the Student Council and other student representatives which are not international in nature shall be covered within the framework of the stipulations in this regulation, and expenses deemed to be within the budget for international endeavors shall be covered by Kadir Has University. Travel expenses and expenses for participation in events shall be covered by the university’s respective budgets.

Administration and Finance

Article 25- The student council executive board shall operate under the supervision of the vice rector. The vice rector appointed for this position shall be the budget supervisor for the student council executive board. Accounting shall be carried out by the accountant or assessor appointed by the Finance Office.

The student council executive board shall prepare the annual budget. After acceptance by the student council, it shall be implemented pending approval of the Health, Culture and Sports Office and the approval of the appointed vice rector. At the end of the working year, the board shall present the end-of-term budget first to the student council, and then to the Health, Culture and Sports Office and aforementioned vice rector.

The head of the student council bears the authority to spend budget funds. Spending shall be done solely for the purposes indicated in the budget and within the limits of the budget. The signature of the head and general secretary is required for each expenditure and transaction. For expenditures which exceed the amount stipulated yearly by the university board, the signatures of the head, general secretary and vice head must be obtained with the prior approval of the vice rector. Persons responsible for abuse of the budget shall be subject to financial and criminal legal procedures.

Funds of any kind may not be requested from students under the pretense of member fees or any other kind of fee.

Budget

Article 26- Funding for the student council shall be granted by the Rectorate from the university budget.

Coordination and Implementation of the Student Council Work

Article 27- The student council must coordinate all work with the university and obtain the approval of related committees and offices, and must abide by the principles of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey and all other relevant regulations.

Length of Term for Representatives and Other Board Positions Article 28- The duration of all posts in the student council shall be two years.

Termination of Posts for Student Representatives

Article 29- The position held, membership rights and all related duties of student representatives will be terminated if such students are no longer registered at the university for the reason of graduation or other causes, and this applies as well to students who are suspended or expelled from the university per the legislation stipulated in the Higher Education Student Disciplinary Regulations which was published in the Official Gazette, number 18634 (13/1/1985).

Procurement of Room and Equipment for the Student Council

Article 30- A room and necessary equipment shall be appropriated for the student council for the purpose of executing the responsibilities and duties stated in this regulation.

Enactment

Article 31- This regulation is now in force, having been approved by the Kadir Has University Senate at the Senate meeting held on September 6, 2011, numbered 2011/11.

Instatement of Regulation

Article 32 – This regulation is hereby instated by the Kadir Has University Rectorate.

To summarize our Regulations for the Representation of Students in Faculties, Institutes, Vocational Schools and University Committees:

This regulation outlines the establishment, responsibilities, rules, and regulations of Student Representative Committees in Higher Education Institutions. The aim is to protect and improve students’ rights in education, health, sports, and culture. The regulation outlines the establishment, rules, responsibilities, and working principles of a Student Council, which represents students of associate, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. The Student Council is a democratic student collective, consisting of students from various sections of the university. Elections for Student Council members and boards are held by the Rectorate, with eligibility criteria including being a registered student, not a political party member, and having a clean police record. Student council boards consist of various committees and heads.

The regulation also outlines the election of student representatives in various departments and programs within a university. These representatives are students registered in each department and elected for two years with a simple majority of participants. They are responsible for carrying out student council activities, announcing board decisions, attending meetings, identifying student problems, representing students during events, improving communication, coordinating events, and participating in academic meetings. A department/program committee is also formed, consisting of student representatives from various departments and responsible for implementing student council decisions. The committees meet monthly and are accountable to the student council.

The Student Council General Committee at Kadir Has University is responsible for forming student council boards. It consists of student representatives from various departments, including faculties, schools, and vocational schools. The committee’s duties include carrying out student council activities, announcing board decisions, identifying student problems, representing students in events, coordinating activities, leading meetings, and participating in board meetings. The committee also elects the head, executive board, superintending committee, discusses and makes decisions on council issues, and determines the semester objectives. The Student Council Assembly Board consists of a chair and two vice-chairs, elected by the Student Council General Committee in the election.

The Student Council Assembly Board, Student Council Executive Board, and Student Council Superintending Committee are responsible for various aspects of the student council. The Assembly Board carries out agenda items, prepares voting tickets for candidates, ensures elections are conducted confidentially, and announces results. The Executive Board consists of nine students, elected by the student council general committee members. The Board meets monthly, identifies students’ problems, collaborates with NGOs, encourages participation in education and youth programs, and creates teams for campus facilities and activities. The Superintending Committee is selected by the general committee and serves for one year.

The Student Council Superintending Committee is responsible for ensuring the student council executive board operates in accordance with the regulations and decisions made by the general committee. The head of the council is elected through a majority vote and serves for two years. The head represents students in events and activities, serves as meeting leader, and oversees the implementation of decisions. They must present a one-year activity report and participate in senate and board meetings. The student council executive board operates under the supervision of the vice rector, who is responsible for budget supervision. Funding for the student council is granted by the Rectorate from the university budget. The student council must coordinate with the university and abide by the principles of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey.