Participatory Bodies for Stakeholder Engagement

KADIR HAS UNIVERSITY Stakeholder Relations and Engagement Policy

Scope

This policy encompasses all stakeholder groups affiliated with KHAS and ensures their active participation in the institution’s development.

Internal Stakeholders:

• Students (undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral)
• Academic staff (faculty, researchers, lecturers)
• Administrative staff and university management

External Stakeholders:

• Alumni
• Industry partners, employers, and professional associations
• Suppliers
• Family of students
• Governmental institutions and regulatory bodies
• NGOs and civil society organizations
• Local communities and cultural institutions (including Rezan Has Museum collaborations)
• National and international partner universities and research institutions
• Funding agencies and accreditation organizations

Guiding Principles

1. Transparency and Accountability – Open communication channels with stakeholders and regular sharing of institutional performance data.
2. Inclusivity and Diversity – Equal opportunities for participation, reflecting cultural, gender, and social diversity.
3. Sustainability and SDGs – Engagement aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
4. Innovation and Digitalization – Use of digital platforms and tools to facilitate continuous dialogue and feedback.
5. Ethical Conduct – All stakeholder relations are guided by integrity, fairness, and respect for academic freedom.

Mechanisms of Engagement

• Advisory Boards and Councils: Faculty-level and university-wide boards composed of internal and external stakeholders to guide program development and strategic planning.
• Partnerships and Collaborations: Joint projects with industry, government, NGOs, and international universities to foster innovation and knowledge exchange.
• Community and Cultural Engagement: Initiatives involving local communities and cultural organizations to support social responsibility and cultural enrichment.
• Consultation and Feedback Tools: Surveys, workshops, forums, and digital platforms to ensure stakeholder feedback is integrated into decision-making.
• Internships and Career Services: Active engagement of employers and industry stakeholders to provide career opportunities and practical experience for students.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The implementation of this policy is monitored through KHAS’s internal quality assurance system. Engagement activities are evaluated regularly, and outcomes are reported transparently to stakeholders. Feedback loops ensure that stakeholder input is incorporated into institutional strategies and continuous improvement processes.

Continuous Improvement

This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated to reflect changes in higher education trends, stakeholder needs, and national and international standards.

Kadir Has University’s management processes are shaped through a participatory approach that values the opinions of its academic and administrative staff, students, alumni, and external stakeholders to identify areas for improvement. The 2020-2024 Strategic Plan, created with broad participation in meetings and via online feedback, contributed to the university’s advancement by more clearly defining its development needs.

INVOLVEMENT OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS

A significant step in stakeholder engagement in 2024 was the creation of the Student Assembly, which included representatives from every department, class, the Preparatory School, and student dormitories. The first Assembly members were elected by their respective departments. The Assembly’s Executive Board then held regular meetings with the Rector, Vice-Rectors, and Deans. Subsequently, a faculty visit organized by the Vice Rector responsible for Education led to the suggestion of several improvements.

• Course evaluation surveys: Improvements to the structure, implementation methods, and participation rates of these surveys were emphasized.
• Educational and academic processes: Discussions focused on the effective utilization of the KHAS Learn platform, the timely dissemination of course syllabi, and enhancing faculty accessibility for consultation and feedback.
• Student satisfaction: Suggestions for improvement included upgrading classroom technical infrastructure, increasing the availability of free elective courses, providing more flexible course schedules, and implementing strategies to encourage student attendance.
• Administrative and managerial arrangements: The agenda included promoting more active participation of deans’ offices and departments in the educational process, updating the Bologna process framework, and ensuring the accessibility of university web pages.
• Short-term actions: Concrete steps were planned, such as informing students about the significance of surveys, holding dedicated meetings with advisors, and revising the course evaluation system.

The University actively uses its Service Improvement System to assess both academic and administrative operations. Through this system, academic staff, administrators, and students can offer feedback on teaching and research, leading to the implementation of identified improvements in the following academic year. Furthermore, collaborative teaching and research self-assessment systems, managed at the departmental level, support the institution’s commitment to academic excellence.

University-industry cooperation is a key priority of the KHAS education model, achieved through the PTE approach. This model actively involves stakeholders in defining and implementing course content, with industry professionals and academics playing a significant role in developing student skills. PTE programs allow students to apply their theoretical understanding through teamwork on projects initiated by the industry. Furthermore, the University’s agreements with prominent organizations offer students valuable long-term internship opportunities.

Recognizing the importance of student perspectives within its governance structure, the University facilitates an annual dialogue between the Rector and students participating in the Core Program and Project-Based Education. The feedback gathered during these engagements is then communicated to process management mechanisms such as the Senate, the University Executive Board, and the Academic Council, providing a valuable foundation for improving the effectiveness of the student academic experience.

The University fosters its development through strong communication with alumni. Alumni satisfaction is tracked via exit surveys and annual alumni surveys, while Rector-Alumni and Dean-Alumni meetings are held to gather their feedback. Since 2021, the Graduate School has also actively engaged alumni through meetings organized by the program. This continuous engagement not only strengthens alumni connections with the University but also ensures their valuable contributions to its progress.

The University’s commitment to transparent and participatory governance is manifested in its provision for student representation and involvement. Students actively contribute to administrative processes through their representatives in bodies such as the Student Assembly, the Union of Clubs, the Education Commission, the Quality Commission, and the Accessibility Commission of KHAS. Moreover, the University has implemented measures to augment student participation in these processes, including the expansion of Student Assembly election procedures. The parameters of student representation are formally established by a policy governing faculty, institute, school, and university committees.

The KHAS Buddy Learning Program guides incoming freshmen through peer support, where experienced students share their knowledge and experiences. Additionally, the Vice Rector for Education coordinates focus group meetings with academic staff and students, and the resulting feedback is shared with the management.

The University organizes events that bring together academics, industry professionals, and students to increase external stakeholder participation and encourage information sharing. Announcements on digital platforms further enhance this involvement. Additionally, effectively functioning student clubs make a significant contribution to the academic and professional development of students.

The University holds annual meetings with the Club Association to assess club operations and gather ideas for improvement, aiming to increase the effectiveness of student clubs. By better leveraging feedback from internal and external stakeholders, the Career Office has enhanced career planning processes for students. Collaboration with public and private sector entities has yielded more career opportunities for students, leading to increased participation in national internship programs. Since 2024, increased collaboration with reputable companies has provided students with improved career prospects and facilitated connections with 25 new companies through organized events.

The Board of Trustees and Faculty Advisory Boards form the cornerstone of Kadir Has University’s participatory stakeholder engagement and strategic guidance structure.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Kadir Has University operates under a Board of Trustees that holds the fiduciary responsibility for the oversight and management of the university’s endowment and related assets. The Board is entrusted with ensuring that all funds are managed in the best interests of the university and its stakeholders.

The Board may evaluate the foundation’s assets across a range of investment options and utilize the services of various institutional managers in overseeing the foundation’s portfolio. Alternatively, it may choose to work with a single institutional manager under a unified account structure or assume full responsibility for managing the assets directly.

Regardless of the chosen structure, the Board of Trustees retains ultimate fiduciary responsibility for all investment and financial decisions of the foundation. By design, the Board is composed primarily of external stakeholders, ensuring transparency, accountability, and the alignment of financial governance with the university’s long-term mission and sustainability goals.

KHAS QUALITY AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

The Kadir Has University Quality and Strategy Development Commission is a committee responsible for integrating all quality assurance processes into the institutional structure and ensuring their continuous improvement.

The Commission plays an active role in the University’s decision-making processes, ensuring that all strategic and operational decisions are aligned with the principles of quality assurance and continuous development.

It oversees the implementation of quality assurance processes within the framework determined by the Academic Council, in line with the University’s strategic plan and objectives. These processes include the evaluation and enhancement of the quality of education and training, research activities, and administrative services; the establishment of internal and external quality assurance systems; the identification of institutional indicators; the monitoring of the quality system; and the execution of studies in accordance with the procedures and principles set by the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK).

The Commission is also tasked with strengthening the University’s quality management system, coordinating internal evaluation processes, and submitting the resulting reports and recommendations for approval by the University Senate.

ADVISORY BOARDS

The presence of advisory boards and the corresponding regulations governing their roles and functions are explicitly articulated in the Directive on Quality Assurance. Within the organizational framework of Kadir Has University, advisory boards are integral components that play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality and efficacy of its academic, research, administrative undertakings, and decision-making processes. Across the spectrum of the university’s academic units, including faculties, departments, programs, and research centers, advisory boards have been strategically established.

 Advisory boards serve as integral components of Kadir Has University’s commitment to quality assurance and excellence in its academic, research, and administrative endeavors. Their presence is a testament to the university’s dedication to promoting a student-centric, research-driven, and forward-looking environment, where the insights and recommendations of advisory board members significantly contribute to the university’s continuous improvement and pursuit of excellence. Furthermore, the existence of advisory boards at Kadir Has University underscores the institution’s commitment to fostering an atmosphere of collaboration, transparency, and accountability.

MIS Department – Industry Advisory Board / CyberMACS Program Industry Advisory Board

CyberMACS Industry Advisory Board

University Technopark and Industry Collaboration

Kadir Has University operates its own Technopark, which hosts a diverse range of technology-oriented and innovation-driven companies. These firms are not only key contributors to the regional innovation ecosystem but are also considered active stakeholders in the University’s decision-making and strategic development processes.
Their feedback, expertise, and collaborative projects play a significant role in shaping applied research, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer activities at the University.

Below is a list of the companies currently located within the Technopark, along with the titles of their ongoing or completed projects:

KHAS PROJECT-BASED EDUCATION MODEL

In Kadir Has University, relations with local stakeholders and professional representatives are also provided and sustained through the KHAS Project-Based Education Model. 

In Project-Based Education, all academic subjects are covered in modules tailored to a specific project. Starting from the second semester of the lesson plan, it is ensured that the student undertakes at least two projects each semester, questions the formation required to reach the goal in these projects, and acquires it with the subjects to be learned in that semester.

For each project, the student has an academic mentor and a mentor who collaborates with key industry representatives. Industrial stakeholders of the program play an active role in defining, executing, evaluating, and grading these projects.

As part of this educational model, industrial (external) stakeholders provide students with long-term internship opportunities in their work areas, production facilities, and R&D laboratories.

How Was It Prepared?

We developed the Project-Based Education curriculum, which we implemented within the KHAS Education Model. This curriculum primarily focuses on career education in the 2nd semester, in collaboration with representatives from various sectors, particularly their R&D departments.

In KHAS Education Model, we have identified the academic and professional competencies that our students should have in cooperation with the industry and developed a model that is unique in Turkey and an example for the world: A model in which all professional competencies are transferred to students through the projects we have developed with our leading business partners in the sector.

Our students, who begin their education within the scope of the Core Program in the first semester, acquire all the theoretical knowledge and practical skills they need through the Project-Based Education Model, which is integrated into project development and implementation processes starting from the second semester.

Our mentors & sectoral business partners: https://em.khas.edu.tr/en/mentorlar-sektorel-is-ortaklarimiz/ 

Please find below the list of some of the mentors who contributed to the decision-making processes at our university.

FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

YÖKAK EVALUATION PROCESSES

Kadir Has University actively involves its stakeholders in institutional decision-making processes. In May 2025, as part of the External Evaluation conducted by the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK), external reviewers, university representatives, and stakeholders came together at our campus and exchanged valuable feedback on our quality assurance and governance practices.

As a result of this comprehensive evaluation, Kadir Has University successfully advanced from a two-year conditional accreditation to a full five-year institutional accreditation, reflecting our strong commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in higher education.

The list of external evaluators who participated in the 2024-2025 YÖKAK evaluation visit is provided below.