The 4th meeting of the Deans of Health Sciences Faculties was hosted by Karadeniz Technical University and Avrasya University. The meeting was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeliha Kocak Tufan from the executive committee of the Council of Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Sezer Sener Komsuoglu, consultant to the head of the Council of Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Suleyman Baykal, Rector of Karadeniz Technical University, Prof. Dr. Aşkın Asan, Rector of Avrasya University and Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sınav, Rector of SANKO University. The meeting was also attended by the deans and academicians of 41 Health Sciences Faculties, including the Dean of Health Sciences Faculty at the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Prof. Dr. Mehtap Malkoç.
During the opening speech of the meeting, president of the Health Sciences Faculties Deans Council (SABDEK) Prof. Dr. Sibel Aksu Yıldırım said “SABDEK is following the path we carved out in March 2015 with great determination and resolute. The number of Health Science Faculties which was 47 in 2015, has now reached 61. This increase shows that our most important goal, in other words increasing both the quality and the quantity of Health Sciences Faculties, is being met. Today, we come together to evaluate our work which took place over the course of a year.”
Meanwhile during her own speech Rector of Avrasya University Prof. Dr. Askin Asan stated that “SABDEK’s goals relating to communication, team work and the sharing of experiences between Health Sciences Faculties are materialising”. Prof. Dr. Suleyman Baykal, Rector of Karadeniz Technical University, stated that “The meeting will include debate on two important topics, the assurance of quality in higher education and the core of the educational program. We are no longer simply talking about quality we are now in the application stage.”
During the SABDEK meeting, Prof. Dr. Yildirim provided information about the work on Quality Assurance in Higher Education whilst head of the SABDEK Education Committee Prof. Dr. Sultan Tascı provided information about the Core Education Programme (CEP). After presentations from International CEP Coordinators, the CEP work was opened to discussion. At the end of the discussion the deans arrived at a consensus which led to the approval of the work. In addition, the work carried out regarding a committee on the minimum criteria for the continuation of education and graduation was presented to the deans. Under the umbrella of SABDEK, The Health Sciences Education Program Evaluation and Accreditation Association (SABAK) updated those attending on their work regarding the accreditation of Health Sciences Faculties and the measuring of general parameters.
With a decision made at the end of the meeting, the next SABDEK meeting will be held at the Eastern Mediterranean University on the 20th and 21st of October 2016.
