ERU Quality and Strategy Development Coordination Office organized a workshop on the PDCA Cycle in University Quality and Strategy Processes.

ERU Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Cevdet Kırpık, Quality and Strategy Development Coordinator Prof. Dr. Mustafa Koçer, deans of faculties and academics attended the workshop held at the conference hall of the Faculty of Communication.

Delivering a speech at the opening of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Cevdet Kırpık thanked those who contributed to the organization of the event and said: “Today, we have come together to discuss a crucial topic that deals with quality and strategy processes in higher education. Quality and strategy management is one of the most fundamental elements that determine the success of universities. As a result of its efforts in this field, our university has managed to rank 8th among research universities in Türkiye. This success is an indication of the importance we attach to quality and our efforts for continuous improvement. The PDCA cycle is the cornerstone of these efforts and the key to sustainable success. I believe that we will gain perspectives that will enable us to further improve our quality and strategic management processes thanks to the valuable knowledge and experiences of the invited speaker.”

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Koçer underlined in his speech that ERU was entitled to receive full accreditation for five years in the institutional accreditation program. He said: “Erciyes University is a research university entitled to receive full accreditation for five years in the institutional accreditation program implemented by the Higher Education Quality Council and continues to rank at the top in Türkiye in the rankings organized by the world's most prestigious university organizations. For example, in the interdisciplinary science ranking organized by Times Higher Education for the first time this year, ERU ranks 120th among world universities and 3rd among state universities in the national ranking. In addition, it has been accredited by the authorized accreditation bodies at a rate of approximately 30% with 40 programs. With the changing structure of the Quality and Strategy Coordination Office, Erciyes university, which is in the process of transition to an integrated quality management system, accelerates its studies on quality, conducts activities to disseminate and internalize the quality culture and strives to increase accredited programs.”

Following the opening speeches, Prof. Dr. Begüm Yurdakök Dikmen, a faculty member at Ankara University, gave information to the participants about the PDCA cycle in the first part of the workshop. She said: “The PDCA cycle is a process that helps to solve a problem in a systematic way. It is a basic methodology. It is a process that can be applied not only in universities but in every sector. The aim is to improve the product or service by making small changes and evaluating the results by continuously testing these changes. We may encounter a problem and we may not even realize that there is a problem. Therefore, continuous improvement, adaptability and depending on data actually show why we should use the PDCA cycle. The planning phase is the most important phase. In fact, it is the stage where we spend the most time together. In the planning phase, what needs to be done should be planned. In other words, depending on the size of the project, it's the part that describes how all the inputs are analyzed to ensure there is no possibility of failure.”