Dear Program Coordinators,

As you know, we are going through a difficult process due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We are faced with negative effects in many aspects such as education, transportation, communication and economy, with especially in health. It is our greatest wish to have a good days in a healthy and undamaged state from the current situation. Due to the process exposed by the COVID-19 epidemic, we update the accreditation calendar and share it with you so that you can complete your preparations. Possible new updates can be made according to the developments.

In this process, a new period started with distance education for the spring term, and while many universities were able to adapt to this period with their infrastructure support, some universities needed special infrastructure studies. Ultimately, there is information sharing that the lessons continue by continuing with the distance education infrastructure as much as possible.

The important thing in the accreditation process is to ensure that the education provided with all applications reaches its purpose. The programs that applied to our association for accreditation were considering their preparations in this context and continued with the assessment-evaluation methods they established in order to reach the purpose, competence and outputs. It is clear that studies now need to change direction somewhat due to the unexpected epidemic. Although all the studies on distance education are valuable, we would like to state that all the systematic processes implemented so far will be taken into account in the evaluations. Within the scope of the accreditation application of your programs, we assume that the managerial, evidence-based, output-oriented studies regarding all criteria are systematically maintained. The fact that your evidence regarding these processes is registered will make you strong. However, it is extremely important to accept the reality of distance education and to carry out the necessary studies in this context in order to prevent the operation to be interrupted.

It is seen that there is also an accreditation infrastructure for distance education processes in the international arena. In the accreditation practices for distance education, it is essential to define the mission, vision, achievable educational objectives of the education program, the curriculum or syllabus related to distance education, and the administrative processes that will ensure the knowledge, skills and behaviors that can be gained by distance education. However, it is important that honesty and ethical behavior are at the forefront and that all stakeholders in the distance education process are provided. The standards expected to be gained through distance education should be sustainable as well as the existence. In this context, strategic plans come to the fore for a sustainable distance education system.

For our country, distance education processes are a new concept especially for undergraduate programs in which graduates who practice in the field of health are trained. Updating the standards of accreditation in this context is an issue that should be considered in the future. It is planned to carry out all kinds of studies on this subject and to adapt to a new transformation by taking international examples into consideration.

In the current situation, we would like to share the important issues we have determined for distance education to help you with the knowledge that formal and face-to-face education studies will be of priority in evaluations. We hope that we will continue to meet our students as soon as possible, to raise qualified graduates and to be proud of them.

1. SABAK general criteria are used in the accreditation process. Explanations for all criteria should be explained with evidence (All explanations regarding the criteria are explained in the Self-Assessment Report Sample on the website).
2. The web page of the program should be checked to be up-to-date and accessible.
3. It is important to ensure student representation in meetings in all boards / committees and working groups such as academic boards, departmental boards, commissions (including the distance education process).
4. It is important to create the necessary records or evidence for all applications such as lessons, activities, homework, simulations related to distance education processes.
5. Evidence of how and how the measurement-evaluation methods used in the distance education process are applied will be an indicator that the process is guaranteed.
6. In the distance education process, the answers to the questions about which solution suggestions were taken and applied for internship / professional practice courses should be given.
7. It is important to provide feedback to the students regarding the evaluation of homework, seminars and applications given to students by the instructors in the distance education process.
8. Within the scope of the distance education process, the studies regarding the opinions, suggestions and feedbacks received on the issues of internal and external stakeholder views and sharing are valuable.
9. In addition to the general satisfaction of the students, their satisfaction with the distance education process should be evaluated and solutions for improvement should be developed and implemented according to the needs.
10. In this process, the adaptation of the teaching staff and administrative / technical staff to the working system and the distance education process is as important as the students.
11. In order for this process to be experienced without any problems, the administrative decisions and practices taken should be recorded.

Hoping to speed up quality work together on healthy days.

Regards

SABAK Board of Directors

Updated Process: