The study has aimed to compare the grade conversion tables of Council of Higher Education and universities that adopt a different passing grade in Turkey and put the students’ views on this subject forward. The research has been planned using case study one of the qualitative research designs. When examined in detail, it has been determined that neither grade conversion table of Council of Higher Education nor that of universities that have different pass grades have been able to provide a standard. It has been seen that while Council of Higher Education’s grade conversion tables provide a transformation in favor of the students studying at universities with 50 pass grade the university, it provides a disadvantageous transformation for the students studying at universities with passing 60 and 70 pass grade and students’ opinion also fully support this finding. As a result, the lack of a common university passing system and application of different grading systems (norm-referenced/criterion referenced) can naturally be considered as an obstacle in front of obtaining comparable scores.

Higher education system in Turkey is witnessing a significant expansion in recent years. Both the number of higher education institutions and the number of higher education students as well as of academic staff have been dramatically increased. This expansion is also making itself visible in vocational education. Similar to other areas, expansion in vocational education - that is oriented toward the quality, based on the links on education-employment, and sustainable - is of great importance for both efficient use of resources as well as the increasing opportunities of taking advantage of graduates. In particular, there is a distinct importance of vocational training in improving the economic competitiveness of Turkey. Therefore, this study discusses the current situation of post-secondary vocational colleges (MYOs) in detail. It also focuses on the steps taken to improve the quality of education in vocational colleges in recent years. Next, it addresses the current challenges of the vocational colleges and provides some suggestions to overcome these challenges.

In this study, primarily enrolment rate was defined and then information about the calculation methods widely used in the world for this topic was given. Afterwards what higher education enrolment rate was explained and its calculation methods were shown. In this context, Turkey’s higher education enrolment rates for both education type (open education and face to face education) and education level (associate degree, bachelor degree and graduate degree) were calculated. Besides information about higher education enrolment rates for different countries was given and according to them Turkey’s ranking in the world was tried to be determined. Briefly, it was shown that Turkey ranks among one of the top place in the world with its 94% higher education gross enrolment rates. Hence, it can be indicated that Turkish higher education has reached universal level in considering Trow’s higher education phases.

This study was carried out to obtain the views of master’s degree students studying via distance education about tools and methods of measurement and e-assessment. Exhibiting advantages and disadvantages of the use of different measurement tools and methods and assessment processes are considered to contribute to elimination of significant deficiencies in terms of both distance education institutions and teaching staff. Phenomenology, one of qualitative research designs, was used for data collection. Criterion sampling method, one of the purposive sampling methods, was taken into consideration. Being taken a course via distance education, and having the experience of measurement and evaluation by students was used as the sampling criteria. In this context, the study was conducted with a total of 10 students; four of which in the second semester and six of which in the third semester have taken course via distance education. In data collection, semi-structured interview form was used. There were five open-ended questions in the interview form. Descriptive analysis was used for the analysis of the obtained data. While assignments-projects and weekly online exams as the most preferred measurement tools by the students, navigation in the digital environment, reports and peer-evaluation were the least preferred ones. All of the students prefer e-assessment instead of the traditional evaluation for it is independent from space, providing equality of opportunity, more comprehensive. In e-assessment, it is stated that students who are responsible, highly motivated, contributor, inquisitive, skillful at using high-technology, are more successful.

This study focuses on how the concept university autonomy which constitutes one of the most tangible indicators of academic freedom is positioned in the context of university’s relations with state, society and market and concentrates on the possibility of university autonomy. From the emergence of universities in the Middle Age to the modern universities of the present, the concepts of university autonomy and academic freedom have been maintaining their actuality with a growing interest. In the light of studies in Turkey, the purpose of this study is to discuss the change of university autonomy in the historical process and where it can be positioned in the context of building blocks of university autonomy concept and the recent relationship between universities and market-industry-business world.

With the realization of soft power’s potential in time which was emerged by the canalization of international diplomacy conjuncture directing to new quests after the industrial revolution and cold war, states have been led to apply various ways and methods regarding their foreign policies. Turkey also utilizes soft power, defined generally as the ability to shape the preferences of others through appeal rather than coerce, both through financial co-operations, constructive applications in international policy and through national institutions, foundations and Non-Governmental Organizations for its appearance and perception in international system. Higher education, which has an international characteristic, may also be assessed as a soft power element through international students and academics. Accordingly, in the current study, power and soft power terms were investigated, and the role of soft power in Turkey’s foreign policy and Turkish higher education was examined. The findings of the study showed that the strategies toward internationalism in higher education are not sufficient, academics and university students have a certain level of awareness on the issue though. The results were interpreted within the scope of the literature, and managerial and functional characteristics of Turkish higher education as well.

Astrology, a pseudoscience, is highly popular in Turkey. Astrologers, who are its practitioners, produce discourses in the scientific field at the media and at their own platforms. Furthermore, it is possible to find some instances of astrology related activities in Turkish universities. In this article, demarcation of science from pseudoscience and the pseudoscientific status of astrology were discussed in a first place. Next, threats of astrological discourse within economic, educational and medical fields and their threats to society were expressed with some examples. Instances of the astrological activities within higher education institutions, such as an astrology-based master degree thesis, the astrology certificate programs, and an astrology column in an official medical school magazine were evaluated, and it was put forward that they contributed to increase the level of threat and it was also claimed that the existence of astrological activities in the universities contradicts the main purpose and principles of the higher education. In conclusion, some regulatory actions like the implementation of the scientific literacy and demarcation problem to each level of educational curriculum, a general policy for excluding the pseudoscience from higher education institutions and a recommended health warning at the top of the astrology were suggested.

Research reveals that there are severe problems on connecting theory and practice in pre-service teacher education programs in Turkey. This descriptive study was limited by examining the decisions and applications related to connecting theory and practice in pre-service teacher education since 1998. Results are organized by concerning the factors like durations and semesters of field experiences, efficiencies of the stakeholders of teacher education programs. In conclusion connecting theoy and practice in pre-service teacher education is considered important in Turkey. However the policies on this issue in Turkey can be criticized; and the stakeholders of teacher education programs are not efficiacy on connecting theory and practice. And the study presents recommendations for enhancing connecting theory and practice in pre-service teacher education as follows: University-School Cooperation Protocol should include methods courses, directors of universities and practice schools should promote other stakeholders for connecting theory and practice, faculties should indigenize connecting theory and practice in teacher education and, cooperating teachers should be good models for teacher candidates in terms of connecting theory and practice.

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of industrial and organizational psychology on entrepreneurship university perceptions of academic personnel that maintain their duties as executives within the climate of university. In accordance with this purpose, a study for academicians that carry out their duties as executives virtually in two state universities one of which (Y) takes place among entrepreneur and entrepreneurial university index while another (X) doesn’t take place within this index was conducted. The results of the questionnaires which tried to measure the entrepreneurial university perception and industrial and organizational psychology were analyzed with correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, Kruskal-Wallis H Test and Mann-Whitney U test within the scope of SPSS program. As a result of the correlation analysis that was conducted for both of the samplings, a significant relationship was detected between negative and positive industrial and organizational psychology and entrepreneurial university perception. As a result of the regression analysis that was conducted for the sample obtained from X university, it was determined that the psychological output that had the most effect on the entrepreneurship university perception of the executives was motivation while the negative output that had the most effect was the intention to quit the job. As a result of the regression analysis that was conducted for the sample obtained from the Y University, it was detected that the positive output that had the most effect on the entrepreneurial university conception of the executives was motivation, while the negative output that had the most effect was job stress. As a result of the comparison of both examples, the fundamental psychological factor that intensified the entrepreneurial university perception was high motivation.

The aim of this study is to determine the fulfilment level of students who come from Turkic Republics to study in Turkey, regarding their academic and social expectations. The qualita-tive research technique and phenomenological design were used in the study. Data of this research was collected via a semistructured interview form consisting 11 openended questions and probes, which were developed by the researchers. A total of 39 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated in the present study. This study indicated that, while expecting satisfactory accommodation the students also anticipated having quality education enabling them for better employment opportunities upon graduation. Some of the students thought that graduate studies in Turkey would be a bridge to Europe. However, it has been found out that students have several academical, social and educational support service problems. According to findings it can be recommended to improve internationalization in higher education, student-centered environment and current educational and training content, organization of orientation programs, submission of international student office and guidance and consultancy services and enhancing the education support services and dormitory facilities.

Academic support is a student focused program offering university level extracurricular activities developed in line with the institutional academic goals and educational approach. The main goal of the program is to support the enhancement of a learning culture that fosters creativity which is constructed and perpetuated by the students. The core activity of this program is active learning sessions. This paper briefly summarizes the support program’s activities and analysis the achievements of active learning sessions in terms of student success in some selected first year Calculus, Science of Nature and Humanity and Society courses.