English Language and Literature Department

🤝 Advisory Board Meeting Report (October 27, 2022) 

📌 Topic: Identifying problems encountered in the education and training processes of the English Language and Literature department and exchanging ideas on solutions to increase education quality. 

✅  Decisions & Outcomes:

• Plan advisor-student meetings to accelerate students' adaptation processes to the department, and organise various conferences and events throughout the semester to address their academic shortcomings. 

• Organise educational conferences and events on foreign language teaching, as the pedagogical formation training provided to students remains insufficient. 

• Request the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to reduce the student quota and close the evening education (ikinci öğretim) program, as the current quota exceeds the department's capacity to meet educational expectations in terms of both physical facilities (classroom shortages) and the number of academic staff. 

• Hold discussions with the School of Foreign Languages to update the current preparatory class curriculum so that it better prepares students specifically for the department. Encourage academic staff and students to establish connections with universities abroad for joint research, and seek financial resources to achieve this, to increase the quality of the PhD Program. 

🤝 Advisory Board Meeting Report (November 8, 2023) 

📌 Topic: Identifying ongoing educational problems, exchanging ideas for solutions, and evaluating the effectiveness and adequacy of the regulations implemented as a result of the previous meeting's decisions. 

✅ Decisions & Outcomes:

• Plan advisor-student meetings to speed up adaptation processes and organize conferences and events to eliminate academic deficiencies. 

• Organise educational events on foreign language teaching due to the inadequacy of the pedagogical formation training. 

• Reiterate the request to YÖK to reduce the student quota and halt admissions to the evening education program due to persistent physical and academic staff limitations. 

• The proposal to meet with the School of Foreign Languages to update the preparatory curriculum was positively received by the participants. 

• Conduct efforts to encourage joint research with international universities and secure financial support to increase the effectiveness of the PhD Program. 

🤝 Advisory Board Meeting Report (November 27, 2024) 

📌 Topic: Evaluating steps taken to improve education quality, discussing solutions to ongoing issues, and debating the current Program Educational Objectives (PEOs). 

✅ Key Highlights & Outcomes: 

• Accreditation & Agreements: Shared details regarding the FEDEK accreditation process (application set for January 2025) and how course contents were revised to meet quality standards. Also highlighted the dual diploma agreement made with SUNY Cortland. 

• Interdisciplinary Opportunities: Emphasised the importance of double major and minor agreements with other faculties (such as the French Language and Literature department) to enhance students' multifaceted education, cultural awareness, and employability.

• Language Proficiency (Pre-Faculty): Positively evaluated the "Pre-Faculty" prep class collaboration with the School of Foreign Languages. It was noted that bringing students to a B2 level before starting the department, and aiming for C1 upon graduation, provides a significant advantage in international trade and cross-cultural communication roles.

• Program Educational Objectives (PEOs): Outlined the 6 core PEOs: Multilingualism, Academic Expertise, Teaching, Sectoral Skills, Analytical and Critical Thinking, and Lifelong Learning. It was agreed that these objectives should be discussed and updated annually at the end of each academic year. 

🤝 Advisory Board Meeting Report (November 21, 2025) 

📌 Topic: Evaluating the effectiveness of the decisions from the November 2024 meeting, detailing the objectives of the Departmental Prep Class implementation, and discussing student activities, academic resource shortages, and the annual update of Program Educational Objectives. 

✅ Decisions & Outcomes:

•  Initiate a "Sponsorship Pool" mechanism under the coordination of the Department Chair for student clubs (to fund needs like posters and guest speakers). 

• Launch a Mentorship Program and Professional Translation Workshops for active students as a pilot implementation in the Spring 2026 semester.

• Bring the request to reduce the student quota back to YÖK's agenda with updated data.

• Begin preparing new elective courses or certificate programs in "Technical Writing" and "Teaching Methods" in accordance with external stakeholder feedback.