Akdeniz University International Relations Office

As a result of these studies, which took into account the current situation of our university and current developments in higher education, a list of proposed activities related to internationalization was presented, with briefing files, to our Rector Prof. Dr. Israfil Kurtcephe. This programme of activities, which would encompass the Erasmus, Farabi and Mevlana Exchange Programmes, the Bologna Process, EU Youth Programmes, IAESTE, and Joint Degree Programmes, would be carried out under the name of the International Relations Office. In order to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of our internationalization activities, the Board of Directors produced a restructuring proposal on September 12th 2012. This required units responsible for the Erasmus, Farabi and Mevlana Exchange Programmes, Bologna Process, EU Youth Programmes, IAESTE, Joint Degree Programmes, as well as proposed activities related to the internationalization of business and transactions, to be brought together under the title; 'The International Relations Office'. The International Relations Office was thereby established as the link between the International Relations Coordinator and the offices created to represent the 5 main fields of activity; the EU Education and Youth Programme, International Cooperation and Publicity, the Bologna Process, the Farabi Programme and the Mevlana Programme. In addition, in order to ensure an efficient level of communication for all internationalization activities, the 6th floor of the Rectorate Building has been established as a dedicated location where all of the main units dealing with international relations can be brought together under the title; “the International Relations Office”. The International Relations Coordination Board was established in order to ensure there was effective coordination between the units, and to monitor all activities carried out by the International Relations Office within the new structure. The International Relations Coordination Commission was created with the participation of the Office Coordinators (The Farabi Coordinator, the EU Education and Youth Programme Coordinator, the Bologna Process Vice-Coordinator, the International Cooperation and Publicity Coordinator, and the Mevlana Coordinator), as well as the Head of the Registrar's Office, the Head of the Department of Health, Culture and Sports, and the Head of the Student Council. Meetings of the Board, which will be chaired by the Vice-Rector responsible for International Relations Prof. Dr. Muharrem KILIÇ, will be held once a month. The minutes of the International Relations Coordination Board will be submitted to the Rector’s Office every other month. The Internationalization Strategy Council (ISC) has also been established within the structure of the International Relations Office, and is expected to take on a very important role in the internationalization process of our university. In the restructuring of the International Relations Office, the Internationalization Strategy Council is expected to play a crucial role in the internationalization process of our university. The aims of the Council are to identify and direct the internationalization strategy of our University, and to contribute to the work of the International Relations Office. The members of the Internationalization Strategy Council will be selected from the academic staffs of the Faculties and Schools of Akdeniz University, who wish to voluntarily contribute their expertise to help define the effective Internationalization Strategy needed to become a world class University. The Internationalization Strategy Council, meeting under the presidency of Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Muharrem Kılıç, is expected play a crucial role in our University’s Internationalization Strategy. Selection of the members of the Internalization Strategy Council is currently in progress, and once the process is complete the Council will meet once during each academic semester, after which the minutes of the meetings will be submitted to the Rector. The institutional structuring of the International Relations Office, European Union Education and Youth Programmes, International Cooperation and Publicity, the Bologna Process, the Farabi Programme and the Mevlana Programme has enabled us to define the positions and roles of the staff members, as well as the institutional identity and the aims of the Internationalization Strategy Council and the International Relations Coordination Council. An office logo has been designed in order to establish and promote our new identity, and the form and distribution of the facilities of the International Relations Office is rapidly taking shape. With so much work having been completed, the development of the webpages of the International Relations Office is our next priority. Topics which can be found on our webpages include information on the Erasmus, Farabi, and Mevlana Programmes, the Bologna Process, European Union Education and Youth Programmes, IAESTE, Joint Diploma Programmes, as well as other documents dealing with internationalization, relevant forms, announcements, and the minutes of meetings. The International Relations Office webpage was activated as part of the university’s main webpage on September 17th 2012. Information is available in both Turkish and English at present, while work on pages in Russian, French and Chinese will start in the forthcoming semester.