At ITU Graduate School (LEE), continuous improvement processes are systematically implemented to enhance the quality of graduate programs and ensure their sustainable development. These processes operate at two levels: major (four-year) improvement cycles and minor (annual) improvement cycles.

Major Continuous Improvement Cycle

Every four years, LEE initiates a major review cycle aligned with the Graduate School’s strategic objectives.

• A series of meetings is held with the Advisory Board members to evaluate the structure and functioning of graduate programs and to collect recommendations for improvement.

• A Continuous Improvement Committee is established for each graduate program to coordinate and lead the process.

• In the most recent cycle, all graduate programs (both Master's and PhD) were asked to revise their program learning outcomes in accordance with the descriptors defined by the Turkish Higher Education Council (YÖK).

Benchmarking and Curriculum Review

• In line with the “Graduate Program Improvement Guidelines,” each program was required to benchmark its curriculum against at least two programs from top 50 universities worldwide.

• This comparative analysis aims to identify potential areas for improvement and propose new courses or revisions to existing ones.

• Each program’s committee is expected to convene its academic board to:

  • Identify courses to be discontinued

  • Review and update course contents

  • Discuss and recommend new course offerings

Course Catalog Updates and Data Transfer

• All revised course descriptions are uploaded to the E-LEE platform by designated program representatives or Graduate School staff to ensure updated records.

External Evaluation Process

As part of the improvement framework, two independent external reviewers are appointed for each program to provide comprehensive feedback.

• Reviewers are provided with a standardized set of questions to guide their evaluation.

• Key areas of evaluation include:

  • Alignment of program outcomes

  • Ratio of graduate students per faculty member

  • Number and qualifications of academic board members

  • Infrastructure and available academic resources

• Reviewer feedback and recommendations are shared with the relevant program committees, followed by a series of meetings with the Dean and Associate Deans to analyze and plan actionable improvements.

Graduate School Board and Senate Process

Improvement proposals are formally discussed and reviewed by the Graduate School Board.

• New course proposals, syllabus changes, and requests for course termination are evaluated and finalized at this stage.

• All decisions are reviewed in light of the strategic goals of LEE to ensure alignment.

• Approved proposals are then submitted to the University Senate for ratification, completing the formal quality enhancement cycle for each graduate program. 

Minor Continuous Improvement Cycle

The minor improvement cycle is conducted annually and focuses on ongoing feedback from students and alumni.

• Results from annual graduate student and alumni surveys are shared with the respective program committees. This feedback helps inform periodic updates to the curriculum and program structure.

• Based on this input, the Program Executive Board and the Continuous Improvement Committee may submit course proposals or content revisions to the Graduate School each term.

• These are reviewed and approved by the Graduate School Board and finalized by the University Senate.

• To ensure accountability and continuous improvement, survey instruments and summary reports from past student and alumni evaluations are made available to relevant internal stakeholders. A major goal of these surveys is to assess the extent to which program learning outcomes are being achieved. 

Strategic Measures to Enhance PhD Thesis Quality

In alignment with ITU’s Research Focus Areas, the Senate has approved the Graduate School’s proposal to encourage the preparation of PhD theses through published research articles.

• Under this model, PhD students are encouraged to produce at least three research articles indexed in SCI-Expanded, SSCI, or AHCI journals as part of their doctoral studies.

Furthermore, for students who started their PhD programs in Fall 2011–2012 and thereafter, at least one published article in a listed index is a mandatory requirement for thesis submission.

• In certain programs, such as Architecture, this condition may be defined differently to reflect disciplinary norms.

Additionally, the “Best Doctoral Thesis Awards” have been launched to recognize and promote excellence in doctoral research across the fields of science, engineering, and architecture.