Sakarya University (SAU) maintains a comprehensive, formal, and systematic governance framework that ensures continuous, structured, and transparent engagement with local stakeholders across all academic and administrative units. The University’s Strategic Plan (2023–2027) identifies stakeholder participation as a core governance principle and mandates the integration of external stakeholder perspectives into planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes. Stakeholder analysis, participation mechanisms, advisory structures, and feedback loops are operationalized across faculties, institutes, vocational schools, and administrative units, ensuring that engagement is institutionalized rather than event-based.
SAU’s participatory governance model is aligned with national public administration requirements — including Law No. 5018 on Public Financial Management and Control — and with international frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). External stakeholders including local governments, industry representatives, chambers of commerce, civil society organizations, NGOs, alumni, technopark companies, and international partners contribute to strategic planning through surveys, workshops, focus groups, consultative meetings, and structured advisory boards. Feedback collected through these mechanisms informs the University’s situation analysis, goal formulation, and performance indicator development, ensuring participatory and evidence-based decision-making.
Advisory Boards as Formal Participatory Bodies (2024)
During 2024, each academic unit continued to operate with Advisory Boards consisting of representatives from local government, private sector organizations, NGOs, professional chambers, civil society groups, and community partners. These boards contribute to curriculum alignment, regional development cooperation, and institutional planning. For instance, the Advisory Board of the Sakarya University Faculty of Business Administration is composed of senior executives and industry experts from diverse sectors, serving as a key body that guides the faculty’s quality assurance processes, curriculum development, and practice-oriented education model. The Board contributes directly to the faculty’s AACSB accreditation process by providing input on curriculum enhancement, improvement of learning outcomes, strengthening of teaching effectiveness, and the design of competency frameworks aligned with industry expectations. Its members also play an active role in updating the curriculum, developing sector-focused courses, expanding simulation- and case-based learning opportunities, and enhancing internship and employment linkages. Through seminars, conferences, and career-oriented activities, Advisory Board members provide high-impact support to students, helping them understand current market trends, develop professional skills, and transition more effectively into the workforce. This ongoing engagement strengthens the faculty’s alignment with international standards and reinforces a robust, practice-driven learning culture.
A notable example is the Faculty of Business Administration Advisory Board, whose members – senior executives and industry experts – play a critical role in guiding curriculum enhancement, strengthening internship and employment pathways, and supporting practice-based education. The Board significantly contributes to international accreditation processes, including AACSB, by offering input on learning outcomes, competency development, and alignment of educational programs with evolving industry expectations. Advisory Board members also participate actively in seminars, conferences, and sector-focused activities that enhance students’ career readiness and professional skills.
Department-level boards, such as the International Relations Department Advisory Board, the SHMYO 2024 Advisory Meeting, and the Faculty of Theology Advisory Board, further demonstrate SAU’s embedded, unit-specific participatory structures. These boards ensure continuity of stakeholder dialogue, address community needs, and shape practical training and regional collaboration initiatives.
Integration into Quality Assurance and Institutional Planning
Stakeholder participation is further integrated into the University Quality Assurance System, where internal and external representatives take part in quality monitoring and continuous improvement through the University Quality Commission. The Sakarya University Quality Commission is a high-level body responsible for overseeing the institution’s quality assurance and continuous improvement processes. Its membership includes the Rector, vice-rectors, the secretary-general, representatives from academic units, and student representatives. The University employs a multi-layered participation mechanism: the President of the Student Council and elected student representatives serve as natural members of both the Senate and the Quality Commission, ensuring direct student involvement in academic governance and quality processes. Academic and administrative staff participate through SAÜDEK and the Office of Institutional Analysis and Quality Improvement, supported by “quality ambassadors” appointed within each unit. The Commission regularly reviews monitoring and self-assessment results, integrating feedback from internal stakeholders to shape improvement actions. In addition, perspectives from external stakeholders—including local governments, professional chambers, NGOs, and the business community—inform the Commission’s work, contributing to a more inclusive and stakeholder-driven quality assurance system.
Technology Transfer and University–Industry Collaboration Mechanisms
Sakarya Teknokent and the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) function as key participatory platforms connecting Sakarya University with industry, public institutions, entrepreneurs, and regional development actors. The TTO facilitates structured collaboration through University–Industry Collaboration Workshops, “Industry on Campus” Co-Work Events, consultation meetings with Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs), and joint R&D and innovation planning sessions. These workshops provide a platform where firms from different sectors meet academic units to discuss industrial needs, identify potential joint R&D areas, and explore opportunities for technology transfer. The “Industry on Campus” activities enable companies to deliver on-campus presentations, engage directly with academics and students, exchange project ideas, and establish internship and employment connections. Additionally, consultation meetings held with university leadership, organized industrial zones, and representatives of the business community create a collaborative working environment for regional development, human resource planning, and the advancement of joint university–industry projects. Through these integrated mechanisms, Sakarya Teknokent and the TTO enhance industry participation in university processes, strengthen applied research partnerships, accelerate technology transfer, support entrepreneurship development, and ensure alignment between academic programs and labor market expectations. Together, these structures foster a sustainable ecosystem of cooperation in R&D, innovation, and skilled workforce development.
Transparency and Public Accountability (2024)
SAU reinforces transparent and participatory governance by publishing all annual administrative and performance results in publicly accessible Annual Activity Reports. These reports document stakeholder engagement processes, Advisory Board meetings, collaborative projects, and outcomes achieved throughout the year, ensuring traceability and accountability.
Across its strategic planning, academic governance, quality assurance, and university–industry collaboration frameworks, Sakarya University demonstrates a highly structured, transparent, and continuous model of stakeholder engagement. Advisory Boards, Quality Commission structures, Technokent mechanisms, and participatory planning processes collectively ensure that external stakeholders are actively integrated into the University’s decision-making processes. These mechanisms confirm Sakarya University’s strong alignment with Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Goal, particularly indicator Participatory Bodies for Local Stakeholder Engagement, and demonstrate consistent implementation throughout the 2024 calendar year.
Public Evidence Links
http://www.sp.gov.tr/upload/xSPStratejikPlan/files/K3agS+SAU_2023-2027_Stratejik_Plani.pdf
https://kalite.sakarya.edu.tr/sites/kalite.sakarya.edu.tr/file/SAU_2025-2027_Stratejik_Plan_Guncellenmis_Versiyon.pdf
https://www.sakarya.edu.tr/
https://haber.sakarya.edu.tr/istanbul-teknopark-yonetim-kurulu-baskani-prof-dr-metin-yerebakandan-altin-ogutler-h122199
https://haber.sakarya.edu.tr/ilahiyat-fakultesi-danisma-kurulu-toplantisi-gerceklesti-3-h121504
https://haber.sakarya.edu.tr/kariyer-gelistirme-koordinatorlugu-danisma-kurulu-toplantisi-duzenlendi-h121076
https://haber.sakarya.edu.tr/isletme-fakultesi-aacsb-akreditasyonunu-kutladi-h117714
https://islf.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/icerik/19895/131949/danisma-kurulu
https://shmyo.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/icerik/25955/138774/2024-danisma-kurulu-toplanti-gundem-formu
https://if.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/duyuru/goster/139879/fakultemiz-danisma-kurulu-toplantisi-gerceklesti
https://uli.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/icerik/24459/130968/21-subat-2024-tarihli-bolum-danisma-kurulu-toplantisi
https://kalite.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/komisyon
https://www.sakaryateknokent.com/
https://islf.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/icerik/19894/102187/danisma-kurulu-calismalarimiz
https://www.yenisafak.com/gundem/sakarya-teknokentte-universite-sanayi-is-birligi-calistayi-duzenlendi-4722351
https://cowork.sakarya.edu.tr/
https://kalite.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/icerik-grup/19157/96970/145120/2024-yili-idare-faaliyet-raporu
https://tokas.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/duyuru/goster/144932/surdurulebilirlik-surecleri-izleme-ve-degerlendirme-calistayi-gerceklestirildi
Etiketler :