Regulation on Mevlana Exchange Programme
PART ONE
Purpose, Scope, Legal Bases and Definitions
Purpose
ARTICLE 1- (1) The purpose of this Regulation is to regulate the procedures and principles regarding student and academic staff exchange programme between national and foreign higher education institutions.
Scope
ARTICLE 2- (1) This Regulation contains the principles and procedures of student and academic staff exchange between national higher education institutions and foreign higher education institutions.
Legal Bases
ARTICLE 3- (1) This Regulation has been concluded on the basis of the articles 7, 10 and 65 of the Higher Education Law dated 4/11/1981 and numbered 2547.
Definitions and Abbreviations
ARTICLE 4- (1) Stated in this Regulation are as follows;
a) ECTS: European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System,
b) Certificate of Participation: A signed and stamped document indicating the student’s beginning and ends of the study period of the student which is drafted by the higher education institution that the education-training activity has been carried out.
c) Mevlana Exchange Programme: Exchange programme of student and academic staff held in the scope of the protocol between national and foreign higher education institutions,
ç) Mevlana Exchange Program Institutional Coordination Office: An Unit in higher education institutions that is responsible for execution of activities regarding the Mevlana Exchange Programme.
d) Mevlana Exchange Programme Institutional Coordinator: Staff directly subject to the chief or vice chief of higher education institutions and responsible for execution of the Mevlana Exchange Programme institution coordination office activities on behalf of the Council of Higher Education,
e) Mevlana Exchange Programme Student: Student participating in the Mevlana Exchange Programme,
f) Mevlana Exchange Programme Student Declaration: A document which the rights and obligations of the student through Mevlana Exchange Programme are stated,
g) Mevlana Exchange Programme Academic Staff: The Academic staff participating in the activities conducted within the Mevlana Exchange Programme,
ğ) Mevlana Exchange Programme Student Scholarship Agreement: The agreement signed between the student and the higher education institution that carries out the exchange which contains information regarding the exchange period, scholarship amount, information on other payments, responsibilities in the case of student’s default and other similar matters.
h) Student Final Report: The document which contains brief information and personal evaluations of the student considering the exchange period, prepared upon completion.
ı) CHE: The Council of Higher Education
i) Foreign Higher Education Institutions: University, academy, college, higher technology institute and other higher education institutions which are established foreign by bilateral or multilateral international treaties and/or give education and training that are subject to the higher education legislation of the country in which they are located.
j) National Higher Education Institutions: Universities, institutes of technology and non-profit vocational schools which provide education based on Law No.2547.
PART TWO
Common Protocol and Documents
Common Protocol
ARTICLE 5- (1) The Mevlana Exchange Programme can be conducted through the Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocol signed between national higher education institution and foreign higher education institution. National higher education institution can sign Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocols with foreign higher education institutions that award diplomas that are deemed equivalent by the Council of Higher Education.
(2) The Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocol provides the opportunity to cooperate in performing common activities and programmes between parties within the scope of Mevlana Exchange Programme. CHE Executive Board can decide to discharge the higher education institutions from this programme which do not fulfill the exchange protocol. CHE Executive Board takes the necessary actions to provide and implement the distribution of Mevlana Exchange Programme protocols between countries, regions and higher education institutions.
Activity validity period
ARTICLE 6- (1) Activity validity period is designated by CHE Executive Board by taking account of the academic calendar which participant higher education institutions have specified for the next education-training year. National higher education institutions make funding requests regarding the changes planned for the next education-training year within Mevlana Exchange Programme. Higher education institutions use the allocated amounts during the education-training year. Unused amounts are deducted by CHE Executive Board or their refund is requested if required considering the source amount requested for the next education-training year.
Documents and language
ARTICLE 7- (1) Legislation, information, file and documents regarding the Mevlana Exchange Programme are drafted in at least two languages in Turkish and English. If any contradiction occurs between the texts the Turkish version is deemed valid.
(2) One copy of the original Mevlana Exchange Programme documents is kept by higher education institutions.
(3) Copies of the documents are prepared by CHE and published in the web sites of higher education institutions participating in the exchange. Higher education institutions may attach the requested information about activities and information and logo of their institutions to these documents.
Foreign proceedings
ARTICLE 8- (1) National higher education institutions which have signed the protocols are obliged to take necessary action with regard to fulfillment of all procedures by signatory foreign higher education institutions in terms of exchange. Foreign higher education institutions that have attended this programme by signing Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocol accept that they are subject to the provisions of this Regulation with regards to the functioning of the exchange.
PART THREE
Mevlana Exchange Programme Student Exchange
ARTICLE 9- (1) Within the framework of the Mevlana Exchange Programme, students registered in formal education at higher education institutions can participate in student Exchange. Exchange involves the student registered at higher education institution to continue part of his/her education in another higher education institution which is a party of Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocol. The Student Exchange period consists of at least one, at most two terms. The calculation of terms can be revised by considering the education system. However, the total exchange period shall not exceed one education-training year.
(2) Students registered at open, outside, informal or distance education can not benefit from the Mevlana Exchange Programme.
(3) Students studying at preparatory or first year of associate or bachelor’s degree and postgraduate and doctoral students studying at preparatory or scientific preparatory terms can not benefit from this programme for the first term that they have started the their primary study.
Student Exchange Announcements
ARTICLE 10- (1) Higher education institutions announce Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocols they have concluded on their web sites and announce application within the quota indicated with these protocols. Signatory national higher education institutions pursue that same proceedings are carried out properly by foreign higher education institutions that they have concluded protocols. In the announcements, Mevlana Exchange Programme and application conditions and process to the programme are included. CHE Executive Board has the authority to designate and change application conditions and announcement dates.
Conditions to become Mevlana Exchange programme student
ARTICLE 11- (1) Minimum required conditions to become Mevlana Exchange Programme student are as follows:
a) The student shall be a student of associate degree, undergraduate, postgraduate or doctoral student registered at formal higher education programmes,
b) The general academic grade point average of associate degree or undergraduate students shall be at least two and a half over four,
c) The general academic grade point average of postgraduate and doctoral students shall be at least three over four.
(2) In matters of equivalencies of the grades in which the grade system is calculated over a hundred in the quadrat system, related CHE decisions are admitted.
(3) CHE Executive Board holds the power to take necessary actions in order to carry out student Exchange in an active and efficient way and to designate additional conditions except the conditions set forth in the first paragraph.
Evaluation of the applications and student admission
ARTICLE 12- (1) Higher education institution determines the student number and distribution who will go abroad or come from abroad within the concluded bilateral protocols by considering the funding amount allocated by CHE Executive Board. Before signing the Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocol, higher education institutions can not select students to participate in the Mevlana Exchange Programme.
(2) During the evaluation, 50% of grade point average and 50% of language scores are taken into account and students are ranked using cumulative value of these two factors.
(3) A language exam result determined jointly which forms a basis in student selection is requested from the students applying to the Mevlana Exchange Programme by the higher education institutions that have signed the Exchange protocol.
(4) Evaluation of the results is announced through the web site of signatory higher education institutions.
(5) Provisions of this article are applied in student selection and the evaluation of the applications of the students who will come from abroad. However the evaluation of the applications of students who will come from abroad and student selections are carried out within the knowledge of signatory national higher education institution.
(6) Within this programme, matters like extent, duration and conditions of the student selection and applications to execute student exchange in an active and efficient way can be rearranged by CHE Executive Board if deemed necessary.
Study protocol
ARTICLE 13- (1) The Study protocol is the protocol signed by the higher education institutions performing the exchange which includes the curriculum and the credits of these courses defined before the Exchange period is initialed. In this protocol, courses and their credits which the concerned student will take in the higher education institution and substitution and credits of these courses are clearly specified. By signing, Student states that the courses are approved and are to be attended. The Home higher education institution confirms that the courses taken by this protocol are admitted. Accreditation of the courses is approved by the administrative board of the concerned academic unit. The study programme admitted with this protocol shall serve as the purpose of the programme that the student currently studies.
(2) The study protocol is drafted before the exchange and recorded by the student and signatory higher education institution authorities. The study protocol is drafted in three copies and one copy is kept by each of the parties including the student. The Study Protocol is also signed by concerned head of departments and top directors of the higher education institutions which concluded Mevlana Exchange Programme protocol or other authorized concerned persons. Changes that will made on the study protocol with several reasons shall be made within 30 days at the latest following the beginning of academic term of the host higher education institution and this document shall be ratified by the student and higher education institution authorities. This period shall not be later than the dates of compulsory exams of the host education institution which Mevlana Exchange Programme. Mevlana Exchange Programme scholarships of the students who could not accomplish the exchange due to a reason appeared in study protocol are suspended and payments made are collected back.
(3) Mevlana Exchange Programme student can not retake the exam he/she has passed or take this course which is indicated in the study protocol.
Equalization of the courses
ARTICLE 14- (1) Course loads based on the credits specified in the frame of common credit system of Mevlana Exchange Programme students, can not be less than the course load that they have to take in the same half-year. In the Exchange, course credits are taken into account, not the course numbers. Higher education institutions can also ground on the ECTS credit system as they can compromise on a common credit system providing the statement of mutually agreement in the protocol they have signed. However in the study protocols, national credit corresponding of the courses students takes are explicitly expressed.
(2) Signatory higher education institutions take necessary precautions in order to prevent retake of the courses which can occur because students may have taken or will take them in their institutions, in the exchange period equalization between the courses they will take in the higher education institution they will study and the courses they will take in their institution and to avoid loss of credit, course, term or year of the students during exchange period. For that purpose, in completion of the credits to avoid repetition of the courses, courses from the sub-class and superior class of the higher education institution may be chosen.
(3) Course credits and corresponding of the courses are explicitly outlined in the Study Protocol prior to the beginning of the education term.
(4) In the equalization of the grades of the courses students have passed, course pass grade implemented in the higher education institution which they study as Mevlana Exchange Programme student is considered. Students who desire to go to the institutions which course pass grades are different, are informed of the subject before exchange period has started. Students who have signed the study protocol are deemed as they are informed of the subject.
(5) Equalizations are approved by the administrative board of the relative academic unit. Courses and their credits which the students have practiced in the Mevlana Exchange Programme are indicated in writing on the course and grade charts of the higher education institutions they are registered at.
Repetition of courses, conditional pass, make-up examination
ARTICLE 15- Irrespective of any reason if students fail the courses that they are obliged to take in the higher education institution they have gone to study as a Mevlana Exchange Programme student, they repeat the course in the higher education institution they are registered at. The repetition of the course is carried out by taking the course which was admitted as equivalent in the study protocol of the student. It is not possible to retake the course in the higher education institution that is chosen for study. After the student returns his/her own higher education institution, he/she can not take any course that its equivalence has not accepted as a retake course.
(2) Conditional pass is not valid for Mevlana Exchange Programme student. Students who have failed a course may take a make-up examination only in the higher education institution that they are Mevlana Exchange Programme student of.
(3) Students can not take make-up examinations in courses failed in their higher education institution that they are registered at. Instead of make-up exam, they can participate in summer schools of the higher education institutions which have opened summer schools. Except for the payments they demand from their students, higher education institutions can not demand any payment from the students who have attended summer school for the failed courses designated in study protocol. No payment shall be made within Mevlana Exchange Programme for these students
(4) Students take one-course exams in the higher education institutions they are registered at.
(5) Students of higher education institutions who are subject to thesis or similar exercises submit such of works to the higher education institutions to which they are registered at. In terms of internship, laboratory and similar exercises, they are subject to the rules of their higher education institutions they are registered at.
(6) In order to conduct the programme in an active and efficient way, courses, equivalences of the courses, repetition of the courses, conditional pass and etc. can be rearranged by CHE Executive Board.
Academic recognition
ARTICLE 16- (1) Higher education institutions provide full recognition to education-training activities. The programme regarding defined courses is confirmed in writing by signing of the study protocol by all parties before the start of student mobility. At the end of the Exchange programme, higher education institutions are obliged to recognize and deem successful the credits and equations of all passed courses. These courses are mentioned in the diploma annex.
Student Exchange documents
ARTICLE 17- (1) Before initiating the Exchange, the documents required are as follows:
a) Student application document,
b) Transcript,
c) Document showing language level,
ç) Agreement signed between the student and higher education institution (Mevlana Exchange Programme Student Obligation Agreement).
(2) At the end of Exchange process, the student submits the transcript, student certificate of attendance and student final report regarding the study period at the related higher education institution within 15 days. The student submits one copy of final report that is submitted to foreign higher education institution to the Mevlana Exchange Programme coordination Office of national signatory higher education institution by hand, mail or e-mail. Additional time can be granted on the condition that it does not exceed 15 days by the higher education institution to students to complete deficient or defective documents. If the documents are not submitted completely within the time specified, transactions of the student are deemed invalid and refund of the payments made to the student will be requested.
Student admission document
ARTICLE 18- (1) After the study protocol is signed, the higher education institution admitting the student drafts a ratified and signed Student Admission Document indicating the related student is accepted as a Mevlana Exchange Programme student submitting one copy to the student and one copy to the higher education institution that student has main registration at. Students who have been accepted as a Mevlana Exchange Programme student are submitted with Mevlana Exchange Programme Student Statement.
Student obligation
ARTICLE 19- (1) Students who have granted admission file from higher education institutions are deemed to have undertaken the obligations of Mevlana Exchange Programme student. Scholarships of the students granted within Mevlana Exchange Programme are suspended if it is realized that they do not initiate the study without an excuse although they have granted admission files. If refund of the payments made are requested from students in this situation. In this case, students can not be a Mevlana Exchange Programme student in neither education level nor with or without scholarship. Despite they are admitted to Exchange programme, provision of this article applies if they declare to registered higher education institution with a petition that they resign from the right of access to Exchange programme.
(2) Mevlana Exchange Programme students who have been granted Student Admission Files are obliged to update their registrations at higher education institutions within the time period and furthermore in period of registration they make their registrations at the higher education institution that they will go for study. Registrations of arriving students are made by the Mevlana Exchange Programme institution coordination Office and registrations of outgoing students are made in accordance with the principles and procedures outlined by relevant foreign higher education institution. Documents regarding arriving and outgoing students and records on exam results are maintained by Mevlana Exchange Programme institution coordination offices.
(3) Students who can not benefit from Exchange for the purposes of illness, accident or similar occasions and their excuse is accepted by higher education institution can benefit from the programme when their excuse is terminated. Excuse situation of these students are maintained in their file by documentation.
Disciplinary Matters
ARTICLE 20- (1) Mevlana Exchange Programme students are obliged to obey the discipline rules of higher education institution which they have gone during Exchange period. During the Exchange period, investigation about acts and proceedings of the students that cause disciplinary prosecution is executed by the higher education institution which they have gone for study. The student’s own registered higher education institution is informed regarding consequences of the investigation. In case of imposing punishment as a result of investigation and if it is not possible to enforce this punishment within the time spent in the higher education that is chosen for study, punishment is enforced by the student’s registered higher education institution.
Exchange of special scholarship or non-scholarship student
ARTICLE 21- (1) In the event that the resources allocated for the higher education institution to exchange of Mevlana Exchange Programme student is insufficient, students may utilize their own personal means or special scholarships may be granted provided that it is in accordance with other terms of the programme. Provisions of this Regulation are applied for special scholarship or non-scholarship students of Mevlana Exchange Programme students.
Study expenses
ARTICLE 22- (1) During their period as Mevlana Exchange Programme students continue to pay compulsory contribution share/tuition fee to their own institutions by making registrations at their higher education institutions. Students participated in the Exchange can not suspend study. Students shall not pay extra tuition fee to the higher education institution they will go for study during their exchange period.
(2) Mevlana Exchange Programme students can be subject to other fiscal obligations that higher education institutions apply to their own students. This matter is included in the Mevlana Exchange Programme Student Obligation Agreement. Other than the fiscal payments they demand from their own students, higher education institutions shall not demand additional fiscal request from Mevlana Exchange Programme students.
Other scholarships and loans
ARTICLE 23- (1) Other scholarships and loans that the students participating Mevlana Exchange Programme Grant, continue within the period of study.
PART FOUR
Academic Staff Mobility
Scope and time of academic staff mobility
ARTICLE 24- (1) All academic staff employed in national and foreign higher education institutions that have signed Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocol can join academic staff mobility. This mobility includes education-training activities which an academic staff authorized in one higher education institution will perform in another higher education institution.
(2) Academic staff mobility periods can be minimum one week and at maximum three months for once only in the same education-training year.
(3) In the scope of mobility, academic activities of academic staff can not be less than total six hours weekly. In hourly calculation of the activities performed by academic staff, courses are considered. If course hours do not complete six hours, academic activities like seminars, panels or conferences are evaluated in this context. Academic staff mobility plans which do not contain lectures shall not be considered within Mevlana Exchange Programme and accepted for the Exchange.
(4) To execute academic staff mobility in an active and efficient way, scope, period and conditions of the mobility can be rearranged by CHE Executive Board if necessary.
Designation of the academic staff
ARTICLE 25- (1) All signed Mevlana Exchange Programme protocols and quotas are published in the web site of the related higher education institution and invites application for the academic staff who desire to join this activity. In the announcements, information about the application process and payments to be made are given. Announcements are published in the web site for no fewer than 15 days. All applications within the scope of academic staff mobility are admitted until the application deadline specified in the announcement. All applications are recorded by higher education institutions party to Mevlana Exchange Programme Protocol and one of their copies is maintained at Mevlana Exchange Programme institution coordination Office of national higher education institution that is party to the Exchange.
(2) The main document regarding academic staff mobility is the Mevlana Academic Staff Mobility Plan drafted by academic staff participated to the programme. In the aforesaid Plan, activities which academic staff will perform are mentioned in a detailed way. This Plan is approved by related academic unit’s administrative boards of the institution of academic staff and the institution which staff has gone. Academic Staff Mobility Plan is submitted to signatory national Mevlana Exchange Programme institution coordination offices at least 15 days before the start of its implementation. In this Plan, priority shall be given to special occasions such as education language of the chosen higher education institution, in which language academic staff will lecture and information level of this language. In the Exchange, priority is given to applications from academic staffs who have not earlier participated in academic staff Exchange activities.
(3) As a result of the evaluation, signatory higher education institutions announce the academic staff entitled to participate in Exchange in the institution web site.
(4) Academic staff entitled to participate in the Mevlana Exchange Programme and do not participate without an excuse, can not apply to this programme for a period of three years.
Academic staff mobility documents
ARTICLE 26- (1) Academic staff attending the activity submit a signed and stamped Activity Participation Document drafted after the activity by the higher education institution to which he/she has gone in such a way that period of education-training programme is indicated and Academic Staff Mobility Final Report drafted by themselves to Mevlana Exchange Programme institution coordination office of the related national higher education institutions by hand, mail or e-mail in 15 days at latest after the activity is completed.
PART FIVE
Organization of Mevlana Exchange Programme
Organization of the Exchange
ARTICLE 27- (1) The Works and proceedings regarding Mevlana Exchange Programme activities are executed by signatory higher education institutions. Mevlana Exchange Programme institution coordination offices of national higher education institutions take the necessary actions to execute foreign transactions of the programme in a proper way.
(2) National higher education institutions establish a Mevlana Exchange Programme institution coordination Office that is directly attached to top or vice executives and assign a coordinator. National higher education institutions can execute institutional activities in cooperation with units of other national or international Exchange programmes with the purpose of efficient usage of offices and personnel and to provide coordination and integrity in the activities.
Exchange demand
ARTICLE 28- (1) National higher educational institutions convey their requests with regard to Exchange to CHE. National higher educational institutions make these requests by considering the Exchange periods and number of outgoing and arriving student and academic staff who can attend to programme included in Mevlana Exchange Programme protocols. These demands are considered by CHE Executive Board. Amounts obtained after this evaluation are transferred to the accounts of national higher education institutions by CHE Executive Board Resolution. Amounts transferred are used within the principles stipulated in article 10 of the Law No. 2547. Demand dates on Exchange and transfer dates and ratios of the accounts on specified amounts are designated by CHE Executive Board.
(2) Non-profit universities and non-profit vocational schools can conduct student and academic staff Exchange between foreign higher educational institutions under the provisions