Organized by the Cyprus Universities Association (CUA) with the aim of strengthening experience sharing and institutional preparedness for accreditation processes, the Institutional Accreditation Experience Sharing Training Workshop was held in Nicosia on 15–16 January 2026. Organized in collaboration with Istanbul Arel University, the workshop brought together rectors, administrators, and academics from universities across the TRNC.
Over the course of two days, the program addressed key topics including the institutional accreditation process carried out by the Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK), quality assurance systems, the Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER), the Institutional Accreditation Program (IAP), and evaluation criteria. The speakers of the workshop were Istanbul Arel University faculty members Prof. Dr. Ergül Berber and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esra Aydın Göktepe.
Delivering the opening speech, CUA President and ARUCAD Rector Prof. Dr. Asım Vehbi emphasized that institutional accreditation has become a mandatory process for universities. Referring to decisions taken by the Turkish Council of Higher Education, Vehbi underlined that TRNC universities operating under the YÖK framework are also included in the institutional accreditation process conducted by YÖKAK. Stating that this process directly affects universities’ academic and institutional structures, Vehbi said, “Institutional accreditation is no longer a matter of preference; it has become a fundamental obligation for all universities. As TRNC universities under the YÖK umbrella, we are part of this process. For this reason, I believe that the training sessions held today and tomorrow are extremely valuable.”
At the end of the workshop organized by the Cyprus Universities Association (CUA), certificates of participation were presented to academics who attended the program in full. In addition, the speakers were presented with gifts unique to Cyprus. The workshop aims to establish a shared preparation ground for TRNC universities in relation to institutional quality assurance and accreditation processes.
