The Coordinator of International Relations and Exchange Programs

Hello, I am İrem Aşçılı, Başkent Unıversity International Relations and Exchange Programs Coordinator. After graduating from TED Ankara College Foundation Schools in 1995, I had the chance to be the one of the first students of Başkent University, Business Management Department. Later, I did my master degree in European Union Studies with thesis in the Institute of International Relations in the same university. I have been working for International Relations Exchange Programs Coordination since 2003. All international contacts of the university and all exchange programs are being coordinated by our coordination office. Our university is eligible to administer the examination for foreign students. We administer the examination for foreign students twice a year. In addition, students can apply with their exit test scores in their homelands and with the results of other tests exclusive to their homelands which are internationally valid. There are two ways for international students to attend our university: first, students can apply of their own accord and through their own means, we keep the application period very long to help them do, and second, by receiving as we call Turkiye scholarship or scholarship for Turks abroad or related communities. They can get education thanks to scholarships provided by Turkish government. Students at our university have to be proficient in either Turkish or English according to their departments. We also have a Turkish language course center in Başkent University. Supposing that students are not proficient enough in Turkish, they must attend their department classes after they reach the level of proficiency in Turkish language. Likewise, English language programs provide the students who are not proficient in English an opportunity to reach the level of proficiency in English. All students including the international students have the right to use exchange programs opportunities. There are three different units within our coordination which cover all exchange programs: Erasmus, Mevlana and Farabi exchange program units. We have been sending students through Erasmus program since the first year of Turkey’s participation in Erasmus. Since the first year of Turkey’s pariticipation in Erasmus, there have been above 400 students that we sent and almost 150 students that we hosted. We can send our students for both educational reasons and practicum mobilities. Except Erasmus program, our students can also attend other universities or practicum institutions. We have more than 200 Erasmus agreements and more than 20 international cooperation agreements. The students can utilize one of these exchange programs. In terms of equivalence diploma, we, as Başkent University, have the certificate of European Credit Transfer System by European Commission. This shows that all course contents are accredited by European Commission, and diploma supplements provided by our university allow them to use their diplomas without additionally applying for equivalence diploma. We suggest both all international students and other students to stay in the hall of residence on campus. While some students prefer the hall of residence, some prefer to live in the city center. On reason why they prefer to live in the city center is free shuttle buses provided by the university from every corner of the city. This, of course changes depending on the room types and the location of the rooms. They can make use of all cafeterias at the university. In terms of student expenditures, this can be an extra burden. When compared to other cities, Ankara is a more secure and comfortable city for students. Both social facilities on campus and the academic environment become attractive for students. In addition, students prefer Ankara because they can find accommodation much easily and lead a comfortable and cheap social life. Upon choosing Turkey, in the capital city for university studies of their own accord, they prefer to study at our university. This university is preferred because it can provide students with education in 11 different faculties and different department. The second reason is that it is a university which is accredited and has the ECTS and certificated diploma supplement. Before everything, I have to say that they shoose our university because of the reputation and trustworthiness of our founder rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Haberal. As in all universities, proficiency in Turkish is a standard condition for acceptance. Upon their arrival, students take a Turkish proficiency examination to test their level if they know Turkish. If necessary, they attend Turkish courses for one semester or if they do not anything about Turkish, they have to attend them for one academic year. It is also valid for students who are not proficient in English. We also provide our English preparatory school students, if they want to do so, with one-term language education in the United States of America similar to exchange programs provided to undergraduate, gradute and doctorate students.