Academic Guidance
Other guidance and psychological counseling services provided to students in higher education institutions can be divided into two groups: academic and vocational. Students enrolled in undergraduate and associate degree programs are assigned an advisor at class or branch level. Academic advisors provide students with assistance and guidance on academic issues such as taking courses, dropping courses, directing students to elective courses and educational activities. These advisors also provide assistance and guidance to students on issues such as loans, scholarships, housing, etc. Graduate students are assigned a course advisor after enrolling in their programs, and a thesis advisor before starting their study in thesis programs.
Psychological Counseling
Higher education students can receive support from psychologists assigned to MEDİKO units (Medical Social Service Units) units at universities or from the relevant units at university hospitals, if available.
Career Guidance
Although it is a legal obligation to provide vocational counseling services, there is no structure that can be generalized to all higher education institutions. The Law on Higher Education stipulates that higher education institutions cooperate with private and public organizations to help their graduates find a job. Some higher education institutions have established career counseling centers to provide these services. Through these centers or by various units, vocational promotion meetings are organized for students and representatives of private sector organizations participate in these activities. In this way, students and employer organizations are brought together.
Students get to know their professions better, learn about employment opportunities and interact with employers through internship practices, which are mostly required by the programs. On-the-job training and internship practices are widely practiced in undergraduate and associate degree programs. In many programs, this practice is a necessity in the field.
The workplace training and internship practices of vocational schools within the scope of associate degree programs are legally regulated. The regulation is covering these issues determines the principles and practices regarding the education, practice and internship of vocational school students in vocational and technical education regions (Regulation on the Principles and Procedures Regarding the Education, Practice and Internship of Vocational School Students in Vocational Technical Education Regions). According to this Regulation, students do their internships during the semester and during summer vacations. However, if the conditions of the workplace are not suitable, an internship can be done outside these periods, provided that it does not disrupt the academic education period. The internship period cannot be less than 30 working days (240 hours) and more than 60 working days (480 hours) according to the nature of the program. Students of colleges who do vocational practice during the education period are evaluated outside the 30-60 day internship period mentioned above. This process is evaluated by both the workplace authority and the relevant instructor.
Internship practices of undergraduate programs are organized at the faculty/school or department level, and the instructor of the relevant course carries out the monitoring and evaluation of the process.
Internship programs both strengthen the ties between workplaces and higher education institutions and facilitate the access of students to employment opportunities.
The development of university-industry relations is mostly realized through technoparks or technology development zones/centers located within universities. Various companies can be located in these centers and researchers at various levels can work part-time or full-time in the companies located in these zones. In this way, it is ensured that industrial organizations get to know the university better and relations are improved.
Within the scope of Law No. 1416, students who continue their postgraduate education abroad have an advisor located in the institutions or universities they are affiliated with in Türkiye and in the educational consultancies abroad. This advisor supports the student in meeting the basic needs for the local conditions of the country. In addition, the advisor submits reports to the Ministry about the student’s status (course attendance, grades, thesis stages, etc.) at the university in the country where the student is studying. It ensures the communication and coordination of the student abroad with the Ministry.