Student Mobility
Student mobility in Turkey has been heavily conducted by Turkish National Agency since 2004 under the EU Educational and Youth Programs. School Education and Vocational Education programs framed within Erasmus+ 2014-2020 period provide primary and secondary school students with mobility opportunities. Evaluation, acceptance and finance as well as monitoring of the projects offered by the schools, province national education directorates and General Directorates are carried out by Turkish National Agency. Within Erasmus+ School Education Program, students can make use of mobility programs within the context of strategic partnership projects of the states that are members of the Erasmus+ program in order to develop, transfer and/or apply the innovative applications at national, international, regional and institutional level.
In this framework, the students of the institutions in the project are able to make short term student group exchange (5 day – 2 months) and long term student mobility (2 – 12 months).
Between 2007 and 2013, 36,000 students participated in international education / training activities within the framework of the Comenius Program implemented within the scope of Lifelong Learning Program (LLP). Within the scope of Erasmus + strategic partnership projects, the mobility of school students can be supported under Strategic Partnerships for School Education and Inter-School Exchange Partnerships activities. Erasmus + during the period covered by the Strategic Partnership for Turkey coordination of the projects carried out in the far-primary education is about 18 thousand students, school Cross Change Partnership framework has been included in the total of 16 more than a thousand students overseas operations, it is about four of them thousand took place as mobility abroad from Turkey. tr (May 2, 2020, the Erasmus + Dashboard data (National Agency of Turkey).
In addition, within the Erasmus+ Vocational Education Programs, student mobility is also encouraged by the programs which aim at increasing the employability of the vocational and technical education graduates in specific, contributing to the EU financial competitiveness, developing the EU cooperation in vocational education arena as well as securing the quality assurance. By the activities categorized under the Main Action of Learning Mobility of the Individuals, it is aimed to improve the qualifications of the vocational education students and provide those groups of students with the opportunities of vocational professional development abroad. In this regard, this specific action plan aims to increase international educational opportunities for individuals pursuing basic vocational education and provide them with the skills that help a smooth transition to business life from vocational education. This objective is realized by practicum and work place training programs in an abroad institution. All of the procedures are carried out by the administrative institution for the projects duration of which may last from 2 weeks to 12 months.
Within the scope of Erasmus + Vocational Training Strategic Partnerships, partnerships can be established between different countries, different education, training and youth fields and / or organizations from different socio-economic sectors, which may result from the development, transfer or implementation of innovative practices at institutional, local, regional, national or EU levels. In this context, students can participate in short-term exchange activities ranging from 5 days to 2 months.
Within the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci program implemented between the years of 2007-2013, around 39,000 vocational education learners participated in the training activities abroad. In the framework of the Erasmus + Program since 2014 with the Vocational Mobility and Strategic Partnerships activities around 48,000 vocational training learners in vocational education / training participated in the study (in May 2020, the Erasmus + Dashboard data) Turkey National Agency).
In addition, in the context of the sibling school match in vocational and technical education, the participation of students with the participation of cultural and vocational education and mobility with their institutions and the use of local funding sources (MEB METEK 2008/48). Sister school practices are continuing between the primary, secondary and high schools in Turkey and the 347 public schools abroad (2018 Budget Presentation)
Mevlana Exchange Program is a mobility program that enables exchange of students and teachers in both local and international higher education programs. A modification on Mevlana Exchange Program was published on 23 August 2011 issue of the official newspaper and Council of Higher Education carries out certain provisions for this program. The objective of the regulation concerned is to frame and run the rules and principles of student and academic staff exchange among higher education institutions in both homeland and abroad. Different from all other exchange programs, this mobility program is categorized under the exchange programs without and geographical definition and thus applies to all exchange programs internationally.
Teacher Mobility
Teacher mobility in Turkey has been heavily conducted by Turkish National Agency since 2004 under the EU Educational and Youth Programs. School Education and Vocational Education programs framed within Erasmus+ 2014-2020 period provide teachers working at state or private early childhood education, primary and secondary school with mobility opportunities. The public or private institutions being the part of school education with Erasmus + School Education activities and the teachers in these institutions could make short and long term mobility in Erasmus + program countries for the purpose of education.
The Erasmus + School Education activities and the public or private institutions and institutions that are party to the school education and the teachers in these institutions carry out short or long term mobility activities in Erasmus + program countries for education and training purposes. In the framework of Erasmus+ school education, teacher mobility is carried out in the following ways:
Between 2007-2013, Comenius program enabled more than 50,000 teachers and administrators had been participated in abroad training/education events/programs. By means of Erasmus+ Vocational Education-Individuals’ Learning Mobility and Strategic Partnership projects between since 2014 up to 2018, more than 48.000 teachers and administrators had been participated in abroad education programs.
Furthermore, it is aimed to develop teacher compatibility and create vocational development opportunities abroad for these people in the teacher mobility in Vocational and Technical Education at EU level through Turkish National Agency within the context of European Union Erasmus + Program. As for the staff of vocational education; the activity that aims at making them equipped with work practice and update their knowledge or increasing their pedagogical skills comprises such basic activities that a personnel responsible for vocational education works at a business or educational institution, teaches at a partner institution in the project or observes the work processes of an educational institution at place. The tasks of evaluating, accepting, funding and supervising for the projects prepared by schools, provincial directorates of national education, district directories of national education and General Directorates are carried out by Turkish National Agency and the all other works of the projects that are made in the periods varying from 2 days to 2 months are carried out by the coordinator institution.
Within the frame of Leonardo da Vinci program, realized between 2007-2013, more than 17.000 teachers and administrators had been participated in abroad training/education events/programs. Under Erasmus+ Vocational Education-Individuals’ Learning Mobility and Strategic Partnership projects between 2014-2017, more than 7,000 teachers and administrators had been participated in abroad training/education events/programs. (July 2021, Erasmus+ Dashboard data, Turkish National Agency)
Within the scope of the regulation with 5/6/2003 date and 2003/5753 cabinet decision entitled “Working Principles Frames of the Inter-ministerial Cooperation Commission and Cabinet Decision concerning the Qualifications, Rights and Duties of the Personnel Appointed to Abroad by this Commission” published on 23 June 2003 in the official newspaper numbered 25157, it is aimed to introduce, disseminate and preserve Turkish culture abroad, protect the bonds between the citizens and other Turks living abroad as well as enlightening them about the issue such as Turkish language and religious issues. Run by the MoNE, General Directorate of the EU and External Affairs, the regulation frames the principles and rules of appointing academicians, lecturers, teachers and religion officers abroad.