Protocols and Partnerships

PROTOCOL and MoU PROCESSES

1) REQUEST

Rectorships of universities that aims to be partner or our own university’s department should sent the request to initialize a protocol through the EDSM platform.

2) Council of Higher Education(YOK) Procedure

• Requests for Recognition:

Information for recognition about the university in question is requested from YOK through the rectorship or E-Devlet(E-Government) system.

• Protocol Approval Text

If the country in which the university in question is in the “Countries Which Require Approval” list of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then this procedure is followed. Approval for both the recognition and the protocol text are received at the same time.

Important: Procedures can not be continued until approval for recognition from YOK is ready.

3) Translation of the Protocol Text

• If legal counsel-approved protocol text drafts of our university are going to be used, English and Turkish translations of the Protocol can not be requested from the related academicians. Instead, the protocol texts at hand are used.
• If legal counsel-approved protocol text draft is not going to be used and the English protocol text received from the partner university is going to be used instead, firstly the Turkish translation of the received text will be provided from the related academicians or a translation will be made within the office. If the translation is made within the office, it is sent to the related academicians for revision.

4)Legal Counsel Procedure

• If protocol texts of our university are going to be used:

A second opinion will not be requested from the legal counsel. Protocol is prepared for the university in question and sent (along with the protocol request form) to the rectorship to be signed.

• If protocol texts received from the partner university are going to be used:

Protocol text is sent to the Legal Counsel (after the Turkish translation is done and the approval for recognition is received from YOK).

5)Delivery of Legal Counsel Comments to Related Persons

• If the Legal Counsel finds the submitted protocol appropriate and accepts it as it is:

The protocol is submitted for signature to the Rector's Office via EBYS, together with the letter of conformity from the Legal Counsel and the protocol request letter.

• If the Legal Counsel has suggestions for amendments on the protocol texts sent by the partner university:

The protocol text is updated by the relevant academics or Office of Protocols and Partnerships, taking into account the amendment proposals, and sent to the relevant person for the approval of the partner university.

6) Adaptation of Changes

If the changes are accepted by both parties, the signing phase starts. If not, a Legal Counsel process may begin again.

7) Signature Procedure

It is the process of signing by the parties. If the protocols are signed at the level of Rectorate, or signed at the same time as the Rectorate and the Dean’s/Director’s/department, then no transfer of authority is required. However, if the representatives of the Faculty (without the signature of the Rector) are to sign on their own, then they must obtain the transfer of signature authority from the Rector's Office to be able to sign that protocol.

6) External Mail Procedure

It is the postal process required by the partner university to sign the protocol and send it to us or vice versa.

7) Archive Procedure

The archive is distributed to Legal Counsel, to the Registrar's Office-General Secretariat (so as to add it to the web page), and to Rector's Office. (for information to YOK)

Note: The protocols to be made in accordance with the Regulation on the Establishment of Joint Postgraduate Education and Training Programs of Higher Education Institutions with Higher Education Institutions in Turkey / Abroad are different and the subject can be carried out by Faculties/Departments.

Office of Protocols and Partnerships

In 2016, in collaboration with IT Department the OPP Protocol Procedure System software was developed. All of the protocols signed in and after 2012 (and those that are still ongoing) have been entered to the system.

All Academic Cooperation Protocols as of 2012 are sent to Council of Higher Education(YOK) with an official letter.

As of 2022, upon the request of YOK, data entries belonging to the international cooperation in the context of these protocols were made into Higher Education Information System(YOKSIS).

The student and academician exchange within the scope of Office of Protocols and Partnerships is a program carried out in accordance with the provisions of  university bilateral exchange agreements between Hacettepe University and partner institutions.  The students participating in this program are exempt from tuition fees at the host institution, but the program itself does not provide any scholarships.

The Exchange Students are responsible for:

• Transportation fees to get to the Host University.
• Books and school supplies.
• All living and personal expenses while at the host institution.
• Health coverage
• Accommodation fees

How to apply?

The students enrolled in formal education programs in higher education institutions can benefit from the program, provided that a bilateral Exchange Agreement is signed between the institution and Hacettepe University.

Parties nominate their students within the mutually determined period. 

Application Dates:

30Th of May for the Fall Semester and the Academic Year, and 39th of November for the Spring Semester. Before the application, applicants must be formally nominated by their university. An official mail should be sent toprotocols@hacettepe.edu.trby the university where the applicant is nominated.

Application Documents:

Required documents from students applying for the Exchange Program:

• Student Application Form
• English Language Certificate
• Transcript
• Passport/ID/Copy of the birth certificate

Nomination Criteria

Minimum academic year for undergraduate students: Candidates at the undergraduate level must have completed at least 1 year in their institution before visiting Hacettepe University.

Graduate Students / PhD Students:  Hacettepe University will only accept PhD students in the following cases:

A) They accept to take courses at Hacettepe University. Or,

B) They find a Research Assistant at Hacettepe University who agrees to work with the student. In this case, the student must submit an acceptance letter from the agreed advisor within the application period.  It is not possible for the Bilateral Protocols Unit to appoint an academic advisor for students who want to do research at Hacettepe University.

ATTENTION

Departments with fully English language at Hacettepe University require a valid Foreign Language Certificate (TOEFL, IELT, YDS or a document from the university's School of Foreign Languages) to ensure that students can follow the courses.

1. A main protocol is signed between Hacettepe University and the other university.
2. In addition to the main protocol, an Additional Protocol is signed in which the academician/student exchange conditions (number of students, course credits, accommodation, insurance, etc.) are determined on the basis of university or department.
3. The other Party sends the transcripts and passports of the nominated students to the General Coordinate of External Affairs Office of Protocols and Partnerships (OPP) Unit by e-mail protocols@hacettepe.edu.tr
4. The documents of exchange student candidates are sent to the relevant Faculty with a cover letter by the OPP.
5. The relevant faculty issues the evaluation result of the candidate student as a Faculty Decision. And sends the decision with a cover letter to the OPP and the Student Affairs Department. If Faculty approves, it should be stated in the cover letter that "Exchange students will not pay the Contribution Margin".
6. The final Faculty Decision is notified to the relevant university by the OPP. Acceptance letters signed by the General Coordinator of External Affairs are prepared and sent to the other party for each accepted student.

NOTE: If Hacettepe University is going to send its students to another university, the process is reversed.

Through the Office of Protocols and Partnerships, a formal academic cooperation agreement is signed to develop cooperation between our university and world universities and to establish long-term partnerships in line with mutual benefits and goals. The handbook, which includes all the stages of the signing process, has been prepared with the aim of being both informative and a reference source.

OPP Handbook

Does the University with which cooperation will be done have to be recognized by Council of Higher Education(YOK)?

Yes. The prospective partner university’s authorization to give academic degrees must be approved by YOK.

• Can’t a university that is unrecognized by YOK become a partner university?

It can but the classes taken within the scope of such a partnership and its credits would not count towards a degree. Moreover, scholarships and grants would not be eligible in this case.

• The prospective university with which partnership will be formed is a very old and prestigious university. Is it still necessary to request recognition from YOK?

Yes. To avoid problems later on, it is essential to receive recognition from YOK in official letter.

• Can I get in touch personally for the recognition request?

Academic cooperation protocol signing procedures(processes?) are managed by the Education Exchange and Bilateral Protocols (EEBP) unit within our university. To receive recognition ( a recognition letter?) from YOK in official letter, you have to communicate with EEBP.

• Can talks with the other university begin without having received the recognition letter?

In this case, representatives of the other university should be informed that the recognition from YOK is a preqrequisite. Our university’s units(okay to always use unit?) can’t begin the procedures without recognition from YOK.

• Can it also be required to request approval for the protocol text that is going to be signed?

Yes it could be required. In this case, EEBP will lead the process.

• Will there also be an additional protocol to sign besides the academic cooperation protocol?

       The first text to be signed for cooperation is the Memorandum of Understanding. On top of this draft text , protocols specifying “the cooperation to take place” can be signed (eg. Student Exchange Protocol, Protocols Regarding Implementation of a Joint Diploma Program etc.) Additional protocols may be added into the draft protocol for signing or they can be signed later in the process of cooperation.

• Is there an Academic Cooperation Protocol text that Hacettepe University accepts? 

Yes. This text that was prepared as a draft was approved by our Legal Counsel. English  text can be reached from this link./fs_/Protokol-MoU%20-%20ENG.docx

• Who signs the Academic Cooperation Protocols at our university?

They are signed at the level and by the Rectorship. OPP presents the agreed protocol text with an official letter to the Rectorate. Two copies of the signed protocols are sent to the relevant university by OPP for the signing procedures and the other copy is requested to be sent back to our university.

• The university we want to cooperate will sign the protocol at the Dean's level and this protocol has been arranged to cover only this faculty. Can the Faculty Dean sign the Academic Cooperation Protocol?

  The relevant Faculty Dean's Office must request a signing authority from Rectorship with an official letter. When the authority is given, Dean can sign the protocol.

• Is it possible for the other university to sign first or to have it signed and brought by hand?

Yes, any party can sign first. The important thing is that two copies are needed, and that both copies are signed by the authorized representatives of both universities. Signing of the protocol can be done with a visit and/or ceremony.

• Can the text of the protocol be signed in different languages?

Yes. Our university prefers to sign the protocols in English and Turkish. However, there is no harm in signing a protocol in another third language. It is necessary to make sure that all texts are the same. Yet, it is not appropriate for a protocol to be signed mainly in a language other than English and Turkish.

• How can I find the originals of signed protocols?

The signed protocols are archived in OPP system. They can be accessed from Hacettepe University homepage and https://www.hacettepe.edu.tr/uluslararasi/isbirlikleri

• Can any support be requested from the General Office of Foreign Affairs, and Protocols and Partnerships at every stage?

Yes, it can be requested. However, in order to maintain the process steadily, it is necessary to inform the office at first. It should be noted that the support and assistance of OPP regarding the protocol procedures that are not carried out together will not be possible.