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Prof. Dr. Halil Güven Rector

Sustainability and Profitability A Turkish Example within International Context: Istanbul Bilgi University. Prof. Dr. Halil Güven Rector. Transitions in Higher Education (HE) Arena. Transformation of societies Empowerment of middle class Middle class’ demand to gain access to HE

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Prof. Dr. Halil Güven Rector

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  1. Sustainability and ProfitabilityA Turkish Example within International Context: Istanbul Bilgi University Prof. Dr. Halil Güven Rector

  2. Transitions in Higher Education (HE) Arena • Transformation of societies • Empowerment of middle class • Middle class’ demand to gain access to HE • Massification of HE versus Elitist HE of 1950s

  3. Numerical Facts about HE • 1.5% (100 million people) of world population in HE • 6 million professors/lecturers worldwide (Economist, 2005; Tekeli, 2009)

  4. Numerical Facts about HE • From 1975 to 2000, increase in participation rate from 22% to 41% in OECD countries • In the last 50 years, human population increased 2.5 times (Economist, 2005; Tekeli, 2009)

  5. Private Sector’s Involvement • Abandonment of social state principles • Privatization of HE • State control of HE despite privatization • Autonomy and Accountability as important issues

  6. Business Model for HE Sustainability and accountability in private HE require: • Professional management support • Budget control • Business institution-like management

  7. Private HE and Turkey According to Turkish laws; • HE cannot be profit-seeking • Only state and foundations may establish HE institutions • Concept of “Foundation Universities” instead of “Private Universities”

  8. Pressures on “Foundation Universities” • Government and its HE regularity body; YÖK • Founders and investors of “Foundation Universities”

  9. Istanbul Bilgi University (BILGI) • Founded by scholars after 1980 coup d’état • Emphasis on Social Sciences • No conglomerate support • Emphasis on autonomy • BILGI identity as the main asset “BILGI can be best described as an ‘‘intellectual power house’’, which consisted of several respected ‘’public intellectuals’’ taking strong positions on social issues leading BILGI image of ‘’provocateur’’ and ‘’post modern anarchist. “

  10. Sustainability, Accountability and Institutionalization at BILGI • Turkish HE industry is becoming competitive. • Only in 2010, 16 new universities • BILGI joined Laureate International Universities Network to increase sustainability, accountability and institutionalization. • Through protecting autonomous structure.

  11. How to achieve sustainability? • Academic and managerial efficiency • Accountability and autonomy • Internationalization • Professionalism • Becoming a “Comprehensive University” • Two-perspectiveapproachtouniversityadministration: • Administration as an academicinstitution • Administration as a businessinstitution

  12. Strategy • Repositioning BILGI with a future perspective of becoming a regional steering force • Better institutionalization • Two dimensional growth: qualitative and quantitative • Thematic focuses on environmental issues, leadership, peace and online education

  13. Institutional Priorities • Institutional efficacy • Internatiolization • Innovation • Student Centricity • Vocational Training

  14. Implementation: Comprehensive University • Two new non-social science faculties; Engineering and Architecture • Enlargement of Professional and Vocation Schools in the areas of health, law and fashion

  15. Implementation: Internationalization • Laureate International Universities Network • Erasmus Agreements • Bilateral Agreements • More opportunities for our students and faculty

  16. Implementation: Two-Perspective Managerial Paradigm • Management Committee • Academic Excellence Committee

  17. Implementation: Keeping Plurality and Autonomy • Rector’s Initiatives for Environmental and Sustainability Issues, Peace Studies, and Leadership • Keep BILGI as an influential player locally, regionally and globally

  18. Implementation: Institutional Excellency • A clearly defined academic organizational chart • Restructuring of the office of the Rector • Restructuring budget • Restructuring academic departments • Democratic distribution of resources and authority • Transparent and straight-forward decision mechanisms • A centralized research tracking system (AIDA) • Outsourcing

  19. Findings • Keeping the pre-Laureate BILGI autonomy and democratic values • Keeping the position in the eyes of public and intellengentsia • Concerns about compatibility between accountability/profitability and autonomy centred BILGI culture and identity • Resistance to inner restructuring and outsourcing • Communication tools to overcome resistance; bulletins, faculty news website Main message as “sustainability is essential for autonomy”

  20. Conclusion • Economical development and higher education • Qualified human resource for sustainable economical development Sustainable and profitable universities mean qualitatively and quantitatively enlarged higher education. BILGI’s strive for being sustainable and profitable lies in providing more seats for prospective students.

  21. Conclusion BILGI still carries on with this process of “cultural change management” and alligning for profitable, efficiently operational and sustainable growth.

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