The Mevlana Exchange Program is a program that enables student and academic staff exchanges between domestic and foreign higher education institutions. With the Regulation published in the Official Gazette dated August 23, 2011, and numbered 28034, the way was opened for student and academic staff exchanges between foreign higher education institutions and our country’s higher education institutions.
Unlike other exchange programs, the Mevlana Exchange Program covers mobility within higher education institutions worldwide without any geographical distinction.
Students wishing to participate in the exchange program can benefit from the program for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of two semesters of education; while academic staff can benefit from the program to teach courses at foreign higher education institutions for a minimum of 1 week and a maximum of 3 months. Similarly, students and academic staff from all regions of the world can come to higher education institutions in Turkey.
What are the objectives of the program?
The primary objective of the Mevlana Exchange Program is to facilitate student and academic staff exchanges between domestic and foreign higher education institutions. Additionally, the fundamental objectives of the Mevlana Exchange Program are:
- To make Turkey a center of attraction in higher education,
- To increase the academic capacities of our higher education institutions,
- To contribute to the globalization process of higher education,
- To share Turkey’s rich historical and cultural heritage globally,
- Intercultural impact.
Who can benefit from the program?
Students enrolled in associate, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs at all higher education institutions in Turkey (those that have signed the Mevlana Exchange Program Protocol) can participate in student exchanges.
Additionally, all academic staff working at domestic and foreign higher education institutions that have signed the Mevlana Exchange Program Protocol can participate in the program.
The academic activities of the academic staff within the scope of mobility cannot be less than six hours weekly. The calculation of activities performed by academic staff is based on class hours. If the weekly class hours do not fill six hours, academic activities such as seminars, panels, or conferences are also evaluated in this context. Academic staff mobility plans that do not include teaching activities cannot be evaluated within the scope of the Mevlana Exchange Program and cannot be accepted for exchange.
What are the participation requirements?
The basic requirements to be a Mevlana Exchange Program student can be summarized under several headings:
- The student must be enrolled in associate, undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs in formal education programs,
- The general academic grade point average of undergraduate and graduate students must be at least 2.5 out of 4.0,
- The general academic grade point average of master’s and doctoral students must be at least 3.0 out of 4.0.
- 50% Language Score + 50% Grade Point Average
Students in preparatory and first-year undergraduate programs, as well as those in preparatory and scientific preparation periods in graduate and doctoral programs, cannot benefit from this program for the first semester they start their main education.
How should an eligible individual apply to benefit from the program?
Students can apply by filling out the necessary forms completely and submitting them to the Mevlana Exchange Program institution coordination office of the higher education institution in Turkey where they are registered, which can be accessed via the https://mevlana.yok.gov.tr/ internet address.
Similarly, all academic staff working at higher education institutions that have signed the Mevlana Exchange Program Protocol can apply to the relevant Mevlana Exchange Program institution coordination office in the same way.
How many times and for how long can we benefit from the program?
Students can benefit from the Mevlana Exchange Program for a minimum of one and a maximum of two semesters. While the semester calculation may vary depending on the education system, the total exchange period cannot exceed one academic year.
The Mevlana Exchange Program mobility period for academic staff can be a minimum of one week and a maximum of three months for a single academic year.
Do students pay tuition fees at the institution they attend under the program?
During their tenure as Mevlana Exchange Program students, students continue to pay the contribution fees or tuition fees they are obligated to pay to their formal higher education institutions. They do not pay any additional tuition fees to the higher education institution they will attend as part of the exchange program.
Do participating students experience any academic loss during the program?
Students who participate in the Mevlana Exchange Program do not experience any loss of semester credit upon their return to their home country, as the courses taken at the foreign higher education institution and their equivalency in the Education Protocol are clearly determined.
Scholarships during the program: matters related to students
During the tenure of Mevlana Exchange Program students, they continue to receive other scholarships and loans they receive during their education period, and they continue to pay the contribution fee/tuition fee they are obligated to pay to their own higher education institutions. They do not pay any additional tuition fees to the higher education institution they will attend as part of the exchange program.
The amount of the scholarship to be paid to Mevlana Exchange Program students during their exchange period varies according to the economic life standards of the country they are studying in. Mevlana Exchange Program scholarship students can receive a monthly scholarship amount up to three times the monthly scholarship amount paid to undergraduate students according to the Law No. 5102 on Grants and Loans to Higher Education Students, at rates determined by the YÖK Executive Board.
If the resources allocated for the exchange within the program are insufficient, provided that other conditions of the Program are met, the student’s exchange may be realized through the student’s own means or private scholarships.
Scholarships during the program: matters related to academic staff
Under the Mevlana Exchange Program, academic staff sent abroad are entitled to per diem according to the provisions of Law No. 6245 on Per Diem, and academic staff coming from abroad are entitled to per diem in accordance with Law No. 6245, as well as additional teaching fees under Article 10 of Law No. 2547, depending on the countries and titles. The YÖK Executive Board is authorized to determine the additional teaching fee to be paid according to countries and titles.
This information was obtained from http://international.deu.edu.tr/mevlana-program-tanitim/.
Mevlana Program Coordinator
Prof. Dr. Burcu HÜDAVERDİ
Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Science, Department of Statistics
0 (232) 301 86 03
e-mail: burcu.hudaverdi@deu.edu.tr