The “Digital Transformation and Quality Management Systems Workshop,” organized by the Kütahya Dumlupınar University Quality Coordination Office, is held as a comprehensive event in which innovations brought by digitalization to the understanding of quality management in higher education and good practice examples are discussed.

The event is held online via the Microsoft Teams platform.

Throughout the workshop, which lasts all day, academics and quality coordinators from various universities share the impacts of digitalization on quality assurance systems and present institutional best practices.

In the opening session, the Rector of Kütahya Dumlupınar University, Prof. Dr. Süleyman Kızıltoprak, emphasizes that digitalization in higher education is not merely a technological renewal but also a strategic transformation process that deepens the institutional quality culture. Highlighting the importance of universities taking a leading role in this transformation, Prof. Dr. Kızıltoprak states that the workshop serves as a visionary gathering in the field of digital quality management.

Following this, the President of the Higher Education Quality Council (THEQC), Prof. Dr. Ümit Kocabıçak, draws attention to the critical importance of digitalization for the sustainability of the quality assurance system in higher education. Prof. Dr. Kocabıçak states, “This workshop serves as a pioneering and exemplary initiative in the field of digital quality management. It makes concrete contributions to this field by enhancing knowledge sharing among universities,” while also emphasizing its alignment with the goals outlined in THEQC’s 2030 Vision Document. He notes that digital transformation and the integration of quality management systems play a decisive role in achieving these goals, adding, “Such events are important steps that increase the practical effectiveness of the 2030 vision in higher education.”

Next, the Vice-Rector of Kütahya Dumlupınar University responsible for quality, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Arif Özgür, provides information about the ongoing efforts to strengthen the university’s quality assurance system infrastructure and the digital transformation-focused objectives. Prof. Dr. Özgür states that the workshop forms an important platform supporting inter-university experience sharing in line with this vision.

The final speaker of the opening session, Quality Coordinator Dr. Figen Karaferye, states that digitalization becomes a process transforming decision-making, governance, and quality culture today. She emphasizes that quality management at the university is carried out with an approach grounded in participation, learning, and continuous improvement and underlines the importance of structuring the digitalization process in a way that supports this framework.

The opening session is moderated by Deputy Quality Coordinator Lect. Latife Sürsavur Demirel of Kütahya Dumlupınar University.

Following the opening, the sessions begin, addressing various aspects of digital quality management in higher education.
Prof. Dr. Hande Gürer Orhan, Head of the Accreditation and Quality Management Office at Ege University, shares her experiences regarding digital quality management practices in educational processes.
Ankara University Quality Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Suna Ertunç and Dr. Zafer Kadırhan deliver presentations on the digitalization of quality processes in research projects, the digital management of ethics committee procedures, and data-driven decision-making systems.
Assoc. Prof. Funda İfakat Tengiz, Quality Coordinator of İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University, and Deputy Coordinator Prof. Dr. Melike Tekindal present examples related to the use of digital tools in societal contribution projects, stakeholder communication, and the management of feedback processes through digital systems.
Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Quality Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Ahmet Buğra Hamşioğlu explains the integration of digitalization into governance, leadership, and decision-making processes and shares the practices implemented at their institution.

In the afternoon sessions, universities introduce their unique digital quality systems.
Bursa Uludağ University Quality Coordinator Lect. Yasemin Özdemir and Internal Control Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Duygu Acar present the Quality and Internal Control Integrated System (ICIS) developed at their university, sharing experiences on the integration of internal control and quality processes within a holistic system.
Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Vice-Rector and Quality Coordinator Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Şimşek explains the digitalization process of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) implementation and its role in institutionalizing the quality assurance system. Şimşek states that the achievements and awards obtained since the establishment of the system demonstrate the sustainability of digital transformation.
Sakarya University Quality Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Özlem Canan Güngören shares practices related to digital quality literacy training, personnel guidance processes, and the integration of students into quality processes.

In the final session of the meeting, Vice-Rector for Quality Prof. Dr. Mustafa Arif Özgür provides an overall evaluation of the event. Prof. Dr. Özgür emphasizes that digital transformation creates an important opportunity area that strengthens the quality management culture in higher education and thanks all speakers and participants.

At the end of the program, it is announced that all session recordings and presentation documents are shared with the participants and that certificates of appreciation are sent to the speakers via e-mail.

This pioneering event organized by the Kütahya Dumlupınar University Quality Coordination Office strengthens inter-university knowledge sharing and increases awareness regarding the integration of digital transformation into quality management processes in higher education. The Quality Coordination Office emphasizes that the event represents an important milestone in strengthening the university’s quality culture within its digital transformation journey.