ALI GUNES

  NEW TRENDS IN QUALITY ASSURANCE ali gunes University of New York Tirana aligunes@unyt.edu.al   Quality assurance in higher education refers to the systematic processes and practices that institutions worldwide strive to implement to ensure that their educational offerings meet established standards of quality in every aspect of the institutions, ranging from teaching to research, from management to institutional job satisfaction. Thus, it encompasses a range of activities to evaluate, monitor, and improve the quality of education, teaching, research, and institutional performance. Key components of quality assurance in higher education include: 1.   Standards and Criteria : Quality assurance in higher education helps Establish clear standards and criteria for evaluating the quality of educational programs, teaching, and learning outcomes. Regulatory bodies, accreditation agencies, or institutions may set these standards. 2.   Evaluation and Assessment...

  The Future of Higher Education Ali G üneş University of New York Tirana aligunes@unyt.edu.al Technological advancements, evolving societal needs, and shifting economic landscapes have profoundly transformed the higher education landscape. As we constantly look towards the future of higher education, we must explore the key trends and challenges shaping higher education in the coming decades to maintain sustainability. Many ideas might be put forward concerning the shifts in the higher education landscape and its future practices from different points of view. Here, the reflection will focus on a few prominent points already being discussed in the academic circle. Yet, I will be humbled to add my opinions to these leading points, such as technology integration, the shift towards lifelong learning, and the importance of diversity and inclusion to have higher education adapt itself to a rapidly changing world in the future. Today, integrating technology into the learning...

  Ensuring Quality in Higher Education: The Importance of External Accreditation Ali Gunes The University of New York Tirana aligunes@unyt.edu.al   In higher education's dynamic landscape, external accreditation is a hallmark of quality assurance, academic integrity, and success, and it cannot be exaggerated, especially in the context of the rapidly increasing number of universities offering various programs worldwide based on the requirements of the time. External accreditation processes are not easy, and they cover crucial quantitative and qualitative information, including stakeholder feedback, meticulous documentation, and sincere academic and administrative staff dedication. However, u niversities worldwide constantly undergo rigorous evaluation processes to attain accreditation from external bodies, signifying their commitment to excellence in education, research and community service. Thus, universities worldwide open quality assurance and excellence centres t...

  The Ignored Value of Social Sciences: A Case for Recognition ali gunes The University of New York Tirana aligunes@unyt.edu.al In contemporary capitalist consumerist societies, money and what brings money have become particularly important. Consumerism, unquestionably entwined with capitalism, visibly affects daily life in postmodern society, constantly shaping and reshaping social structures and institutions, along with habits, beliefs and identities, by imposing its hegemonic and controlling grip on individuals and group lives and behaviours. Suradech Chotiudompant (2013) argues that “consumerism is a crucial issue nowadays because we need to consume not only to meet our basic needs but also to satisfy our wants, which are increasingly complex and hard to distinguish from the former. We must consume…to create our identity, state our political standpoint, or quench our insatiable desires.” Consumerism, in the first place, is merely linked to the satisfaction of basic ma...

  The Crucial Role of Literature in Shaping Human Experience ali gunes The University of New York Tirana aligunes@unyt.edu.al   When one attacks literature and considers it useless, I recall Sir Philip Sidney with his often-quoted work An Apology for Poetry  (or  The Defence of Poesy ), published in 1595, and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s famous essay “The Defence of Poetry” published posthumously in 1840 in  Essays, Letters from Abroad, Translations and Fragments . Both authors defended literature in general and poetry in particular against the criticism that literature was unnecessary during scientific developments because literature was considered useless and a waste of time. Sidney rejects those tendencies throughout the writing in An Apology for Poetry : “. . . Only the poet, disdaining to be tied to any such subjection, lifted up with the vigour of his own invention, doth grow in effect another nature, in making things either better than nature bri...

  The Essential Ingredients of Academic Success: Exploring the Anatomy of a Successful University ali gunes The University of New York Tirana aligunes@unyt.edu.al   A few days ago, I found myself in a lively debate with a colleague about the factors that drive academic success in universities. Our viewpoints, shaped by our diverse experiences as managers and faculty members, were notably distinct. While I respect the various interpretations and definitions of a successful university, I am convinced that there are universal criteria that form the bedrock of academic success. As the conversation meandered, I decided to halt it. Yet, the topic continued to occupy my thoughts. As Freud would suggest, I find solace in penning down my thoughts in such instances. This internal struggle forms the unique perspective that underpins this article, offering a fresh take on the matter. Universities, at their core, are the custodians of knowledge, innovation, and intellectual gro...

  Universities and Local Development Ali Gunes The University of New York Tirana aligunes@unyt.edu.al   As a representative of the University of New York Tirana, a unique academic institution with its distinct perspective, I had the privilege of participating in “The 9th European Congress of Local Governments: The Future of the Idea of Decentralisation in a Changing World”  organised by Foundation Institute for Eastern Studies and  held on 4-5 March 2024 in the rural city of Mikolajki, Poland. The Congress, attended by nearly 2,500 guests from various sectors, was a “platform for exchanging views and a meeting place” for developing local governments and communities. In my paper titled “Education and Development: How do Universities Contribute to the Improvement of Local Governments and Communities?” I presented the unique perspective of the University of New York Tirana on the role of universities in local development . Universities are not passive entit...

  What makes a university a 21st-century university ? Ali Gunes University of New York Tirana, Albania aligunes@unyt.edu.al   In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, the concept of a "21st-century university" is not merely a catchphrase but a pivotal framework that steers institutions towards adapting to the demands of contemporary society, embracing innovation, and prioritising the holistic development of students in an increasingly interconnected world. Thus, it is better to delve into the key characteristics that distinguish a 21st-century university, reflecting pedagogy, research, technology, and societal needs shifts. First, a 21st-century university should apply an interdisciplinary approach to its teaching and research and administrative methods because complex developments and problems cannot be solved with a single approach or worldview. For instance, a sociologist can “borrow” the methods of “ethnography from anthropologists in order to devel...