A Workshop on Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) was organized by the Social Contribution Coordination Office of KAEU. The event took place on November 28, 2024, in the Fuat Sezgin Hall of the Ahi Evran Congress and Culture Center. The opening session of the workshop was attended by Kırşehir Deputy Governor Yasin Özcan, Rector of Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Ali Güneş and Prof. Dr. Musa Özata, Kaman District Governor Nurullah Kaya, Kırşehir Provincial Director of Civil Society Relations Hikmet Kılıç, prominent CSO representatives from Kırşehir, as well as academic and administrative staff.
The opening speech of the workshop was delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Maruf, Coordinator of the Social Contribution Office. Maruf explained that the Social Contribution Coordination Office was established at the university eleven months ago and has hosted approximately 30 events since then. He emphasized that the CSO Workshop was organized to evaluate projects that could contribute to the development of Kırşehir and expressed gratitude to the CSO representatives participating in the event.
Rector Karahocagil: “The Akhism Organization is a Quality Movement”
Following the speech by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Maruf, Coordinator of the Social Contribution Office, Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil took the floor to discuss the projects of Kırşehir Ahi Evran University that add value to the region. Rector Karahocagil highlighted that as an 18-year-old young university, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University has achieved significant success in quality initiatives, sharing this success story with nearly 60 other universities. He also stated that the university has become a role model for Turkish Higher Education institutions. Rector Karahocagil emphasized that Kırşehir Ahi Evran University holds a 5-Year Full Institutional Accreditation Certificate, which was obtained in 2022 and will be valid until 2027. Providing detailed insights into the university’s quality journey, which began in 2016, he proudly noted that it is the only public university to have achieved 5-Star Excellence in Superior Performance recognition under the EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) framework. With the EFQM certification, the university possesses the competence to accredit itself both nationally and internationally. Highlighting the global importance of quality practices, especially in higher education, Rector Karahocagil stressed that the university’s quality efforts are deeply rooted in the principles of Akhism. He remarked:
“Akhism is an early value-based quality movement, and we firmly believe in this. The Akhism Organization, founded by Ahi Evran-ı Veli, whose name our university proudly carries, established all the standards and stages for vocational education and production as a guild. It also imposed penalties for those who did not comply. Setting standards is the essence of quality. The Turkish quality system was founded by the Akhism Organization, which is a value of our civilization.” Rector Karahocagil reaffirmed the university’s commitment to advancing a quality movement inspired by Akhism values, emphasizing that they continue to promote the university’s award-winning Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) to numerous institutions and universities. He described IQMS as an extremely valuable software and concluded: “This is a system that serves as an example for global higher education.”
Rector Karahocagil: “Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Aims to Make Our City a Hub for Health Tourism”
Continuing his speech, Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil stated that the university is committed to contributing to the re-establishment of trade guilds with Akhism values and expressed their intention to collaborate with NGOs. "We believe that the driving force of the future will be quality," said Rector Karahocagil, reaffirming that the university’s future initiatives will be grounded in the principles of Akhism. Rector Karahocagil noted that Kırşehir Ahi Evran University was selected as a pilot university in agriculture and geothermal fields under the Regional Development-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization Program in 2016. He explained that the university has developed six projects—three in agriculture and three in geothermal energy—to support the development of Kırşehir. The Rector provided details on the projects, including Securing Geothermal Resources and Transporting Them to Project Sites, Clustering in Thermal Greenhouses, Roughage Production, Walnut-Focused Regional Development, Geothermal-Based Rehabilitation Center (JEOKAREM/GETAT), and Sports Health Research, Application, and Thermal Rehabilitation Center (SAUTER). Highlighting the importance of health-focused projects, Rector Karahocagil emphasized the promising future of health tourism and the significance of diversifying tourism offerings in the health sector. “We aim to focus on health tourism and provide health services both nationally and internationally,” he said, continuing: “Kırşehir Ahi Evran University wants to make our city a center of attraction for health tourism. We aim to achieve this in collaboration with CSOs and the city’s stakeholders. As a university, we are at the service of the city, and we look forward to your proposals and contributions.”
Özcan: "The Architects of Social Solidarity Are CSOs and Universities"
Following the speech of Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Kırşehir Deputy Governor Yasin Özcan took the floor. Özcan emphasized that the key elements driving the development of a city, making it more livable and stronger, are social solidarity and collective wisdom. He underlined that the milestone of this solidarity is the collaboration between CSOs and universities. Stating that CSOs are organizations that closely monitor societal dynamics, identify urban issues, and seek solutions, Özcan highlighted that universities are institutions leading knowledge and science, nurturing qualified human resources, and contributing to sustainable development. He noted that the synergy between universities and CSOs greatly enhances the potential for cities to achieve significant goals. Deputy Governor Özcan remarked that the CSO Workshop is of great importance for Kırşehir and extended his gratitude to everyone who contributed to organizing the event.
After the opening speeches, the workshop took place with the participation of CSO representatives.
