An EFQM Self-Assessment Criteria Leaders Meeting was held at our university under the chairmanship of Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil to evaluate the work carried out within the scope of the EFQM Model. Held on February 18, 2026, in the meeting room of the Rector's Office, the meeting was attended by Vice Rector and Quality Management Coordinator Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Şimşek and the EFQM Criteria Leaders.

At the meeting, our university's current level of preparation for the EFQM process was comprehensively reviewed, and the EFQM Excellence in Performance application planned for 2026 was evaluated in detail. The criteria leaders took the floor and gave a detailed presentation on the work carried out in their areas of responsibility, strengths, areas for improvement, and preparations for evidence documentation. At the meeting, Criterion Leaders Prof. Dr. Levent Urtekin spoke on “Purpose, Vision, and Strategy,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsa Bahat on “Organizational Culture and Leadership,” Prof. Dr. Fahriye Ercan on “Connecting with Stakeholders,” Prof. Dr. İlkay Açıkgöz Erkaya on “Creating Sustainable Value,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Yaman on “Performance and Steering Change,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamza Yakar on “Stakeholder Perception Results,” and Deputy Secretary General Canfer Memoğlu on “Strategic and Operational Performance.” Each criterion leader shared examples of situations encountered during the preparation process, and the employees' hesitations, perception levels, and degree of organizational ownership regarding the process were evaluated at the meeting.

Rector Karahocagil: “The EFQM Model has enabled our university to achieve systematic, data-driven, and sustainable institutional development.”

In his assessment of the meeting, Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil emphasized that international quality standards are not only a reference framework for our university but also a strategic guide that determines the direction of institutional transformation. He continued his speech as follows: "International quality frameworks reveal not only the current state of institutions but also their capacity for future transformation. The EFQM Model has enabled our university's institutional development to become systematic, data-driven, and sustainable. We view this process not merely as an application but as an opportunity for institutional learning and transformation. The EFQM approach enables us to address all our processes from a holistic perspective, from leadership to strategy, stakeholder management to performance results. Thanks to this model, we can highlight our strengths while also identifying areas for improvement with concrete data."

Rector Karahocagil: “The Application Will Not Only Be for Evaluation; It Will Be a Strategic Step Toward Sustainable Success and International Visibility”

Explaining that our university's goal is to make quality a natural part of our institutional culture rather than just a certificate or document, Rector Karahocagil noted that they want to establish a management approach that continuously improves processes, makes data-driven decisions, and prioritizes stakeholder satisfaction. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil also stated that they consider the application to be made in 2026 as a result of past work and an indicator of their claim for the future, and continued his speech as follows: "Our university's academic accumulation, human resources, and strong quality infrastructure meet quality standards. The upcoming application is not only for evaluation purposes; it will be a strategic step toward sustainable success and international visibility. I would like to thank our Criteria leaders and group members for their dedicated efforts and valuable contributions."

Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Şimşek: “The Systematic Studies We Have Conducted Over the Past Three Years Have Strengthened Institutional Memory”

Then, Quality Management Coordinator Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Şimşek took the floor and made an assessment. In his speech, Şimşek summarized the three-year work related to the EFQM process and emphasized that process management, performance indicator monitoring mechanisms, and evidence-based reporting infrastructure, particularly through the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS), constituted an important institutional accumulation. Drawing attention to the improvements made, particularly in the systematic integrity of evidence, data integration, and inter-process linking, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Şimşek continued his speech as follows: "The systematic work we have carried out over the last three years has strengthened our institutional memory. Thanks to the QMS infrastructure, the data-driven management culture has become more visible and sustainable. The competence our university has gained presents an important opportunity for the EFQM application." At the end of the meeting, a consensus was reached on the implementation of the process, with a decision to be made based on the Self-Assessment Study to be conducted on February 23-26, 2026, regarding the 2026 EFQM application. It was also emphasized that the process should be approached not only in terms of documentation but also in terms of cultural transformation, leadership approach, and results-oriented performance management. Kırşehir Ahi Evran University views the EFQM process as a strategic development tool with its approach that strengthens institutional capacity, is based on data-driven governance, and focuses on sustainable value creation.