One of the goals of many academics who want to progress in their academic careers is to have the title of associate professor. Application for associate professorship is made by meeting certain conditions and passing through some stages. In this article, we will discuss all the details, from how to apply for an associate professorship, to the requirements for application, from documents to the evaluation process.
- What is an Associate Professorship Application?
Associate professorship application is the application made by academics who prove their academic qualifications and meet certain criteria to receive the title of associate professor. The title of associate professor is one of the important stages of an academic career and means a highly prestigious position for researchers. Applications for associate professorship in Turkey are carried out by the Interuniversity Board (ÜAK).
The associate professorship application process is evaluated by taking into account criteria such as the academician’s academic publications, scientific activities, and teaching proficiency. In this process, candidates must prove their scientific competence by meeting certain score criteria.
- Requirements for Associate Professorship Application
In order to apply for an associate professorship, candidates must meet certain criteria. The basic requirements for applying for an associate professorship in Turkey are as follows:
- PhD or Medical Specialist Degree: In order to apply for an associate professorship, the candidate must have a doctorate or medical specialty degree.
- Foreign Language Proficiency: Candidates who will apply for associate professorship must get at least 55 points from the foreign language exam. Foreign language exam may be one of the language exams accepted by ÜAK.
- Academic Publications and Scoring: To apply for an associate professorship, candidates must have enough academic publications to meet a certain score. This scoring is done based on criteria such as scientific research, articles and projects.
Candidates who meet these conditions have the right to apply for associate professorship. The application for associate professorship is accepted by proving that all these conditions are met.
- Required Documents for Associate Professorship Application
During the associate professorship application process, candidates must apply by completing certain documents. The required documents for the associate professorship application must be prepared completely:
- Doctorate or Medical Specialization Certificate: Candidates who will apply for associate professorship must submit their doctorate or medical specialty diploma.
- Foreign Language Certificate: Certificate of proficiency score obtained from the foreign language exam.
- Academic Studies and Publication List: A list of academic publications, projects and other scientific activities carried out by the candidate.
- Associate Professorship Application Form: The application form, which can be downloaded from the Interuniversity Board’s website, must be filled out completely.
These documents are the documents that candidates who will apply for associate professorship must submit to prove their academic qualifications.
- How to Apply for Associate Professorship? What are the Stages?
For academics who want to apply for an associate professorship, the process is completed by following certain steps. Here are the stages of the associate professorship application process:
- Application via ÜAK: Application for associate professorship is made through the Interuniversity Board (ÜAK). Candidates go to ÜAK’s website, fill out the application form and upload the necessary documents to the system.
- Review of Documents: After the application is made, the documents are examined by ÜAK and it is evaluated whether the application is suitable or not.
- Jury Assignment: ÜAK appoints a jury to evaluate the application. This jury makes a decision about the candidate by examining the scientific competence of the candidate.
- For Staff Oral Exam (If University Requests): During the application process for associate professorship, candidates may be subjected to an oral exam in front of a jury. In this exam, the scientific competence and professional knowledge of the candidates are evaluated.
After these stages are completed, the associate professorship application process ends and a decision is made as to whether the application is accepted or not.
- Associate Professorship Application Scoring System
During the associate professorship application process, the academic activities of the candidates are evaluated through a specific scoring system. This scoring is based on the candidate’s academic publications, scientific projects and other activities. Scoring criteria include:
- International Publications: Academic publications made abroad earn high scores.
- National Publications: Academic publications made in Turkey also have certain scores.
- Scientific Meetings and Presentations: Presentations and participation in scientific conferences are also evaluated in the scoring system.
- Projects: Academic projects are another important criterion that shows the scientific competence of the candidate.
According to the associate professorship application scoring system, candidates must pass a certain score threshold. Candidates who pass this threshold gain an advantage in the associate professorship application process.
- Oral Exam for Associate Professorship Application (Interview – If the University Requests)
During the associate professorship application process, candidates may take an oral examination by the jury. In this oral exam, candidates’ scientific knowledge and expertise in their fields are tested. Things to consider in the oral exam for associate professorship application are as follows:
- Demonstrating Scientific Competence: It is important for candidates to effectively express their scientific knowledge in their field.
- Ability to Answer Jury Questions: Jury members may ask questions to test the candidate’s professional knowledge.
- Presentation Proficiency: In some cases, candidates may be asked to make a presentation on a specific topic.
This exam is an important step in the application process for associate professorship in which the candidate demonstrates his scientific competence. The candidate’s application result is determined according to the evaluation made by the jury at the end of the exam.
- Evaluation of Associate Professorship Application Result and Announcement of Results
After the application for associate professorship is completed, the evaluations made by the jury are forwarded to ÜAK. This process continues until the result of the application is announced:
Acceptance of Application: If the jury thinks that the candidate meets the scientific competence and criteria, the application is accepted and the candidate receives the title of associate professor.
Rejection of Application: The applications of candidates who do not meet the associate professorship application criteria may be rejected. In case of rejection, it is stated in which areas the candidate is inadequate and he may have to wait a while before he can re-apply. Situations that occur when rejection occurs are as follows:
The results of the associate professorship application are announced by ÜAK and the candidates are officially notified. Candidates whose applications are accepted are entitled to hold the title of associate professor in Turkey.
