Akdeniz University's Process of Becoming a Research-Oriented University: Institutional Structuring, Goals, Activities and Outcomes

Abstract

Turkish universities are not among the top 500 universities in most of the world university ranking systems and have had difficulties in maintaining their current place for the last five years. The most important reason for this decline is that they cannot produce high-quality research outcome. In the literature of higher education studies, there are a limited number of studies on how state universities governed with solely public resources could follow "research-oriented strategies and policies" and what they should do in concrete terms. Based on this deficiency, in this study, experiences of the Research Development and Coordination Board (RDCB) which was established to apply the strategies of Akdeniz University to become a research-oriented university effectively and sustainably, to adapt quickly to the newly formed and developing conditions in the field of R&D, to develop strategies, and to contribute to the university's capacity at the highest level to produce qualified scientific knowledge were examined. Thus, how the institutionalization of the research-oriented university was ensured, the practices that could and could not be realized accordingly with the established policy goals, and the effects of 2017-2020 policies on research outcomes were discussed in detail. The study, in particular, provides important information on how to improve research outcomes through public research budget and which roles the board can play in improving research outcome.