The 34th meeting of the ILDEK Council (Council of Communication Faculty Deans) will be held in Gaziantep between May 7–9, 2026, hosted by Hasan Kalyoncu University. It is gratifying that the Rector of Hasan Kalyoncu University, Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Erdoğan, who comes from the field of communication, has shown special interest in this important academic gathering and taken the lead in organizing the meeting at her university. As the ILDEK Council, we sincerely thank her for this valuable hospitality and contribution.
The Council of Communication Faculty Deans (ILDEK) has been an important academic platform since 2000, bringing together the deans of communication faculties in Türkiye, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Balkans, and Kyrgyzstan that are affiliated with the Turkish higher education system. Among the council’s main objectives are strengthening coordination among academics in the field of communication, increasing cooperation among scholars through meetings and events, updating curricula in communication faculties in line with developing technology and sectoral needs, and building bridges among communication institutions at national and international levels.
In its early years, ILDEK meetings were held several times a year. In later years, they evolved into a more systematic structure and have since continued as an annual gathering.
During the 2025–2026 academic year, the ILDEK Executive Board consists of Chair Prof. Dr. Senem Gençtürk Hızal, Permanent Member Prof. Dr. Asaf Varol, and Board Members Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan, Prof. Dr. Hülya Önal, Prof. Dr. Ümit Arklan, and Prof. Dr. Elif Asude Tunca. Prof. Dr. Ercan Aktan serves as the alternate member. At the Gaziantep meeting, the new term executive board members of ILDEK will be re-elected.
Since its establishment, ILDEK has made significant contributions to the field of communication through its meetings, reports, advisory decisions, and initiatives before higher education institutions. It has become an influential platform within the higher education system in terms of improving the quality of communication education in Türkiye, strengthening cooperation among faculties, resolving academic issues through collective wisdom, and taking strategic steps for the future of the field. Especially in recent years, the decisions taken by the council have produced remarkable outcomes in solving current issues of communication faculties and enhancing quality.
One of ILDEK’s notable contributions has been identifying communication-specific issues in associate professorship application processes and developing solution mechanisms. Within the processes conducted by the Interuniversity Council (ÜAK), contradictions regarding academic fields and keywords related to communication education were thoroughly examined. A commission of expert academics was established to analyze these issues and develop recommendations, and the resulting advisory decisions were published in the final declarations section of our website.
Another important contribution of the council has been carrying the problems of communication faculties directly to the agenda of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). ILDEK has held meetings at the level of the President of YÖK regarding the structural problems and future expectations of communication faculties. This demonstrates that ILDEK is not only an academic solidarity platform, but also a representative body contributing to the shaping of higher education policies.
ILDEK has also played an important role in quota policies aimed at preserving quality in communication education. In recent years, the rapid increase in undergraduate and graduate programs in communication faculties has created pressure on educational quality in some institutions. The council evaluated this issue and submitted several recommendations to YÖK for reducing quotas and planning them in a more balanced manner. These efforts have helped influence recent decisions to reduce quotas in communication faculties.
In addition, ILDEK has made important evaluations regarding the quality of the student placement system for communication faculties. The negative impact of admitting students with very low entrance scores on educational quality has been discussed, and studies were carried out to communicate these concerns to the relevant institutions. Although some initiatives could not be fully implemented due to the limited number of higher education programs accessible through social score admissions, the council continues to maintain its determined stance on this matter.
The council has also brought attention to the impact of open and distance education programs on formal communication faculties. In some universities, communication programs within open and distance education faculties admitting students with high quotas have created negative consequences for faculties offering traditional face-to-face education. These concerns were submitted to YÖK in the form of a final declaration, and ILDEK resolved to share its views with the relevant faculty administrators and lead the search for solutions.
Another remarkable contribution of ILDEK has been its support for the expansion of practice-oriented education models. Especially within the 7+1 education model, where students spend one semester in sectoral practice, the positive reflections on employability have been discussed in meetings. Successful examples of this model have been shared with other communication faculties, encouraging wider adoption. As a result, graduates are expected to become better prepared for professional life by combining theoretical knowledge with field experience, while increasing employment opportunities after graduation.
The council has also taken initiatives to solve problems related to the employment of teaching staff. Bureaucratic obstacles in appointing expert lecturers in certain communication programs were evaluated as disruptive to educational processes, and related studies were submitted to YÖK. This approach is particularly valuable in enabling professionals from the industry to contribute to education in rapidly changing areas such as media technologies, digital content production, visual design, and AI-supported media applications.
ILDEK also successfully continues its mission of bringing communication scholars together through scientific events. Taking the lead in organizing international symposiums such as CIDA is highly valuable in bringing different universities together, enabling young researchers to showcase themselves, and fostering new collaborations. Through such events, current issues in communication are discussed, academic production is encouraged, and Türkiye’s visibility in this field increases. In this context, the 5th International Communication in the Digital Age Symposium: Transformation of Intelligence – The Dialectics of Communication will be hosted by Kocaeli University Faculty of Communication between October 15–17, 2026.
Through the cooperation of ILDEK and ILAD (Communication Research Association), regular information sessions on accreditation processes of communication faculties have been organized during ILDEK meetings in recent years. Within this scope, deans attending the meetings are provided comprehensive training on accreditation criteria, quality standards, and evaluation processes.
Furthermore, the Higher Education Quality Council, which is responsible for completing, monitoring, and improving the quality processes of universities and cooperates with international quality agencies and institutions, has also participated in ILDEK meetings in recent years. Through the information sessions organized by the council, significant contributions have been made to the quality assurance and accreditation processes of communication faculties.
In conclusion, ILDEK has established a strong culture of solidarity among communication faculties through its work to date; contributed to the development of quality-oriented educational policies; and taken decisions guiding the field across a broad spectrum, from academic promotion processes to student quality, teaching staff issues, and national and international cooperation. In this respect, ILDEK is not merely a council of deans, but a strategic intellectual platform shaping the development of communication education in Türkiye.
