Preparatory Reading
for EMU’s 2005-2010
Strategic Plan
Drafted for the Strategic Plan Working Group
by Dr. Johann Pillai in consultation with the
President’s Office, October 2004
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 2
CONTENTS
EMU Planning and Development Committees
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I.
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Introduction: Modernizing the University
EMU Today
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Stakeholders and Shared Responsibilities
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Strategic Planning
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III.
Our Vision
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IV.
Our Mission …
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V.
Educational Philosophy
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VI.
Initial Goals and Strategies
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VII.
Conclusion
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VIII.
Appendices
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Appendix 1: UN Secretary-General’s report, S/2004/437 (excerpt)
Appendix 2: EC Commission Regulation Proposal, April 2004
Appendix 3: EMU Senate Declaration, 12 July 2004
Appendix 4: EMU’s collaboration agreements/principles
Appendix 5: EMU’s administrative structure
Appendix 6: SPIKE brochure
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EMU PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES
Strategic Plan Working Group
Dr. Mehmet Altinay
Mr. Ekrem Cengizoğlu
Mr. Cahit Ezel
Dr. Hasan Güngör
Dr. Halil Nadiri (Chair)
Dr. Bilge Öney
Dr. Cem Tanova
Dr. Ömer Yağız
Dr. Tuğrul İlter
Dr. Erol Kaymak
Dr. Annes Lacher
Dr. Hüseyin Özkaramanlı
Dr. Özlem O. Türker
Dr. Ekrem Varoğlu
Dr. Dilek Yağcıoğlu
Ad Hoc Committee
Dr. Tülin Akçaoğlu
Dr. Sevda Alankuş
Dr. Uğur Atikoğlu (Chair)
Dr. Mürüde Çelikağ
Restructuring Committee (Yeniden Yapılanma)
Dr. Hacer S. Adaoğlu
Ms Arzu Alibaba
Dr. Tufan Erhürman (Chair)
Dr. Fatma G. Lisaniler
Dr. Kudret Özersay
Administrative Policies Committee (Mevzuat)
Ms Arzu Alibaba
Ms Ekrem Cengizoğlu
Mr. Hasan Kavaz
Mr. Mediha Piro
Mr. Coşkun Tokyay
Dr. Yücel Vural (Chair)
Academic Policies and Procedures Committee (Süreç ve Tüzük)
Dr. Hacer S. Adaoğlu
Dr. Ali Sıdkı Ağazade
Mr. Güven Ardahan
Mr. Hakan Arslan
Dr. Işık Aybay
Dr. Naciye Doratlı
Dr. Aykut Hocanın
Dr. Mustafa İlkan
Dr. Fatma Lisaniler
Dr. Bahire Özad
Dr. Yücel Tandoğdu
Dr. Turgut Turhan (Chair)
Academic Planning and Budget Committee (Plan ve Bütçe)
Dr. Cahit Adaoğlu
Dr. Hacer S. Adaoğlu
Dr. Mustafa Dağbaşı (Chair)
Dr. Majid Hashemipour
Dr. Nurten Kara
Dr. Monther Mohd
Dr. Necdet Osam
Dr. Elvan Yılmaz
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President’s Office By-law Committee (Rektörlük Tüzük)
Mr. Ercan Akın
Mr. Caner Barın (Adv.)
Dr. Stephen Bosworth
Dr. Abdullah Öztoprak (Adv.)
Dr. Yücel Tandoğdu (Chair)
Dr. Yücel Vural
Campus Services Advisory Board (Kampüs Hizmetleri)
Dr. Çağay Coşkuner
Dr. Uğur Dağlı
Ms Hicran Fırat
Mr. Cafer Kızılörs
Dr. Mehmet Kunt
Dr. Ekrem Varoğlu
Dr. Yücel Vural
Quality Control Committee (Ölçme-Değerlendirme)
Dr. Mehmet Garip (Chair)
Dr. Fethi Toker (Founding Advisor)
Educational Technologies Committee (Eğitim Teknolojileri)
Dr. Hasan Amca
Dr. Işık Aybay
Dr. Derviş Deniz
Dr. Gürkan Doğan (Chair)
Mr. Necdet İcil
Dr. Muhammed Salamah
Dr. Aytekin İşman
University Curriculum Committee (Müfredat)
Dr. Hacer S. Adaoğlu
Dr. Şamil Erdoğan
Dr. Guita Farivarsadri
Dr. Özay Gürtüğ
Dr. Mustafa İlkan
Dr. Süleyman İrvan
Dr. Turhan Kaymak
Dr. Hasan Kılıç
Ms Seval Niyazi
Dr. Ülker Vancı Osam
Dr. Hakan Özaktaş
Dr. Lorraina Pinnell
Dr. Osman Yılmaz (Chair)
General Education Advisory Board (Genel Eğitim)
Dr. Hacer Soykan Adaoğlu
Dr. Mashoed Baillie
Dr. Gül Celkan
Dr. Erzat Erdil
Dr. Mustafa İlkan
Dr. Mehmet İslamoğlu
Dr. Rüçhan Kayaman
Dr. Johann Pillai (Chair)
Dr. Şenol Yağız
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European Higher Education Harmonization Committee [EHEHC] (AB
Yüksek Öğretim Uyumu)
Dr. Ayhan Bilsel (Chair)
Dr. Hasan Ali Bıçak
Dr. Mehmet Garip
Dr. Derek J. Hearl
Dr. Mustafa İlkan
Ms Şefika Mertkan
Dr. Thomas Svatos
Dr. Michael Walsh
EHEHC Quality Assurance and Accreditation Subcommittee
Dr. Mehmet Garip
Ms Nemika İşlekzade
Dr. Baruck Opiyo
Dr. Hüseyin Yaratan
Ms Ruşen Yücesoylu
EHEHC Leonardo Da Vinci and Youth Programs Subcommittee
Ms Hülya Akbil
Ms Pınar Çalay
Dr. Mustafa İlkan
EHEHC European Credit Transfer System Subcommittee
Dr. Mehmet Altınay
Dr. Derek J. Hearl
Dr. Svitlana Rogovchenko
Mr. Hüseyin Yetkiner
EHEHC European Higher Education Area Subcommittee
Ms Gonca Aslan
Ms Nurcan Garip
Ms Şefika Mertkan
Dr. Bahire Özad
EHEHC Alternative Funds Projects Subcommittee
Dr. Jan Asmussen
Dr. Erzat Erdil
Dr. Erol Kaymak
Dr. Thomas Svatos
EHEHC Socrates Program Subcommittee
Ms Senem Deviren
Dr. Derek J. Hearl
Dr. Wojciech Forysinski
Mr. Cemil Sarıçizmeli
Dr. Michael Walsh
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I. INTRODUCTION: MODERNIZING THE UNIVERSITY
EMU Today
Eastern Mediterranean University was established in 1979, and is the oldest,
largest, and most modern university on the island of Cyprus. Over the last 25
years, the campus infrastructure has been completed, and the University’s
grounds and facilities have grown to cover an area of 2200 acres, with
buildings or enclosed spaces of 200,000m2. These buildings include offices,
classrooms, 90 laboratories for scientific and technological development, a
modern library with a capacity of 250,000 volumes, a fully equipped 1400m2
health center staffed by 13 specialists in 9 health areas, and 14 modern
residence halls with a 3000-bed capacity. The grounds also include superb
sports facilities: a 5,000-seat open-air stadium, a 3,500-seat closed stadium, a
grass football pitch and a tartan running track; as well as 66,500 m2 of open
sports areas, including 8 tennis courts, 6 basketball courts, 2 volleyball courts,
3 astroturf football pitches, and a cricket pitch.
The university’s academic structure comprises 7 Faculties and 3 Schools,
offering 28 four-year degree programs and 12 two-year associate degree
programs at the undergraduate level, and 21 Master’s and 13 Doctoral
programs at the graduate level, for all of which diploma equivalency has been
granted by the Ministries of Education of nine countries including Turkey.
Specific programs in such areas as Engineering, International Relations, and
Tourism, have additional accreditation from other organizations and
institutions. In its 25th year, EMU has graduated more than 16000 students,
and currently has a student enrollment of approximately 15,000 students
representing 68 different countries, and about 650 academic faculty and staff
representing 35 nationalities.
EMU also has two subsidiary institutions, the Eastern Mediterranean Primary
School and the high school, Eastern Mediterranean College. In addition to
academic personnel the University employs approximately 800 non-academic
personnel, including secretaries, accountants, technicians, machine operators,
drivers, and physical plant and grounds workers.
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Stakeholders and shared responsibilities
An organization of this scale does not operate in a vacuum. It is not only
students, faculty and staff who are affected by the University; the
surrounding community, the country, the region, and the international
community all have a stake in its growth and success. To understand this,
EMU must be seen as playing a significant role on eight levels, four external
and four internal, all of which are interrelated and overlap:
A. EXTERNAL LEVELS
Level I: International (Global)
EMU, because of its cosmopolitan character and aspirations from the time it
was founded, has earned an international reputation. As a secular institution
that respects and is tolerant of all religious or cultural beliefs, and moreover,
which has English, a universal language of communication, as its primary
language of instruction, the University is well prepared to do all that is
necessary to become an active and competitive partner in collaborative
projects with other universities around the world.
Regardless of the international political situation, EMU must continue to work
to develop itself with a view to learning, collaborating, contributing, and
competing at the highest standards in Europe, the United States, and the rest
of the international arena.
Level II: Regional (West Asia, the eastern Mediterranean and the
“Middle East”)
Because of its strong regional connections and experience in regional
problems; and because of the pluralistic and multicultural character of its
academic and student population, EMU has the potential to make significant
contributions to growth and development in the eastern Mediterranean, West
Asian and “Middle Eastern” regions, and to serve as a meeting place, a bridge
between cultures and areas of civilization in these areas and Europe and the
United States.
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The University must continue to develop its relations with regional
institutions, and increase its role as a force for change, development,
modernization and in the region, while helping to preserve the natural and
built environment and respecting the needs and values of indigenous and
local cultures and traditions.
Level III: National (Cyprus)
As an international academic institution the University represents our
country, and as a major force for assisting in the economic, cultural, and social
development of the Turkish Cypriot people, it has the potential to transcend
the political limitations imposed on North Cyprus by the international
community. This does not mean, however, that it should do so to the
exclusion of any population on the island. The University has a responsibility
to continue, in the academic spirit, to extend a hand of friendship and offers of
partnership, collaboration, consultancy, and sharing of intellectual resources
to all universities and organizations on the island, for the mutual benefit of all.
As the largest university in Cyprus, EMU furthermore has a responsibility to
businesses and other institutions to produce graduates well qualified and
competent to respond to their needs; and this requires close cooperation and
relations of mutual support and sponsorship between the University and
businesses and organizations throughout the country, all of whom have a
stake in its success. It must also extend its expertise to assist development at
the high school and primary school levels, and also actively pursue close
relations of cooperation with social and cultural organizations, to bring
students, staff, and members of the community together.
Level IV: Local (Famagusta)
On a local level, the city of Famagusta has grown largely as a result of the
development of EMU. The student population, which has today increased to
about 15,000, has generated income for the city (and the country) by opening
accounts in banks, renting apartments, paying utilities bills, eating in
restaurants, purchasing products and services from shops, businesses and
petrol stations, and making use of private and public transportation. Student
(and parent) revenues outside the University have an impact in numerous
other areas as well, including airlines, tourism, hotel accommodation, health
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care providers, and newspaper and magazine readership. EMU also provides
employment to some 650 academic and 800 non-academic personnel, and they
impact the city in similar ways.
These benefits to the city, however, are accompanied by problems related to
rapid development under conditions of limited resources—in particular traffic
congestion, environmental pollution, and an increase in the number of
buildings in the city, without adequate attention being paid to zoning,
parking spaces, utilities, sanitation, and drainage. EMU must work with and
provide consultancy to the city of Famagusta to ensure that such development
of the built environment continues in a controlled and logical way with due
regard to the natural environment. It should also develop a closer relationship
with the city by creating ties and mutually productive relationships with the
municipality and local businesses, and encourage further collaboration in
social and cultural events.
B. INTERNAL LEVELS
Level V: Infrastructure
The development of campus infrastructure or the “hardware” of buildings
and facilities has largely been completed, but there is a need to develop more
teaching facilities, and in particular, student-friendly buildings. At this stage
existing infrastructure has to be used in the most efficient way possible, and in
particular, constantly updated and modernized. This is most important
where teaching facilities are concerned, as classrooms and lecture halls need
to be equipped with the most modern technologies.
Level VI: Administration
The administrative processes and procedures or “software” of the university
need major restructuring to improve efficiency and eliminate unnecessary
bureaucracy. The centralized hierarchy that has been built into the structure of
EMU and increased over the last ten years needs to be reorganized, and
authority redistributed throughout the university to the academic units with
relative autonomy and clear accountability. This decentralization is a
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fundamental need in the processes of internal democratization and creating
transparency within the university, and it should extend to the highest levels
of the university’s administration. The “state trust” status of the university
leaves it vulnerable to the shifting winds of politics, and the university must,
for the benefit of all concerned acquire a further degree of autonomy from
government and political intervention in its affairs, to ensure its stability.
Level VII: Academic Staff (Research and Teaching)
The primary areas concerning academic staff—teaching and research—need
to be examined constantly. In keeping with developments in the modern
world, a new philosophy of education and a new logic of the curriculum as a
dynamically evolving framework for instruction must be implemented
throughout the university. As instruction is one of the fundamental bases of a
university, a fair system of staff evaluation and an efficient review process
need to be developed so that teaching will develop in ways most beneficial to
students. New forms and techniques of teaching must be developed, in
particular those making use of the latest educational technologies; and
methods of assessing quality and excellence in teaching created, as well as
guidance for improvement. At the same time, facilities, opportunities,
incentives, and support mechanisms must be developed for staff who are
actively involved in research and the creation and application of knowledge
for the benefit of society.
New means of assessment have to be framed for evaluating different degrees
of scholarly and academic activity, and these have to be implemented in a fair
and logical way. The development of a just and efficient system and issues of
job security must further be considered with due care; and it is also in the
interest of academic staff to develop a union which operates impartially in the
spirit of negotiation to address their needs, with a clear and full
understanding of the larger picture of the university’s needs, contingencies,
and plans for development.
Level VIII: Students (Educational Quality and Campus Life)
Students are, of course, the foundation and base of a university. It is therefore
essential for a philosophical shift to take place within the university, so that it
becomes “student-centered.” This means that EMU must develop new
approaches to teaching and learning to serve an increasingly multicultural
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student population both inside and outside the classroom. It means that
curricula need to be reconsidered carefully to consider whether an
appropriate and effective education is being provided for students which will
enable them to learn for themselves and compete in the modern world; and
that they must also be exposed to practical applications of knowledge in the
community and society as a whole. And it means that the university has a
responsibility to develop comprehensive student support services, to enhance
student life and learning.
Problems at each of these levels have to be continually identified and solved,
and steps taken to develop the university on each level. This is the purpose of
Strategic Planning.
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II. STRATEGIC PLANNING
The Strategic Planning Committee is currently developing Eastern
Mediteranean University’s 2005-2010 Strategic Plan, to be completed by
March, 2004. This is following a five-step process, with the first step taken by
the Ad Hoc Committee:
Step 1:
a) Analyzing the present state of the university at all levels—
identifying its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats to its future (SWOT analysis).
b) Identifying the individuals and organizations that have a
stake in the development of the university.
c) Predicting needs for the future.
Step 2:
Developing a comprehensive statement of the Mission and
Vision of the University, and identifying, benchmarking and
prioritizing goals. The principles, goals and strategies
subsequently developed are based partly on the SWOT analysis
and the need to fill gaps, and partly on the university’s
perceived mission and vision.
Step 3:
Developing criteria for measuring our progress towards
achieving these goals.
Step 4:
Determining our present levels of progress and how much
further we have to go to achieve our goals.
Step 5:
a) Deciding on methods and strategies which can be used to
achieve these goals, and focusing on the main methods.
b) Developing an Annual Action Plan to fill any possible gaps,
and an Emergency Action Plan to deal with any unforeseen
circumstances.
c) Putting the methods, strategies, and Action Plan into
practice, and continually overseeing the implementation of
the Action Plan and the methods used, to ensure that they
are being applied effectively; and developing new strategies
as circumstances require.
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III. OUR VISION
We envision Eastern Mediterranean University as developing and growing
further into one of the leading academic institutions in the eastern
Mediterranean, Middle East, and North African regions. As it moves forward
in this direction, the overall framing vision of EMU is one of commitment:
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To inspiring and educating students to become critical thinkers and
autonomous individuals and personalities who will contribute to the
development of their societies on the basis of knowledge, ethical and
professional responsibility, open-mindedness and personal integrity;
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To promoting cultural diversity and understanding both in the
university and in society;
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To contributing to the welfare of society and to sustainable
development and peaceful coexistence in the region;
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To playing a proactive role in the economic, social, and cultural
development of the country by according the greatest priority to
academic freedom and achieving the highest standards in education
and research;
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To being a democratic, transparent and autonomous institution.
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IV. OUR MISSION
Our primary mission and goal, as we increase our distinction in teaching and
research in our region, is to work actively in the following areas:

To offer an academic environment that attracts and retains a highly
qualified and diverse body of students and faculty regardless of their
ideological, political, cultural and social backgrounds;

To create a stimulating intellectual environment that fosters values of
respect, empathy, and ethical responsibility;

To encourage the participation of all the university’s members and
their organizations in the formulation of its short-term and long-term
policies;

To provide an environment in which its members can pursue reasoned
analysis and engage in critical thinking; and to make a conscious effort
to encourage diversity while uniting the university’s staff and students
in pursuing the core values of a university: acquiring, creating, and
applying knowledge;

To strive to be an institution which is transparent in its decisions and
activities and which efficiently implements its programs and policies;

To develop close relationships with and provide knowledge, services
and technology to all communities in the broader Mediterranean
region without bias;

To make intense academic and social efforts to initiate, support and
encourage solutions for environmental protection in Cyprus and in the
broader Mediterranean region.
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V. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
As an institution of higher learning, our purpose is to develop and establish a
dynamic and creative international environment in which teaching and
research are conducted at the highest standards. Global economic conditions
demand that students when they graduate have attained not only a university
degree and both specialized and general knowledge, but also high adaptation
skills for the workplace; and that they have become self-confident and
enthusiastic team players, educated in a variety of fields, with the potential to
make positive contributions to the progress of society. We have a
responsibility to produce competitive graduates who can meet the
increasingly complex human resource needs of the 21st century.
Our educational philosophy at Eastern Mediterranean University is,
accordingly, to prepare our students for life and professional careers as
knowledgeable individuals with high personal, professional and ethical
standards. It is our responsibility to guide our students along the paths of
learning and to produce graduates who:

are inquisitive and critical;

have initiative, and are competitive but sociable;

value human virtue, and hold a sense of responsibility to society and
its problems;

are willing to engage in team-work;

are willing to respect the opinions of others although they may be
different from their own;

are democratic and hold in esteem the inviolable rights of others;

are competent in a second foreign language other than English.
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VI. INITIAL GOALS AND STRATEGIES
A. EXTERNAL LEVELS
Level I: International (Global)
Goals and Priorities:
EMU needs to strengthen its international standing and develop firm and
productive ties with other international institutions, particularly in Europe, to
enhance its research potential and opportunities for academic research,
broaden its students’ experiences by enabling them to learn, compete and
contribute in different contexts, and acquire additional sources of funding.
Strategies and Measures:
Through the April 2004 referenda, the Turkish Cypriots demonstrated that
they are in favor of peace and a just settlement in Cyprus, and thus, that they
can no longer be held responsible for the impasse that continues to exist. The
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his report to the Security Council on 28
May 2004 (see Appendix I: UN document S/2004/437) indicates the need to lift
all the restrictions on the Turkish Cypriot community. In addition, the EU
Commission, in its April 2004 “Proposal for a Council Regulation,” invites the
European Council to extend direct aid for the economic development of the
Turkish Cypriot community, and for the purpose of bringing the Turkish
Cypriot community closer to the European Union (see Appendix II: the
Council Regulation Proposal). The EMU Senate, on 12 July 2004, made a
unanimous declaration demanding the implementation of the UN SecretaryGeneral’s call for the lifting of economic and all forms of academic restrictions
imposed on the Turkish Cypriots (see Appendix III: the EMU Senate
Declaration).
1) EMU already has established principles/protocols for
collaboration with 85 universities in 30 different countries
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around the world (see Appendix IV: Principles/Protocols for
Collaboration). Dormant protocols are being studied and
revitalized, and existing functioning agreements strengthened
further for faculty and student exchange programs and
cooperation agreements.
2) The academic profile of EMU should be raised through an
emphasis on excellence in research (see Level VII below)
3) EMU has existing protocols/principles for collaboration with 12
universities in Europe—Britain (University College London,
Manchester College of Arts and Technology, the University of
Derby, and the University of Buckinghamshire); France
(Perpignan University and Cergy-Pontpise University);
Germany (Erfurt University); Spain (Ibn Rushd University and
the Law Faculty of the University of Cordoba); Ireland (the
University of Ulster); Italy (Politecnico di Milan); and Poland
(Nicholas Copernicus University). These initiatives should be
developed, and emphasis given to creating similar agreements
with other institutions. A European Higher Education
Harmonization Committee (EHEHC) has been established at
EMU, and its work is currently being distributed among six
subcommittees in the following areas: Quality Assurance and
Accreditation, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth, European Credit
Transfer System, European Higher Education Area, Socrates
Program, and Alternative Funds Projects. Immediate priorities
are application for full individual membership in the European
University Association (submitted) and application for an
Erasmus Charter (in progress).
4) EMU’s programs have officially been granted diploma
equivalency by the Ministries of Education of Pakistan, Iran,
Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, Palestine, India, Kirghiztan, and
Turkey. All of our diplomas are recognized through our
protocol with Central Connecticut State University; our
programs in Engineering have received additional accreditation
from the Pakistan Engineering Council; the Department of
International Relations has developed a collaboration protocol
with the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz,
and the Department of History has developed a protocol with
the University of Erfurt, in Germany. The School of Tourism and
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Hospitality Management has TEDQUAL certification, and the
Faculty of Engineering’s application for ABET accreditation will
be finalized in October 2004. Each program offered at EMU will
work to seek relevant international accreditation in its area.
5) EMU has the potential to provide leadership in some areas, and
we intend to develop Centers of Excellence in these areas. One is
archeology, where EMU’s Department of Archeology and Art
History is setting the standard with its Neolithic excavation at
Tatlısu and proposals for new excavations, and with its work on
preservation of the cultural heritage of Cyprus. We will
encourage and support projects of this nature, and applications
for external funding from European sources for their
development. Another area is the social sciences. We are
communicating, for example, with representatives from the
Ministry of Culture in Iran, Turkey, and other countries, and
with Greek Cypriot institutions, and we hope to promote
mutual cultural understanding through developing such initial
contact into broader agreements for joint projects such as the
development of social sciences databases and think-tanks. Our
aim is to use projects of this kind to address such issues as
cultural sustainability, the place of religion in society,
leadership, minority rights, etc., and so to help move from the
idea of a “clash of civilizations” to that of a “meeting of
civilizations,” a meeting that recognizes the contribution of all
cultures to the world heritage, and promotes mutual
understanding.
Level II: Regional (the Mediterranean and the “Middle East”)
Goals and Priorities:
EMU needs to further broaden its ties with institutions in the eastern
Mediterranean, West Asian, and “Middle Eastern” regions on both academic
and cultural levels. These ties should be focused on the sharing of knowledge
and information, and on developing collaborative projects on issues of
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concern to the region. The concerns of international students from regional
countries must also be taken into account.
Strategies and Measures:
1) Existing protocols for collaboration should be strengthened, and
collaboration increased in areas of research in which the
University has particular expertise, such as small-island
economies, water resources management, energy conservation,
solar power, etc.
2) Promotional activities in regional countries need to be increased,
so that the university’s reputation spreads, and so that it will be
able to attract increasing numbers of students from the region,
who will serve by their accomplishments and as word-of-mouth
ambassadors, to represent EMU. Student liaison offices have
already been opened in several countries, including Turkey,
Iran, Jordan, and Pakistan.
3) EMU will work to actively generate and promote the sharing of
ideas throughout the region through arranging joint conferences
and symposia, guest lectures, and visiting appointments with
regional universities. We will also work to promote regional
growth by cooperating with businesses and industries and
developing internship programs and collaborative projects.
4) The cultural environment of EMU must be studied to
specifically identify the needs and problems of international
students from regional countries. An initial step has been taken
in this direction with the establishment of an International Office
at EMU.
5) EMU, because of its central location in the eastern
Mediterranean, the nature of its programs, and its commitment
to collaborative joint projects with other institutions, has the
potential to be a force for innovation and peaceful cultural
development in the region. The university will work actively to
promote the idea of a “harmonization of cultures” in the region,
and to develop solutions to problems in cultural understanding,
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serving as an East-Middle East-West bridge between this region
and other regions of civilization.
Level III: National (Cyprus)
Goals and Priorities:
As the first and only state trust university and as the largest on the island,
EMU feels the responsibility and the obligation to provide leadership in
strengthening the foundations of the higher education sector in North Cyprus,
and to help secure a better future for all affected by its work. EMU must also
further develop its relations with other institutions with a view to
contributing to the development of the Turkish Cypriot people. This is
particularly important in the context of a rapidly growing new Europe.
Strategies and Measures:
1) As a goodwill gesture, EMU has signed protocols for collaboration
with three other universities in North Cyprus, and has opened its
libraries and research bases to faculty and students at these
universities.
2) This cooperation has resulted in the creation of a joint university
entrance examination overseen by EMU’s Fethi Toker Assessment
Center, which has proved to be very successful. It is our hope that all
universities will join us in this initiative. The Quality Control
Committee and the Assessment Center are also working to establish an
examination preparation center at EMU to coordinate and administer
all civil service and national examinations.
3) EMU is working to develop technological and industrial collaboration
on the “Technopark” model which will create new areas of
employment, and we hope to increase the budget for this to $10,000,000
in three years. A Center for Advanced Technologies Research and
Development (TEKMER/ITAGE) has been established in this
connection. The University will expose students to real-world
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 21
experience in business and entrepreneurship by working to develop
internships with local businesses and industries, and inviting
representatives from the professional, industrial and business sectors to
address students under the SPIKE Program (see Level VIII below).
4) EMU is designing series of Certification Seminars and Distance
Learning programs which will be part of a Continuing Education
project offering professional development to members of the public.
The University will work with local organizations and government to
establish a system whereby successful participation in these seminars
and other components of the project will give participants partial
eligibility for promotion in their professional, business, and industrial
areas.
5) The university is actively trying to fulfil its obligations to the country
on environmental, political, and social levels. A first step was the prereferendum invitation of the Arı Group for a brainstorming conference,
and the creation in Istanbul of a “road-map” for the political future of
Cyprus. “Think-tanks” will be established, and personnel from the Arı
Group will contribute to their development bginning in November
2004. Through this and similar activities, EMU will work to educate the
public and raise awareness of the issues most pressing for Cyprus.
6) EMU is committed to helping in any way possible to strengthen the
foundations of government. The University has developed a protocol
for collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, and
another with the Prime Minister’s Office for project development. In
the recent political negotiations on Cyprus, as a starting point, EMU
provided 17 faculty members to consult in the Technical Committees
developing the framework for negotiations, and 4 consultants for the
Ministries of Education and Tourism. Many academic staff at the
University are involved in similar consultancy activities, and this will
be encouraged at all levels.
7) The University will work to forge close ties with national
and Television stations, and will develop EMU-TV as a
freedom of speech and open discussion of all issues, as
provide programs for raising the awareness of and
education to the public as a service.
BRT Radio
vehicle for
well as to
providing
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 22
8) EMU will also develop close relationships with the high schools in
North Cyprus, so that we can share information to improve the
preparation of students for university work, and also make the
transition from high school to university smoother.
Level IV: Local (Famagusta)
Goals and Priorities:
It is of the greatest importance that the University develop close ties with the
city of Famagusta, so that it will grow into a flourishing university city, with
excellent relations between the people and the university population. The
growth of the city must be stimulated in a way that is not detrimental to its
infrastructure, the well-being of its people, or the environment.
Strategies and Measures:
1) EMU is working to create bridges of friendship and partnership with
the residents of the city along the lines of the model provided by the
university-city of Bologna. The university has already signed a protocol
for collaboration with the mayor of the city of Famagusta, and as part
of this agreement, we will be working to acquire funding from
European sources for drainage projects in the city, and to develop the
seafront and establish a marina.
2) EMU’s research centers working in such areas as traffic and
environmental management will work actively to solve problems and
develop new approaches in these areas, both in the city of Famagusta
and in the country as a whole.
3) Evening classes are being developed to be offered to the people of
Famagusta under the Continuing Education program, and under the
SPIKE Program (see Level VIII below) representatives of businesses and
organizations in the city will be invited to come to the university and
share their experiences with the students.
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 23
4) EMU has also opened and made its library facilities available to the
public, and the university will work actively to promote joint cultural
and social events with the Famagusta municipality.
5) EMU is proposing the building of a Cultural Center with a 500-600m2
multipurpose stage, to be used jointly by the University and the city of
Famagusta for concerts, plays, and other cultural events.
6) As part of its agreement with the city, to assist in communicating with
the residents, the University is setting up an information center within
the city walls, lighted signs along the Salamis road and on bus-stops,
and showcases at various locations. A weekly newsletter to inform
residents will be prepared, and available from newspaper machines
located around the city. As the EMU TV station develops, the media
will be an additional means of facilitating the flow of information.
Educational radio and television programming will also be developed
as part of the Continuing Education initiative.
B. INTERNAL LEVELS
Level V: Infrastructure
Goals and Priorities:
While the main campus infrastructure at EMU is for the most part complete,
there are some areas where water supply and drainage is a problem or repairs
need to be done, some facilities that need to be developed, and many areas
that require modernizing. The latter include classrooms and lecture halls,
which should incorporate new educational technologies, and computer
facilities.
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 24
Strategies and Measures:
1) We are currently fixing problems such as water supply and drainage in
the Sports Center and Business Faculty buildings, and working on
finding solutions to the parking problem, which is especially acute
during the academic year.
2) A new building has to be constructed for the School of Foreign
Languages, to release the existing building for conversion into a proper
Student Center. Building has already started on the development of a
minigolf course, a bowling alley, and an open amphitheater. The guest
housing for visitors to the university will be modernized and
refurnished. EMU is also proposing the building of a Cultural Center of
500-600 square meters with a multipurpose stage, for joint use by the
University and the city of Famagusta for cultural events.
3) The Educational Technologies Committee has identified 270 rooms that
require modernization and the incorporation of “smart” technologies.
The technological backbone of the Universityn needs to be
strengthened, and we are working to increase our Internet capacity
from an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) to a GigaBit Ethernet,
create separate networks for the student dormitories to improve
Internet speed and efficiency, and develop wireless connections for use
throughout the campus. To improve communication with international
faculty and students and to facilitate international conferences, we are
purchasing simultaneous translation equipment for use in some lecture
halls.
4) The Computer Center and its administrative positions will be
reorganized, with new positions introduced for programmers,
computer operators, and engineers. The Computer Center’s “rotating
capital” non-profit financial organization affiliated with the university
(Döner Sermayı) will be strengthened, and certification programs will be
developed for MicroSoft IT Academia. EMU is the only authorized
testing center on the island, and the Cyprus representative, of VUEPearson; we have also recently been authorized as the Regional
Program for Cisco Networking Academy. Applications will be made
for European Union funding to support work on public sector projects.
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 25
5) In order to eliminate unnecessary costs, we are vacating unused staff
apartments, and developing a new and more efficient housing policy.
The housing services will be reorganized and streamlined to eliminate
inefficiency and reduce costs.
6) In the pre-University institutions (Eastern Mediterranean College and
Eastern Mediterranean Primary School), the non-teaching services will
be re-examined and rationalized for the purpose of creating an
efficiency-oriented organization.
Level VI: Administration
Goals and Priorities:
Our priorities in the area of administration are to reduce the existing
bureaucracy, eliminating inefficiency and unnecessary costs, and to transform
the current top-down hierarchy into a democratic system of procedures,
redistributing the existing power structures and establishing better internal
communication, transparency, accountability, and competitive, merit-based
appointments. In addition, principles of autonomy have to be implemented,
so that the University can perform its functions as an institution of higher
learning without political interference.
Strategies and Measures:
EMU is currently operating through a vast bureaucratic machinery that has
been written into its structure and has grown cumbersome and more
inefficient over the last decade. We are still in the process of diagnosing the
problems; however, it is clear that the existing system, for which there are no
written procedures on record, propagates mistrust in administration and low
morale, and requires multiple layers of unnecessary checking and doublechecking. There is also bureaucratic resistance to change and decentralization
from quarters where employees have become used to this system and are
reluctant to move forward.
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 26
1) Our initial moves towards improving the university have focused on
improving the quality of education for students and creating a network
of support services for students and academic staff (see Levels 7 and 8
below).
2) Efforts have been made to create transparency in administration and
inform university staff and personnel of new developments and
changes in EMU’s policies and plans for development, through
meetings with staff and through web committees. We will work to
increase representation in administration. Regrettably, despite these
efforts to provide clear communication of our possible goals and plans
and elicit feedback and contributions from our university community,
the speed of our development towards a better and more democratic
and transparent university has been something of a surprise in quarters
which have become accustomed to slow bureaucratic procedures in the
university culture, and as a result there have been misunderstandings.
Further efforts will be made to develop new lines of internal
communication and increase transparency, and we expect to make use
of EMU-TV as it develops, to assist in this process.
3) What makes the university is the people who work in it, and we are
determined to establish a meritocracy at all levels. In the academic
arena, the introduction of the PDS (Personnel Data Summary) forms for
staff evaluation was the first step in this direction, and fair evaluation
criteria are being developed. A similar system of evaluation, and of
examination-based appointments, will be introduced at administrative
levels for non-academic personnel.
4) One fundamental requirement of a meritocracy is that the system be
free of political interference. In order to establish academic and
procedural autonomy for EMU, the law concerning its establishment,
that defines the relative responsibilities and rights of the Board of
Trustees and the Rector’s Office in such areas as budgeting and
appointments needs to be changed. A Restructuring Committee has
been formed to build a new framework for autonomy and freedom
from political intervention, and to write a new establishment law and
policies for EMU. The Administrative Policies Committee is working to
create positive changes in policies related to administration, and the
Policies and Procedures Committee is focusing on developing policies
for academic personnel, collecting suggestions and proposals from
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 27
Faculties and Schools to provide necessary modifications to policy once
the new foundation law and administrative policies are in place. The
Academic Planning and Budget Committee is working with and
consulting each Faculty and School to assess its needs, and creating the
budget for next year accordingly, as a further part of our move towards
decentralization. There is also a President’s Office By-law Committee,
which is working to translate the laws and policies, so that the
information will be clear and available to all members of the university
community. It is our hope that the current coalition government in
North Cyprus will take the initiative and show the will and
commitment that is necessary to implement these changes, in order to
ensure a better future for EMU and assist in its progress towards
creating functioning democratic procedures, providing a better
education for its students, and increasing its service to the city of
Famagusta and the country.
5) As part of our initial thrust towards democratization, we have
conducted elections in all departments for the positions of Department
Chairs; a competitive selection process for the positions of Deans and
Directors is being developed.
6) Many personnel files are missing, or have gaps in them, and we are
working to remedy the situation, and to develop fair standardized
procedures for appointments. A study has been completed on the
operation of the Personnel Office, and this office will be improved as
part of a larger Human Resources Center, which will oversee
employees and their work in a just and equitable manner. This Center
will be developed through the hiring of qualified graduates in such
areas as business and law, and, will offer seminars and certification
seminars to employees for their professional development.
7) An International Center has been set up to respond to the needs of
international staff and students, and simultaneous translation
equipment is being purchased to improve communication. Think tanks
are being established to develop better procedures and systems
8) The College of Extended Studies and Continuing Education will offer
evening classes and adult education programs to help open the
university to the community.
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9) In order to promote gender equality, the administration has given
special importance to encouraging the appointment of women in high
administrative posts, and eight such appointments have already been
made.
10) In administrative units, the university is moving to allocate budgets
based on performance, and examining the relevance and usefulness of
unproductive sections and divisions. Proposals will be developed for
changes to the by-laws in order to make purchasing procedures faster,
more economical, and efficient. The procedures surrounding petty cash
accounts will be streamlined. Budget approval for small-scale repair
and maintenance work will be handled through localized accounts so
this work can be done quickly and efficiently, instead of going through
lengthy bureaucratic procedures. This kind of work will also be
outsourced for private sector projects. The administration of technical
projects will be restructured, and units will be required to work in
parallel and cooperatively. Non-academic staff will be allowed to
distribute their annual leave period during the academic semester, and
the administration will work to solve the problem of staff shortages
during the summer months.
11)
There will be major restructuring of the Eastern Mediterranean College
and Eastern Mediterranean Primary School, to improve quality and
efficiency, and eliminate bureaucracy and unnecessary costs. As the
number of students admitted in the Primary School has increased, new
teachers have been hired and infrastructural changes made. The
regulations for these two institutions will now be re-examined and
changes proposed to enable them to function under a local,
decentralized administration. The operation of these schools will be
carefully examined to see that they are functioning efficiently, and free
of political interference and factionalism. A proper appointments
procedure will be developed, as well as procedures for evaluating
teaching performance; and procedures surrounding awards and
scholarships will also be systematized.
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Level VII: Academic Staff (Research and Teaching)
Goals and Priorities:
There are several issues that need to be dealt with in this area. Our priorities
at present are increasing the morale of our academic staff, creating a collegial
and mutually collaborative atmosphere, and promoting instructional
development so that we can serve our students by offering them teaching at
the highest standards, and stimulating research and development at the
University. We appreciate the need for job security and the development of a
functioning tenure system, and this will be carefully thought out and
developed as we proceed.
Strategies and Measures:
1) Developing a research culture at EMU is a crucial aspect of the
University’s vision, as we move towards the “Technopark” concept. It
is our hope to provide incentives to attract international corporate
investment in Cyprus, and in particular, to develop joint ventures
under such investments. The current state of EMU reflects aspects of
both a “research university” and a “teaching university”; and so our
aim at present is a realistic and practical compromise based on the
model of a comprehensive university. This model recognizes the value
of both research and teaching, and maximizes the benefits to faculty,
students, and the university as a whole. Because it is counterproductive
to impose high teaching loads on dedicated researchers, we have
introduced flexible teaching load allocations in faculty course-loads
beginning in Fall 2004-2005, based on merit, performance, and
professional promise. Over the next two years under this new
initiative, faculty members who are actively involved in research and
publication will be eligible, based on the strength and nature of their
research, to receive reductions in their teaching load to encourage their
activities. By 2006, faculty who are actively involved in research and
publication will be allocated their primary teaching responsibilities and
thesis supervision in graduate programs, where such activity will be of
the greatest benefit to themselves and to Master’s and Doctoral
candidates. At the same time, faculty members who are not actively
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 30
involved in research activities will be released wherever possible from
graduate courses and thesis supervision, and instead allocated
additional teaching in our undergraduate programs, where it is
essential that our students receive the best possible instruction from
highly motivated and dedicated teachers. This model represents a fair
distribution of educational responsibility and workload, and a
logistically feasible compromise between the interests of research and
teaching faculty, in their areas of focus and activity. New incentives are
being created for research, including the provision of seed money for
research projects, as well as establishing appropriate criteria for
evaluating faculty achievements. It is our hope that these incentives
and criteria will encourage active involvement in research projects and
an increase in our publication record and international standing.
2) To develop quality in instruction a Quality Control Committee has
been established, and we are setting up a Center for Excellence in
Teaching. Mechanisms are being developed by the Committee to
standardize grading policies and verify standards; and a Center for
Instructional Development has been set up to work in this area. PDS
(Personnel Data Summary) Forms have been developed and filled out
by all Ph.D.-holders, so that proper assessment can be made of faculty
members’ activities, and teaching loads distributed evenly and fairly.
To create fair compensation for differentials in the contributions of
academic staff, overlapping salary scales have been proposed, and we
have modified the appointments procedures to clarify the difference
between “core” and “soft” or “extended” academic staff.
3) In order to restructure the existing centralized power hierarchy in the
University, there is a move towards decentralization of authority. More
autonomy will be granted to Deans and Directors, and numbers of fulltime equivalent faculty, students, and courses will be factored into
budgeting considerations.
4) To ease the financial burden on personnel with more than one child
enrolled in the Eastern Mediterranean College or Eastern
Mediterranean Primary School, we will provide tuition reductions; the
transportation and uniform fees will also be separated from the total
student fees.
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Level VIII: Students (Educational Quality and Campus Life)
Goals and Priorities:
As the university moves towards its goal of becoming “student-centered,”
changes are required on several levels. The profile of students entering EMU
has to be redefined, so that the university will become more selective in its
admissions procedures and standards will improve. Improving the English
level of our students is a priority, and the nature of our educational programs
has to be rethought in new ways. At the same time, the quality of student life
has to be improved, and support mechanisms need to be established to ensure
this.
Strategies and Measures:
1) The quality of students entering EMU has already dramatically
improved in 2004-2005 based on their performance in standardized
examinations, and the admission requirements will be made more
stringent each year to ensure that the best students enter the university.
New merit-based and need-based scholarships are being developed to
this end.
2) A Dean’s Advisory Board is being set up for the School of Foreign
Languages to work on improving the quality of English-language
instruction. The School of Foreign Languages will also be transformed
following the model of a “foundation school,” where students will
receive instruction in other subjects as well as English. The EMU TV
station will broadcast instructional programming in English, Turkish
and Greek, to supplement this work.
3) An office of Student Services is being established in conjunction with
the Counseling Center, a Social Aid Fund has been created to serve
students with financial difficulties, and “Help Desks” staffed by
graduate assistants are being established in buildings throughout the
university to provide students with remedial assistance in English and
in their subject areas. Work is in progress to develop a comprehensive
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 32
advising system for the University, in preparation for the creation of an
Advising Center. A Career Planning Center is also being established.
4) To see that students’ needs and problems are dealt with, student
representation will be ensured where possible in administrative
procedures. We are working on streamlining procedures to minimize
bureaucracy for students, by developing new orientation programs and
online registration procedures, creating online reserves of course
material, and increasing the electronic functions and uses of the
student ID card. The university is proposing that student fees should
be indexed to credit-hours, and we are working to develop a
reasonable health care plan for students.
5) A Student Center is being developed, and sports facilities are being
modernized and expanded to include a minigolf course and a bowling
alley. Student clubs and activities are being encouraged, and we are
working to improve campus life and the educational experience by
developing new Internet cafes and smart classrooms, and
incorporating the most modern teaching methods and technologies in
courses.
6) In line with our vision, mission, and overall educational philosophy,
we are creating new ways of enhancing the learning experience or our
students. Students should have specialized knowledge in their own
fields, but also general knowledge of many other fields, as no area of
study today can be considered in isolation. This philosophy is
gradually being developed throughout the university by the
Department of General Education, working in cooperation with all
academic units and with the Curriculum Committee, which is
examining ways of streamlining our programs, setting up Advanced
Placement and proficiency examinations, and making our curricula
more efficient:
a) The SPIKE Progam. Beginning in Fall 2004-2005, all new
students are required to participate in this extracurricular
program, which has the purpose of providing exposure to sociocultural, professional, industrial, and business areas. Students
are required to attend at least eight events within the university
or in the community, and all academic units are actively
involved in inviting visiting speakers from around North
Preparatory Reading 05-10 Strategic Plan/ 33
Cyprus and other countries to share their experiences. The effect
of the SPIKE Program will be to bring the University and the
communities of Famagusta and North Cyprus closer together,
and to help make learning an interesting and enjoyable
experience which continues outside the classroom. As the
program develops in 2005-2007, it will also include certificate
workshops and seminars offered by EMU’s research centers and
in collaboration with local organizations, in such areas as first
aid, conflict resolution, women’s rights, and leadership. In 20052006 the SPIKE Progam will be extended to the School of
Foreign Languages, as part of the “foundation school” concept.
b) By Fall 2005-2006 we expect that all departments in the
University will be participating in a university-wide General
Education Program. The purpose of a General Education or
“liberal arts” program is to produce graduates with knowledge
and understanding in a wide spectrum of subject areas,
including the creative disciplines; humanities and social
sciences; international and intercultural experiences; social
institutions and behavior; the natural sciences; and foreign
languages. Thus students studying a particular subject will also
be required to broaden their educational experience by taking
structured elective ourses offered and distributed in different
areas offered by other departments. This kind of education is
essential in today’s world, where no subject can be studied in
isolation, and where all disciplines interact together.
c)
Eventually, to supplement this learning experience, we will be
developing other flexible learning models, such as a portfolio
system, whereby students will actively participate in the
business, industrial and professional arenas as part of their
education to earn certification and gain real-world experience.
We will also develop junior year “study abroad” programs in
universities with which EMU has cooperation agreements, to
enable students to gain experience of other cultures and
countries, broaden their vision, increase their tolerance and
flexibility, and enrich their cultural awareness and
communication skills.
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VII. CONCLUSION: CHANGE AND INNOVATION
Higher education is undergoing a major transformation throughout the
world, as a result of the increasing numbers of students entering university,
rapid developments in technology, and socio-political and cultural changes.
All of these changes have made it necessary for us to think about education in
new ways and to develop and implement new philosophies of education that
take into account how the core values of a university— research, teaching, and
service to the community—can be made fully relevant to the modern world.
Resistance to change is natural, because people develop habits and ways of
thinking that are comfortable, and try to maintain and defend existing power
structures and hierarchies even after the moment of their usefulness or
relevance has passed. However, modernization requires change on a large
scale. It requires, first, an openness to new ideas and a willingness to try new
things; and secondly, the ability to adapt to new circumstances and revise existing
hierarchies and power structures. Modernization can only be successful if it is
understood from the start not on the level of personal or territorial gain or
loss, but in terms of the greatest benefit that can be achieved for the
University and society as a whole. It is from the development of the whole
that benefits ultimately accrue to the individual, and this understanding
requires progressive, long-term thinking, a sense of shared responsibility, and
a willingness on the part of each individual concerned to work for the good of
all. The purpose of this Preliminary Framework is to provide the larger
picture of the University that will form the basis of its Strategic Plan.
Eastern Mediterranean University has the opportunity to flourish as a center
of research, learning, and service in North Cyprus, the region, and
internationally. We invite all our colleagues within the university and all
individuals and organizations in the city of Famagusta, and the country to
work with us so that we can increase our contribution to growth,
development, and peaceful and fruitful coexistence in our region and the
world.