Karadeniz Technical University · Department of Civil Engineering

Continuous Improvement Cycle

Planning, implementing, measuring and improving the education process (PDCA)
Aligned with MÜDEK Criteria Version 3.1 Criterion 4 · Continuous Improvement
Criterion 2 Department Mission and Goals How is it set? (every 3–5 years) Aligned with University and Faculty of Engineering mission/goals Considering internal and external stakeholder input By Department Education Commission + Academic Board decision Criterion 2 Program Educational Objectives (PEO) Career/professional goals graduates attain within 3–5 years Inputs (1- and 3-year periods) Consistent with the MÜDEK definition and the mission Graduate surveys (annual), employer surveys (3-year) Advisory Board input (3-year) Internal and external stakeholder input UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) considered Criterion 3 Program Outcomes (PO) Fully covers the 11 MÜDEK Outcomes (MO‑1 … MO‑11 / Table 3.1)Knowledge · Skills · Awareness levels defined MÜDEK 3.1 scope · 11 MÜDEK Outcomes (Table 3.1) Basic: Engineering Knowledge · Problem Analysis · Eng. Design Tools: Use of Techniques & Tools · Research & Investigation Impact: Global Impact of Practice · Ethical Conduct Mgmt: Teamwork · Communication · Project Mgmt · Lifelong Learning PO ↔ course matrix (learning outcomes / ECTS) · DDP & UBYS UN SDG mapping (especially MO‑2 and MO‑6) Criterion 5 Curriculum Designed to deliver the PEO and PO Curriculum components Mathematics + Basic Sciences (min. credits/ECTS) PEO- and PO-contribution matrices Major Design Experience (Criterion 5.5) Foreign-language courses – min. credit rule (Criterion 5.4d)* Discipline-specific criteria + Annex-5 course syllabi Registration Renewal and Course Enrollment Student Admissions · Criterion 1 Placement via national exam (YKS) Vertical transfer (DGS) Horizontal transfer Double major / Minor Credit and course recognition policies Criterion 1.4 Start of Courses andAcademic Advising (Fall / Spring) Teaching–Learning and Assessment Activities Exam · Practice · Homework · Project · Presentation · OralLaboratory · Teamwork · Field / activity Course-Level Measurement and Assessment Course & Instructor Survey · success criteria Criterion 3.2 PO Attainment Measurement Each outcome component; at knowledge/skill/awareness levelPredominantly based on student work (exam/project/homework) Measurement-system requirements (3.2) Must be able to measure every PO component Measurements suited to knowledge / skill / awareness level Not based on surveys and course grades alone Results documented periodically (UBYS) Semester-End + PO Attainment Report (UBYS) Assessment evidence at course and program level Are the POs (11 MOs)attained at target level? No Yes ▸ New Graduates Public / Private Sector Experience (3–5 yr) Criterion 2.3 · 3.3 Graduate & Employer Assessment Feedback From graduates annually; from employers every 3 yearsPEO attainment + evidence graduates meet the outcomes Data sources and external stakeholders Graduate / employer / internship surveys; graduate feedback Alumni records and data; sector expectations KPSS · YÖKDİL · ALES · regulations · events External: graduates, employers, Advisory Board, IMO/TMMOB IMO / TMMOB Civil Eng. Education Workshops Criterion 4 Education Commission & Dept. BoardEvaluations (end of Spring semester) 4.1 Existence of an improvement process/mechanism4.2 Concrete improvement from PEO & PO measurement results Are the PEOs attainedand consistent with thedepartment mission? No Continuous Improvement /Quality Assurance System established and operating ✓ Yes FEEDBACK · Criterion 4.2 · data-driven improvement PLAN DO CHECK ACT
PLAN — Mission · PEO · PO · Curriculum (Criteria 2,3,5) DO — Admissions · Instruction · Advising (Criterion 1) CHECK — Measurement–Assessment (Criteria 3.2, 2.3, 3.3) ACT — Improvement (Criteria 4.1, 4.2)

Updates and gaps addressed per MÜDEK Version 3.1

1 · Program Outcomes are now the 11 named MÜDEK Outcomes

The PO box now fully covers the 11 MÜDEK Outcomes (MO‑1 … MO‑11) under four main headings, and states the knowledge/skill/awareness levels explicitly.

Before: only "PO consistent with the MÜDEK definition" — no outcome count/names or levels.

2 · UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) added to the cycle

SDGs are embedded as an input to the PEO/PO definition and to the problem-analysis/design components (MO‑2, MO‑6) — mandatory from 3.0/3.1.

Before: SDGs did not appear anywhere in the cycle.

3 · Criterion 4 split into 4.1 / 4.2

The improvement step is labelled 4.1 – existence of the process/mechanism and 4.2 – concrete, systematic improvement based on PEO & PO measurement results; the feedback line is named "Criterion 4.2".

Before: the improvement logic existed but the 4.1/4.2 distinction was not visible.

4 · PO Attainment Measurement is now a distinct stage (Criterion 3.2)

Beyond course-level assessment, a separate stage measures each outcome component at the right level and predominantly from student work (exam/project/homework). Surveys and course grades alone are insufficient.

Before: PO attainment was dissolved inside course assessment/surveys.

5 · Duplicate box fixed

The two "End-of-Semester Report (UBYS)" boxes in the original were merged into a single "End-of-Semester + PO Attainment Report (UBYS)" stage.

Before: the same box appeared twice by mistake.

6 · Criterion mapping and PDCA framing

Every stage is tagged with its criterion (Criteria 1–5) and the cycle is split into Plan–Do–Check–Act phases, clarifying the closed loop. PEO attainment (2.3) and graduate evidence (3.3) became explicit stages.

Before: only a single "Criterion 2" tag; no phase structure.

7 · Internal / external stakeholders and data sources organized

Graduate/employer/internship surveys, alumni records, KPSS·YÖKDİL·ALES, the Advisory Board and IMO/TMMOB workshops are gathered into one "data sources and external stakeholders" block linked to the measurement stage.

8 · Foreign-language requirement updated

Since 3.0/3.1 removed the "knowledge of at least one foreign language" outcome, the requirement is restated in the curriculum components as Criterion 5.4(d) — minimum credits in foreign-language courses (*).

Sources: MÜDEK — Criteria for Evaluating Engineering Undergraduate Programs (Version 3.0 – 08.11.2023) and the Self-Assessment Report template (Version 3.1 – 05.12.2025); "Version 3.0: What Changed / Why" briefing decks (mudek.org.tr).  ·  MO = MÜDEK Outcome · PEO = Program Educational Objectives · PO = Program Outcomes · PDCA = Plan‑Do‑Check‑Act · SDG = Sustainable Development Goals.
Note: this cycle is a template; adapt the actual periods, commission names and measurement tools to your program.