Conference on Education in the European Union and Türkiye with PISA Data Held

The 'Education in the European Union and Türkiye with PISA Data' Conference, organized by the Bahçeşehir University EU Information Center and the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye, was held with the participation of Andreas Schleicher, Deputy Director for Education and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

Delivering the opening speech of the conference, Bahçeşehir University Chair of the Board of Trustees Enver Yücel emphasized that quality education is the only way for Türkiye to achieve its 2023 goals, adding: "We educators are the solution to the problems Türkiye faces in its existing human capital, cultural level and technological infrastructure. Money is not the only criterion in education. The amount allocated to education in the USA is quite high, but K-12 results are below average. So what matters is quality education. Türkiye has questioned the existence of exams for many years; however, as in the rest of the world, we have seen that it does not work without assessment and evaluation. As BAU, we always try to keep education on the country's agenda."

Giving a presentation titled 'What Does PISA Say for School Leaders and Teachers?', Andreas Schleicher discussed the problems in education, particularly in Türkiye. Stating that the national economy is important but that money alone is not enough for quality education, Andreas Schleicher said, "What matters is how resources and investments are used. Türkiye and Singapore spend almost the same amount on education, yet Singapore ranks among the very top in the world in education."

Noting that students' self-confidence in Türkiye is quite low, Schleicher said: "In Türkiye, teachers do not give their students confidence. Parents' interest and their belief in their children are also very important for their success. Therefore, the atmosphere at school and the situation within the family are very important."

Sharing the report 'Where Does Türkiye Stand in Education in Europe?' with participants at the conference, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selçuk Şirin emphasized the importance of preschool education, school belonging and autonomous school structures, stating that these are important criteria for success in education.

Following the presentations, a panel on Classroom and School Organization Models in the European Union was held, moderated by Prof. Dr. Eser Karakaş, with the participation of Ali Koç, Kayhan Karlı, Assist. Prof. Dr. Sinem Vatanartıran and Prof. Dr. Yaşar Özden.