IHEC2025 Call for Abstracts

Participation Types

Oral presentations typically cover completed or nearly completed research. Researchers will present their work and then respond to any explanatory feedback and questions from the audience and session chair. Presenters should be careful with their time allocation, and session chairs may adjust the timing based on the number of presentations. Each oral presentation will be planned for 15 minutes.

Abstract for Oral Presentation: The abstract should be between 500-750 words, excluding references, and include the following sections:

  1. Description of the problem,
  2. Aim of the study or Research question(s),
  3. Conceptual/Theoretical Framework,
  4. Research Method (for empirical work),
  5. Findings (preliminary findings for work in progress)/Discussion points, and
  6. Conclusion.

You can download the oral presentation format from this link. (docx)

Each symposium proposal must include minimum 3 maximum 5 presentations. The Symposium Discussant must introduce symposium presenters and submit the proposal (symposium summary and symposium presentation abstracts).

Symposium Summary: Excluding references, the summary should be between 500-700 words and include the description of the symposium, its purpose, conceptual/theoretical framework, the contribution of symposium presentations to the symposium, discussion points and conclusion.

Symposium Presentation Abstracts: Each abstract, excluding references, should be between 300-500 words and include the following sub-titles:

  1. Description of the problem,
  2. Aim of the study or Research question(s),
  3. Conceptual/Theoretical Framework,
  4. Research Method (for empirical work),
  5. Findings (preliminary findings for work in progress)/Discussion points, and
  6. Conclusion.

You can download the symposium format from this link. (docx)

Roundtable sessions allow high interaction among presenters and with attendees. It would be more appropriate for junior researchers and work-in-progress research studies. The discussions will take place in a small group of session presenters clustered around shared interests in a roundtable/boardroom setting. A moderator who is knowledgeable about the research area facilitates interaction and participation. The moderator introduces the discussion topic and session presenters briefly. Then, the discussion focuses on specific questions and challenges. The conclusions such as key-learnings, ideas on the next steps and concrete actions are drawn.

Abstract for Roundtable Session: Session presenters are required to submit a paper or commentary paper addressing central questions regarding the issue under consideration. Excluding references, the abstract should be between 350-400 words. Commentary papers need to address the elements required for paper submissions:

  1. Purposes;
  2. Perspectives(s) or theoretical framework;
  3. Methods, techniques or modes of inquiry;
  4. Data Sources,
  5. Results and/or substantiated conclusions for arguments, and
  6. Expectations from the session regarding the research and/or questions

You can download the roundtable format from this link. (docx)


The conference languages are Turkish and English. Those who submit abstracts in English are required to present in English.

IHEC 2025 is a peer-reviewed scientific conference. All submitted papers/symposiums will be evaluated by at least two expert reviewers within the framework of a double-blind review process. Acceptance or rejection decisions will be based on the reviewers’ evaluations.

Participants of jointly authored works must each pay the participation fee to attend the conference. A participant may present a maximum of two papers, and an author’s name may appear in up to three papers.

To be included in the conference program, registration must be completed by September 19, 2025.

The 8th International Higher Education Studies Conference (IHEC 2025)

IHEC 2025

The Future of Higher Education in an Age of Uncertainty

Higher education, constituting an open and complex system, is shaped by its interactions with society, economy, culture, politics, nature, and other domains, whilst also playing an eminent role in shaping the future of the domains in question. From a historical perspective, major transformations such as the post-World War II era, which was marked by changes of profound sort in knowledge, science, education, and technology, along with the transition to a global knowledge economy/society beginning in the 1990s have also been periods during which higher education and universities were subjected to various forms of ‘restructuring’. The said periods have repeatedly prompted some fundamental questions like, ‘What is the university and what should it be?’, ‘What is and should be the role of higher education in constructing the future of our societies?’, and ‘What kind of a higher education reform is necessary to adapt to these transformations?’.

These questions also form the reason for the emergence of Higher Education Studies as an international and interdisciplinary field of research. Dwelling on and analyzing how these questions are mirrored in contemporary higher education policies necessitates collaborative, multi-disciplinary research initiatives, particularly in the fields of Educational Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities.

In recent decades, the accelerating pace of radical transformations alongside uncertainties pertaining to the future have compelled universities to develop ways through which they can sustain their existence within an ecosystem that calls for constant change. This externally driven and rapid demand for transformation has, in a fair number of respects, rendered traditional academic processes and the culture of universities and science increasingly unsustainable.

Within this frame of reference, at IHEC 2025, under the concept of ‘The Future of Higher Education in an Age of Uncertainty’, we intend to concentrate on the transformation of the missions of higher education viz. education, research, and community service in the face of multiple crises e.g., climate crisis, pandemics, economic crises, wars, migration, and others, on the challenges it encounters, and on the possible future scenarios. In this conference, which we expect it to be enriched with the contributions from scholars of diverse disciplines with distinct perspectives, we will broadly be addressing the following questions and themes: As the Association for Higher Education Studies, we are also pleased to be collaborating under this shared theme with TED University, founded in 2009 with the vision of ‘Leaving a lasting impact on social development for a sustainable future’.

  • How are the global policies on higher education evolving from the ‘Global Knowledge Economy’ toward the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’?
  • How will the trend towards massification in higher education be shaped by demographic changes? To illustrate, can massification continue in the countries in which birth rates are declining?
  • How are the pandemic and national protectionist tendencies impacting internationalization policies in higher education?
  • What pedagogical/andragogical approaches are coming to the fore in education and learning in the age of uncertainty?
  • How are learner profiles and experiences altering (with respect to intergenerational dynamics, poverty, identity, and alike)?
  • How do the current approaches to higher education administration and quality assurance models contribute to the effective functioning of universities under these conditions of uncertainty?
  • As the mental health and well-being needs of university stakeholders have become more crucial through the pandemic experience, how are these issues being addressed in higher education policies and practices?
  • How are digitization and Artificial Intelligence transforming the administration, education, research, and community engagement related missions of universities?
  • Academic freedom and autonomy of universities
  • Academic staff experiences and needs
  • Regional development and higher education
  • Science and technology policies
  • Digitization and Artificial Intelligence in education and research
  • Entrepreneurship, community engagement, development, sustainability
  • Graduate student experiences and needs
  • Micro-credentials and flexible learning
  • Faculty development policies
  • Higher education for the Sustainable Development Goals
  • Mental health and well-being of university stakeholders
  • University-city relations
  • University-industry/private sector collaboration and helix ecosystems
  • University students’ experiences and needs
  • New generation universities and alternative university models
  • Internationalization of higher education
  • Ethics, principles, and values in higher education
  • Quality assurance in higher education
  • Pedagogical/andragogical approaches in higher education
  • Access to higher education, equity, diversity, participation
  • History and philosophy of higher education
  • Mission, vision, and role of higher education
  • Higher education system and administration
  • Massification of higher education
  • Financing and sustainability of higher education

IHEC2025 Publication Process

Participants may choose to publish the papers presented orally at the conference either in the YÖÇAD Full Text Proceedings Book (in Turkish or English) or in the Higher Education Governance & Policy (HEGP) published under YÖÇAD, subject to the peer review process.

Below are details regarding the publication processes:

The deadline for submitting full texts in Turkish or English for the Proceedings Book is November 1, 2025. Full texts prepared should be submitted in the specified format to yocad.ihec@gmail.com as a Word document. Submitted Full Text Papers by participating authors will be sent to print following the approval of the book editors, after the authors have completed the suggested revisions.

Full Paper Book Format

You can reach the full paper book format in this link. (PDF)

You can download the full paper book format from this link. (docx)

The Higher Education Governance & Policy (HEGP) will be published in English. Papers presented in Turkish at the conference can also be published in this journal if translated into English. The journal’s regular annual publication process will be operated. The deadline for submitting texts in English is November 1, 2025, and details of the publication process can be accessed via the following links:

– Journal website: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/hegp

– Journal submission guidelines: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/hegp/writing-rules

– Journal indexes: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/hegp/indexes

The printing of the articles will depend on the decisions made at the end of the peer review process conducted by the journal editors after the author’s conference participation is confirmed.


IHEC2025 Registration

Certificates of Participation will only be issued to those who register and attend the conference.

IHEC 2025 REGISTRATION FEES

Dates: August 16,  2025 – September 19, 2025

Faculty MembersPost-docs and Graduate StudentsListeners
200 USD100 USD50 USD

Notes

  • Participants who want a certificate to be issued on their behalf as a listener should register by September 19, 2025 at the latest.
  • The last registration date for non- presenters who do not request a Certificate of Attendance is October 14, 2025.

Payment

All bank charges and commissions are paid by the participants.

Bank Account (USD)

Account Name: Yükseköğretim Çalışmaları Derneği

Bank : Garanti Bank

Branch : Pendik

Branch Code: 137

City : Istanbul

Account Number : 9072493

IBAN : TR89 0006 2000 1370 0009 0724 93

Swift Code: TGBATRISXXX

Young Researchers Session at IHEC 2025

The Young Researchers Session, which we initiated at the 6th International Higher Education Studies Conference (IHEC), will continue at IHEC 2025. The conference will feature special sessions designed for researchers who are early in their careers in the field of higher education. These sessions will be held on the same days as the main conference.

  • Tugay Durak, University College of London
  • Dr. Yusuf İkbal Oldaç, Hong Kong Eğitim Üniversitesi
  • Dr. M. Furkan Uzan, University of Southampton
  • Dr. Mete Kurtoğlu, Middle East Technical University

These sessions are open to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students interested in higher education studies.

By participating, you will share your academic work with other early-career researchers and receive valuable feedback from experienced higher education researchers that can help advance your work. You will also have the opportunity to closely get to know other young researchers in the field, laying the groundwork for future academic collaborations. Lastly, you will have priority access to limited-capacity events specifically organized for young researchers, such as overseas experience sharing, academic writing workshops, etc.

Participants in these sessions will have the right to attend other sessions at the main conference and will receive the same certificate as other main conference attendees at the end.

You can submit your paper for evaluation via the “paper submission” link on the homepage of the 8th International Higher Education Studies Conference. When uploading your paper, select the “Young Researchers Session” form. You must also upload a document proving your student status.

Participants who provide proof of being a student and pay the reduced listener conference fee can attend the sessions as listeners.

Yes! One individual (or one presentation group) among those who present at these sessions will receive the “Young Researchers Award.” The award will be based on the cumulative assessment of the presentation and the submitted application text.

IHEC2025 Guest Speakers

Prof. Dr. Susanne Maria Weber

Marburg University, Germany


Prof. Dr. Yüksel Kavak

TED University, Türkiye


IHEC2025 Call For Papers

The Future of Higher Education in an Age of Uncertainty

Higher education, constituting an open and complex system, is shaped by its interactions with society, economy, culture, politics, nature, and other domains, whilst also playing an eminent role in shaping the future of the domains in question. From a historical perspective, major transformations such as the post-World War II era, which was marked by changes of profound sort in knowledge, science, education, and technology, along with the transition to a global knowledge economy/society beginning in the 1990s have also been periods during which higher education and universities were subjected to various forms of ‘restructuring’. The said periods have repeatedly prompted some fundamental questions like, ‘What is the university and what should it be?’, ‘What is and should be the role of higher education in constructing the future of our societies?’, and ‘What kind of a higher education reform is necessary to adapt to these transformations?’.

These questions also form the reason for the emergence of Higher Education Studies as an international and interdisciplinary field of research. Dwelling on and analyzing how these questions are mirrored in contemporary higher education policies necessitates collaborative, multi-disciplinary research initiatives, particularly in the fields of Educational Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities.

In recent decades, the accelerating pace of radical transformations alongside uncertainties pertaining to the future have compelled universities to develop ways through which they can sustain their existence within an ecosystem that calls for constant change. This externally driven and rapid demand for transformation has, in a fair number of respects, rendered traditional academic processes and the culture of universities and science increasingly unsustainable.

Within this frame of reference, at IHEC 2025, under the concept of ‘The Future of Higher Education in an Age of Uncertainty’, we intend to concentrate on the transformation of the missions of higher education viz. education, research, and community service in the face of multiple crises e.g., climate crisis, pandemics, economic crises, wars, migration, and others, on the challenges it encounters, and on the possible future scenarios. In this conference, which we expect it to be enriched with the contributions from scholars of diverse disciplines with distinct perspectives, we will broadly be addressing the following questions and themes: As the Association for Higher Education Studies, we are also pleased to be collaborating under this shared theme with TED University, founded in 2009 with the vision of ‘Leaving a lasting impact on social development for a sustainable future’.

  • How are the global policies on higher education evolving from the ‘Global Knowledge Economy’ toward the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’?
  • How will the trend towards massification in higher education be shaped by demographic changes? To illustrate, can massification continue in the countries in which birth rates are declining?
  • How are the pandemic and national protectionist tendencies impacting internationalization policies in higher education?
  • What pedagogical/andragogical approaches are coming to the fore in education and learning in the age of uncertainty?
  • How are learner profiles and experiences altering (with respect to intergenerational dynamics, poverty, identity, and alike)?
  • How do the current approaches to higher education administration and quality assurance models contribute to the effective functioning of universities under these conditions of uncertainty?
  • As the mental health and well-being needs of university stakeholders have become more crucial through the pandemic experience, how are these issues being addressed in higher education policies and practices?
  • How are digitization and Artificial Intelligence transforming the administration, education, research, and community engagement related missions of universities?
  • Academic freedom and autonomy of universities
  • Academic staff experiences and needs
  • Regional development and higher education
  • Science and technology policies
  • Digitization and Artificial Intelligence in education and research
  • Entrepreneurship, community engagement, development, sustainability
  • Graduate student experiences and needs
  • Micro-credentials and flexible learning
  • Faculty development policies
  • Higher education for the Sustainable Development Goals
  • Mental health and well-being of university stakeholders
  • University-city relations
  • University-industry/private sector collaboration and helix ecosystems
  • University students’ experiences and needs
  • New generation universities and alternative university models
  • Internationalization of higher education
  • Ethics, principles, and values in higher education
  • Quality assurance in higher education
  • Pedagogical/andragogical approaches in higher education
  • Access to higher education, equity, diversity, participation
  • History and philosophy of higher education
  • Mission, vision, and role of higher education
  • Higher education system and administration
  • Massification of higher education
  • Financing and sustainability of higher education

IHEC2025 Committees

  • Prof. Dr. Armağan Erdoğan
  • Prof. Dr. Kezban Çelik, TED University
  • Prof. Dr. Oya (Yerin) Güneri, TED University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökçe Gökalp, Middle East Technical University
  • Dr. Mete Kurtoğlu, Middle East Technical University
  • Dr. Mehmet Şengül, Hacı Bayram Veli University
  • Dr. Şahabettin Akşab, Gaziantep University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pınar Ayyıldız, Lokman Hekim University
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. Feride Öksüz Gül, Istanbul Medeniyet University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Betül Bulut Şahin, TED University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aylin Çakıroğlu Çevik, TED University
  • Tugay Durak, University College of London
  • Tuna Uzunyol, PhD Student, Middle East Technical University
  • Gökçen Kuru, PhD Student, Middle East Technical University
  • Funda Kurt Keskin, Research Assistant, Gazi University
  • Hilal Karaoğlan, Research Assistant, Marmara University
  • Prof. Dr. Rachel Brooks, University of Surrey, United Kingdom
  • Prof. Dr. İhsan Sabuncuoğlu, TED University
  • Prof. Dr. Ömer Demir, Ankara Social Sciences University (Founding Rector)
  • Prof. Dr. Mehmet Durman, Yeditepe University
  • Prof. Dr. Yüksel Kavak, TED University
  • Prof. Dr. Stan Taylor, Durham University, United Kingdom
  • Prof. Dr. Metin Toprak, Sabahattin Zaim University
  • Prof. Dr. Öktem Vardar, TED University (Founding Rector)
  • Prof. Dr. Yüksel Kavak, TED University
  • Prof. Dr. Kezban Çelik, TED University
  • Prof. Dr. İhsan Sabuncuoğlu, TED University
  • Prof. Dr. Oya Yerin Güneri, TED University
  • Prof. Dr. Kürşat Çağıltay, TED University
  • Prof. Dr. Mehmet Durman, Yeditepe University
  • Prof. Dr. Fatma Nevra Seggie, Boğaziçi University (Retired)
  • Prof. Dr. Fatma Zeynep Kızıltepe, Boğaziçi University (Retired)
  • Prof. Dr. Türker Kurt, Gazi University
  • Prof. Dr. Yaşar Kondakçı, Middle East Technical University
  • Prof. Dr. Barış Uslu, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University
  • Prof. Dr. Yusuf Gürcan Ültanır, Mersin University (Retired)
  • Prof. Dr. Hayal Köksal, Istanbul Kent University
  • Prof. Dr. Susanne Maira Weber, Marburg University
  • Prof. Dr. Karri Holley, University of Alabama
  • Prof. Dr. Şefika Mertkan, Eastern Mediterranean University
  • Prof. Dr. Jungcheol Shin, Seoul National University
  • Prof. Dr. Nuno Dorotea, University of Lisbon
  • Prof. Ly Tran, Deakin University
  • Prof. Angela Yung Chi Ho, Lingnan University
  • Prof. Anatoly Oleksiyenko, The Education University of Hong Kong
  • Chair Prof. Bruce Macfarlane, The Education University of Hong Kong
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedat Gümüş, The Education University of Hong Kong
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aylin Çakıroğlu Çevik, TED University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Betül Bulut Şahin, TED University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duygun Göktürk Ağın, Middle East Technical University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hasan Yücel Ertem, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevinç Gelmez Burakgazi, Hacettepe University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zehra Taşkın, Hacettepe University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Güleda Doğan, Hacettepe University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serap Emil, Middle East Technical University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pınar Ayyıldız, Lokman Hekim University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Adem Yaman, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ömür Hakan Kuzu, Selçuk University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alper Çalıkoğlu, Nazarbayev University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökçen Aydın, TED University
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ezgi Pehlivanlı, Middle East Technical University
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. Maissam Nimer, Istanbul University
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. Feride Öksüz Gül, Istanbul Medeniyet University
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. Yusuf İkbal Oldaç, The Education University of Hong Kong
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. Harun Serpil, Anadolu University
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. Hakan Ergin, Boğaziçi University
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. Fatma Zehra Ünlü Kaynakçı, TED University
  • Dr. Karri Holley, University of Alabama
  • Dr. Şahabettin Akşab, Gaziantep University
  • Dr. Mete Kurtoğlu, Middle East Technical University
  • Dr. Sonay Caner Yıldırım, Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University
  • Dr. Oya Uslu Çetin, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University
  • Dr. Bekir Burak Soyer, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University
  • Dr. Ferhat Ünal, Middle East Technical University
  • Dr. Furkan Uzan, University of Southampton
  • Dr. Kristian Szadkowski, Adam Mickiewicz University

Dr. Feride Öksüz Gül

Dr. Feride Öksüz Gül
Denetim Kurulu Üyesi

Feride Öksüz Gül received her bachelor’s degree in the English Language Teaching program from the Department of Foreign Language Education at the Faculty of Education in Boğaziçi University in 2012, and completed her master’s degree in Educational Administration and Supervision program from Faculty of Education in Marmara University in 2016. After starting her doctorate education in the same program in 2016, she received her doctorate degree in 2020. She is currently working as a research assistant at Istanbul Medeniyet University. Her research interests are higher education management and leadership, early career researchers (ECRs) and organizational theory.

Dr. Şahabettin Akşab

Dr. Şahabettin Akşab
Başkan Yardımcısı

Şahabettin AKŞAB graduated from Middle East Technical University (METU), Faculty of Education, Elementary Mathematics Education as the first ranking student in 2014. He worked as mathematics teacher in Ministry of National Education between 2014-2016. In 2014, he started his master’s degree in Middle East Technical University Educational Administration and Planning Program. In 2018, he received his master’s degree from Gaziantep University, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Administration. He worked as a research assistant at Gaziantep University between 2016-2018, at Middle East Technical University between 2018-2021 and is a research assistant in the Department of Educational Sciences at Gaziantep University. He received doctoral degree in the Department of Educational Administration and Planning at METU in 2024. His main research interests are student affairs in higher education, student development in higher education, higher education policies and higher education internationalization.