Anadolu as a Giga Open University: Higher Education at a Large Scale
This webinar is a part of an Innovative Universities Global Webinar Series.
The webinar investigates the transformative journey of Anadolu University in Türkiye from a mega to a giga university, focusing on its role in the open university landscape. It provides a historical overview of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in Türkiye and explains how ODL led to the foundation of the Anadolu University Open Education Faculty.
The webinar further details the university's operational model, technological integration, financial and budgetary practices, instructional model and academic programs, support networks, quality assurance processes, and global outreach. Additionally, it evaluates and justifies the university through the Openness Framework, where it achieves a rating of "very good openness."
Speakers
Dr. Aras Bozkurt
- Aras Bozkurt is a researcher and faculty member at Anadolu University, Türkiye, with advanced degrees in distance education.
- His research primarily explores distance education, online learning, networked learning, and educational technology, applying critical theories such as connectivism, rhizomatic learning, and heutagogy.
- He plays a pivotal role in the academic community, serving as Editor-in-Chief of Open Praxis and Asian Journal of Distance Education, and as an associate editor for several prestigious journals in the fields of higher education and technology-enhanced learning, as well as his roles as an associate editor for prestigious journals like Higher Education Research and Development, Online Learning, eLearn Magazine, and Computer Applications in Engineering Education.
Hosts
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Professor Isak Frumin
"We designed the 'Innovative Universities' global webinar not merely as conversation, but a one-of-a-kind assembly of forward-thinking scholars poised to reshape the educational landscape. This isn't just about what's new; it's about what's next.”
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Dara Melnyk
"Currently, there are no seminars exclusively devoted to innovation in higher education. We want to change that. Our webinar series are meant to give both creators of unusual institutions and idea collectors like us a space to discuss what's possible."
Watch the recording
Resources:
- Anadolu University website
- Bozkurt, A. (2019). The historical development and adaptation of open universities in Turkish context: case of Anadolu university as a giga university. (a paper on the historical evolution and adaptive strategies of Anadolu University, its growth into a "giga university", and its influence on open and distance learning in Türkiye)
- Bozkurt, A. (2024). Anadolu University.
(an article on Anadolu University, on its history, organizational structure, and innovative contributions to open and distance learning in Türkiye and globally.) - Aydin, C. H., Ucar, H., Kocdar, S., Okur, R. Tasci, D. & Bozkurt, A. (2024). Reflections and Transformations in an Open University. (a paper on the evolution and transformative processes of Anadolu University’s Open Education system, discussing institutional changes, challenges, and strategies)
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