16.2.3. Identify and engage with local stakeholders

Middle East Technical University (METU) maintains comprehensive written policies and standardized procedures for identifying external local stakeholders, prioritizing joint operational partnerships, and engaging them continuously in strategic decision-making, quality assurance, and institutional evaluation. Codified under Section 3.4.1 of the METU Quality Management Handbook and executed under the METU Quality Policy, the university mandates stakeholder participation through focus groups, surveys, sharing conferences, and formal reporting frameworks published publicly on the Institutional Development and Planning Office (KGPO) portal (http://kgpo.metu.edu.tr/tr/stratejik-ve-mali-yonetim-belgeleri)

1. Written Directives for External Stakeholder Identification & Engagement

As set forth in the METU Quality Policy and Section 3.4.1 of the METU Quality Management Handbook, METU guarantees "the participation of all university stakeholders in planning, implementation, evaluation, and action-taking processes, and maintains effective communication and collaboration with them":

Systematic Identification in Strategic Planning: External stakeholder analysis is formally updated during each strategic plan preparation period by designated Area Commissions, following the Strategic Plan Preparation Guide. Institutional-level stakeholder reporting is finalized by the University Strategic Planning Support Team.

Categorization of Prioritized External Stakeholders:

• Legal & Governance Bodies: Public institutions defining the university's operating framework (Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Council of Higher Education [YÖK], Court of Accounts).
• Collaborative External Organizations & Local Entities: Organizations and legal entities with which METU carries out joint research and development (R&D), educational programs, and community social services.
• Alumni Network: Managed via the Alumni Office and the Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching (ÖGEM), which conduct surveys and alumni evaluation events to integrate alumni feedback into continuous improvement recommendations.

Broad Engagement & Sharing Conferences: Draft strategic plans, situation assessments, and improvement proposals developed by Area Commissions are formally presented at institutional Sharing Conferences to which a wide spectrum of external and local stakeholders are invited.

2. Internal Stakeholder Engagement & Quality Feedback Systems

Complementing external engagement, METU operates structured internal stakeholder procedures:

• Working Life Survey: Conducted annually during the first half of each year by the Institutional Development and Planning Office for all university staff to capture personnel feedback for senior management review.
• Satisfaction-Improvement-Feedback System: Managed via the General Secretariat to process internal stakeholder feedback, complaints, and suggestions.
• Research Quality & Quality Commission Loops: Monitored periodically by the Office of Research Coordination to implement corrective and preventive actions, alongside regular evaluations by Unit Quality Coordinators and the Vice Rector responsible for quality.

3. Public Availability of Evaluation & Monitoring Documents

METU maintains complete transparency by publishing all strategic and financial evaluation documents publicly on the official Institutional Development and Planning Office portal (http://kgpo.metu.edu.tr/tr/stratejik-ve-mali-yonetim-belgeleri).

• Annual Institutional Self-Evaluation Reports (KİDR)
• Annual Evaluation Reports
• METU University Strategic Plans