doçentlik

Doçentlik is the process and the resulting academic title for attaining the rank of doçent (associate professor) within the Turkish higher education system. It is not a degree, but a formal qualification awarded by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) after evaluation of a candidate’s scholarly and teaching credentials and performance.

To be eligible, candidates typically must hold a doctoral degree and demonstrate substantial scholarly output and teaching ability. The process centers on a doçentlik dosyası (portfolio) that includes a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, copies or summaries of works, and evidence of teaching and research activities. A national oral examination, known as the doçentlik sınavı, is conducted before a jury appointed to assess the candidate’s research quality, originality, and command of their field. The jury’s decision determines whether the title doçent is awarded.

The doçentlik examination and its criteria are governed by Turkish higher education law and YÖK regulations, with specific requirements varying by discipline and over time. The title of doçent signifies a senior academic rank and is typically a prerequisite for applying for the professorship (profesörlük). Achieving doçentlik reflects established scholarly qualification and the ability to undertake independent research and advanced teaching.

In practice, the doçentlik process serves as a formal milestone in Turkish academia, marking a candidate as eligible to assume higher-level responsibilities and to pursue the next step toward full professorship, subject to further evaluation and requirements.