Best ELT Management Practices
On November 30, 2024, MEF University hosted the "Best ELT Management Practices" symposium, a collaborative initiative organized in partnership with Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University and Özyeğin University. Sponsored by Macmillan Education, the event convened 60 directors and administrative leaders from Schools of Foreign Languages (SoFL) across Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir to examine contemporary challenges and innovations in English Language Teaching (ELT) administration.
The program featured a diverse array of sessions led by academic experts:
Keynote Address: Andy Hockley, a prominent educational management consultant, delivered the keynote session titled "Steps to More Effective Leadership and Management," which focused on the specific administrative demands within Turkish higher education foundation programs.
Specialized Parallel Sessions:
Nergis Uyan (Özyeğin University): Explored the variables contributing to "Effective Schools," analyzing the critical intersection of leadership and institutional success.
Koray Tunç (FSMVU): Presented on "Transforming Language School Operations with AI," providing a framework for integrating automated systems into curriculum development and program administration.
Vladlena Tcherkachina (MEF University): Facilitated a session on "Conflict Management," focusing on strategic resolution models tailored for academic environments.
Station Rotation Workshops: Practical sessions addressed specialized administrative topics, including the use of AI in policy drafting by Chris Sanders, the implementation of the ADDIE model for mid-management development by Kezban Altuntaş Özben and Esra Çelik Soydan, and the development of "Virtual Exchange and COIL" programs by Zeynep Bilgehan Can.
Focus Groups: Afternoon sessions moderated by experts such as Mahdis Rostamzadeh, Robin Foggo, and Jeremy Simms allowed for deeper inquiry into professional development, quality assurance, and self-management.
The event concluded with a focus group debriefing moderated by Joel Compton, reinforcing the initiative's goal of fostering a sustainable culture of collaboration and scholarly exchange among ELT professionals in Türkiye.
