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The Youth’s Potential and Religious Education: İmam-Hatip Schools and Religion Classes

Science Academy member Prof. Çiğdem Kağıtçıbaşı has penned the report entitled “Youth’s Potential and Religious Education: İmam-Hatip Schools and Religion Classes,” excerpts from which are available below:

“Turkey’s education problem has remained grave throughout the years. Here, access to education is the basic problem. For instance, according to UNESCO’s ‘Education For All’ report dated 2008, the mandatory scholarization rate, which stood at 96% in developed countries, was 88% in Turkey. The same report indicated that, among 86 countries, Turkey was one of those which would not reach the 100% scholarization rate target by 2015.

“Particularly, the difference between girls and …

By |30/01/2015|Comments Off on The Youth’s Potential and Religious Education: İmam-Hatip Schools and Religion Classes

Report on the Draft Law on the Establishment of Health Institutes Administration

“Draft Law on the Establishment  Health Institutes Administration and Amendments to Certain Laws and Executive Decrees” proposes the establishment of Health Institutes Directorate of Turkey (TÜSEB) and a health university, as well as a number of new regulations concerning the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and universities.

Legal scholar Prof. Yeşim M. Atamer, a member of The Science Academy’s Commission on Ethics and Human Rights, has penned a report criticizing the draft law in terms of scientific principles, law, universities, research and the health system. Below are excerpts from the recently issued report:

“The report hereby was based on the …

By |05/11/2014|Comments Off on Report on the Draft Law on the Establishment of Health Institutes Administration

Statement on the Soma Mining Disaster

In the mining disaster which happened at the Soma Mining Company on May 13, 2014, although over 300 citizens were evacuated, close to 300 citizens lost their lives. Below are excerpts from the statement on the matter issued by The Science Academy:

“As we are deeply shocked by this dismal event which happened today, we need the guidance of science and reason in order to support those families who are trying to make ends meet under difficult conditions, and to ensure that …

By |15/05/2014|Comments Off on Statement on the Soma Mining Disaster

The Science Academy Report on the New Code of Discipline by YÖK

The amendments to the Council of Higher Education’s (YÖK) Code of Discipline for Directors, Faculty Members and Civil Servants were issued on the Official Gazette dated January 29, 2014 and thereby came into immediate effect. The amendments introduce changes to the individual and scientific freedoms of academics, take certain deeds and activities out of the scope of disciplinary action, reduce sanctions for certain acts while toughening them for others. Furthermore, the amendment also includes measures directly related to scientific activity and especially research, such as plagiarism. The following paragraphs are taken from the report issued by The Science …

By |22/02/2014|Comments Off on The Science Academy Report on the New Code of Discipline by YÖK

The Science Academy Board of Directors Statement on Plagiarism

The Science Academy  Statement on Plagiarism is as follows: “Council of State’s latest comment on plagiarism has drawn attention to this issue which constitutes a widespread and deep-rooted moral and scientific problem. According to this comment by the Council of State on applicable law and regulations, those who commit plagiarism will not be discharged of their position as faculty members.

Plagiarism means stealing elements and information from someone else’s  work, and presenting these as one’s own. In ethical terms, plagiarism is not different from theft or fraud for personal gain. Lack of sanctions against forgery concerning the accuracy, origin …

By |24/12/2013|Comments Off on The Science Academy Board of Directors Statement on Plagiarism

The Science Academy Board of Directors Statement on the Gezi Park Events

The Science Academy  Statement on the Gezi Park Events is as follows:

“In the context of the protests which started at Gezi Park in Istanbul at the end of May to later spread across the country, The Science Academy sees serious problems in terms of freedoms of association, expression and acquiring information, and the implementation of decisions and policies based on information.

The government has insisted on taking action without regard for expert opinions and criticisms, in …

By |07/09/2013|Comments Off on The Science Academy Board of Directors Statement on the Gezi Park Events

Gezi Park Incidents from a Political and Social Sciences Perspective – Working Group Report

Here are excepts from the report entitled Gezi Park Incidents from a Political and Social Sciences Perspective by The Science Academy Working Group:

“The series of events which have taken place since May 28 in and around Taksim’s Gezi Park and their repercussions in 79 provinces across Turkey have led to two diametrically opposite explanations. The first was that these events were part of a conspiracy masterminded by foreign or domestic evil forces who wanted to topple a democratically elected government through illegal means. The other was that these incidents were a belated expression of democratization by upper status …

By |01/08/2013|Comments Off on Gezi Park Incidents from a Political and Social Sciences Perspective – Working Group Report

The Science Academy Board of Directors Statement on the Theory of Evolution

Below are excerpts from the Science Academy Statement on the Theory of Evolution:

“With a reasoned decision dated June 13, 2013, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) has refused to grant support to the ‘Mathematic Evolution Graduate Summer School’ project application which would be organized with the participation of prominent scientists from domestic and overseas universities.

“TÜBİTAK’s Department for Supporting Scientists has communicated to the applicants a Panel Report, indicating that ‘the concept of biological evolution is controversial in Turkey and the world’ and that there is no consensus on the matter as of yet, and that …

By |16/07/2013|Comments Off on The Science Academy Board of Directors Statement on the Theory of Evolution

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