The Council of Deans of Faculties of Forestry Meeting was held on May 23, 2025, hosted by the Faculty of Forestry at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa (İÜC). Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yavuz, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at Artvin Çoruh University, participated in the meeting.

The opening speech was delivered by İÜC Rector Prof. Dr. Nuri Aydın, and the meeting was chaired by Prof. Dr. Türker Dündar, Dean of the İÜC Faculty of Forestry. Deans from forestry faculties of various universities across Türkiye, along with vice deans of İÜC Faculty of Forestry, were also in attendance.

Following the opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Türker Dündar gave a comprehensive presentation titled “A Brief History and Introduction to Forestry Education in Our Country.” The presentation addressed topics such as the organizational structure of forestry faculties, student quotas and placement statistics, accreditation processes, laboratory infrastructure, and research performance.

During the meeting, the current state of forestry education in Türkiye was evaluated, and various decisions were made to enhance educational quality. In particular, it was decided to lower the student quotas in certain undergraduate programs, promote the use of MÜDEK in accreditation processes, ensure curricular alignment among similar programs, and develop scholarship and promotional mechanisms to attract high-achieving students. Additionally, it was agreed to prepare shared strategies and materials to enhance the promotion of forestry faculties.

It was also decided to initiate steps with the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to resolve the title issue concerning graduates of the Forest Industrial Engineering programs. Moreover, to enhance the institutional presence of forestry faculties in national forestry policies, contact will be made with relevant ministries and institutions. Other significant outcomes of the meeting included the preparation of an operational guideline for formalizing the structure of the Council, the decision to hold the next meeting in May 2026 hosted by Karadeniz Technical University, and organizing a commemorative symposium for Hoca Ali Rıza Efendi in the fall of 2026 with the participation of all forestry faculties.