Establishing a National English Language Accrediting Body in Turkey: The Case of DEDAK

Abstract

This article discusses the development of a national English language accrediting body in Turkey, namely DEDAK-Dil Eğitimi Değerlendirme ve Akreditasyon Kurulu (Accreditation and Evaluation Board for Language Education). The article analyses the environment in which the accreditation was developed, providing information on the origins of and the rationale for such an accreditation scheme, as well as the political context within which it emerged. The article further covers the developmental phases of the accreditation scheme including challenges, turning points, requirements for authorization and finally a reflection on the process. In doing this, the article focuses on how, during the development, DEDAK ensured that the standards and the operational protocols were developed, implemented, and evaluated by the field with widespread representation. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.