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Agricultural Machinery Education in Turkey

Article  in  International Journal of Engineering Education · December 2006

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Int. J. Engng Ed. Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 86±92, 2006 0949-149X/91 $3.00+0.00
Printed in Great Britain. # 2006 TEMPUS Publications.

Agricultural Machinery Education in

Turkey*
MUÈ CEL TEKIN, RIDVAN ARSLAN and YAHYA ULUSOY
Uludag University, Vocational School of Technical Sciences, GoÈruÈkle, 16059, Bursa, Turkey.
E-mail: ytekin@uludag.edu.tr
The education of agricultural machinery technicians is performed by the vocational schools in
Turkey. One of the main problems of the agricultural sector in Turkey is the lack of qualified
technicians. Parallel to the changing agricultural engineering concept in Europe, new technologies
have been launched for teaching of agricultural machinery technicians. New and expanded areas
like GPS and GPRS for management, technical-biological system analysis, and natural Resources
Technology have been included in the agricultural technologies disciplines of traditional Univer-
sities of Agricultural Colleges in the EU. Modern agricultural machinery technician courses include
the subjects of information technologies, mechatronics, sensor technology and robotics. The most
important step to take in Agricultural machinery programs is to increase the quality of agricultural
education and to identify where it stands in international standards. Throughout the membership
application process of Turkey prior to joining the EC, there has been a need for the application of
new technologies and more qualified, sustainable education for agricultural machinery technicians
who will be welcomed by the EU countries. In this paper, we describe the model and curriculum of
agricultural machinery technician education of the Uludag University.
Keywords: agricultural machinery; technician education; European Union programs; credit
transfer

INTRODUCTION to be supported by increasing the quality of

THE AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY sector
in Turkey is about half a century old. The sector
has improved from the level in which it produced
simple tools and machinery and progressed them
to the level in which it can use modern technologies
and export to the other countries. With 1012 firms
and nearly 15,000 workers, the sector has been
manufacturing about 500 models of 122 different
types of agricultural machinery and has been
exporting these products both in domestic and
foreign markets [1]. Turkey exported 4548 tractors
in the value of 50.6 million dollars and agricultural
machinery in the value of 26.4 million dollars. The
USA, Italy, Mexico and South Africa are the some
of the countries that Turkey exports tractors to.
She has exported the most agricultural machinery
to France, Syria, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Egypt,
Algeria, Greece and Morocco. Harvesters, tillage
implements and machines used in animal husban-
dry are the main types of exported agricultural
machinery (Statistics of MA, 2003) [2].
In our country, 39% of people deal with agri-
culture and due to the fact that 70% of the fields
used in agriculture is below 5 Ha, small-scale
agricultural machinery producers are forced to
work according to the local demands, and as a
result of which the related firms cannot adapt
themselves to the new technologies so work with
low capacity [3]. In this point, it is clear that the
agricultural machinery sector in our country needs
* Accepted 21 August 2005.
technology and the quality of its workers as well
as the productivity.
In addition to this and taking into consideration
that approximately 10% of those working in agri-
cultural machinery sector are technicians and
engineers and that the education level of the farm-
ers is less than those working in other sectors, it
can be said that the agricultural machinery sector
needs qualified technicians more than the other
sectors. Studies have been carried out in the field of
improving the economic, legal and educational
policies in order to encourage the sector to use
the agricultural machinery to full capacity and
with understanding, which has importance for
the country's agricultural economy and productiv-
ity. In these studies, the most important duty is
that of the education policy planners plus the
effective application of those plans by technical
education institutions. In this paper, education
methods have been examined from the point of
quality and efficiency in education of agricultural
machinery technicians and the accreditation
studies of the Uludag University Vocational
School of Technical Science (UUVSTS).
THE EDUCATION OF AGRICULTURAL
MACHINERY TECHNICIAN
In Turkey, there are three educational institu-
tions in the agricultural machinery discipline.
These are Vocational High Schools, Vocational
Schools and Agricultural Faculties. Vocational
High Schools are connected to the Ministry of

86
 Agricultural Machinery Education in Turkey
Fig. 1. Agricultural machinery education model applied in Turkey.
Education or to the Ministry of Agriculture. The
graduates of these high schools can either become
technicians or attend the Vocational Schools,
which are the institutions above the Vocational
High Schools where courses last for two years.
Vocational School graduates can also become
technicians or attend the agricultural faculties
provided that they succeed in passing the vertical
transfer exam. Faculties of Agriculture accept
students directly from the secondary schools
and give them four years of education. In Fig.
1, this education and credit transfer model is
shown [4].
Among these institutions, Vocational Schools
gain the greatest proportion of students. This
proportion is normal since these schools aim to
educate qualified intermediate personnel between
engineers or administrators and workers. Every
year 350 students on average graduate from 10
Vocational Schools located in different regions of
the country and then they start working [5]. Six
of the ten Vocational Schools were supported by
the Council of Higher Education of Turkey/
World Bank between 1990 and 1994 within the
framework of 1st and 2nd Industrial Education
Projects. The educational facilities were improved
by means of modern educational materials and at
the same time educators were trained in different
countries for 3- or 9-month periods.
87
The technicians who graduate from the agri-
cultural machinery program are the technical per-
sonnel who are between the top level administrator
or engineer and the technical workers. They have
more theoretical knowledge than the workers and
have more practical ability than the engineers. A
person qualified with these skills can undertake
leadership or administrative roles by working with
the cooperation of the others in small or medium
scale firms.
AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY PROGRAM
OF ULUDAG UNIVERSITY
The UUVSTS is one of the schools supported by
the Council of Higher Education of Turkey/World
Bank within the framework of the 2nd Industrial
Education Project. Within its structure, there are
18 technical programs apart from the Agricultural
Machinery Program. From the point of view of the
present situation, it is a school planned to provide
continuous education and a technology center
which is in the International Accreditation process
and which serves as a model to the other schools.
National and international accreditation should be
taken into consideration to realize not only the
guarantee of quality but also the necessary changes
to keep up with the contemporary educational
88 Y. Tekin et al.
standards and to preserve them. The educational
system can be improved with feedback such as the
job functions of the graduates, the numbers of the
graduates, the means to success and the rates of
job securement.
The main target of the Agricultural Machinery
Program is to educate the intermediate personnel
who can effectively use the new or modernized
agricultural machinery including computerized
control systems. An agricultural machinery tech-
nician is a person who has enough knowledge and
ability in the basic machinery and agriculture, who
knows the system and equipments being used in
the production of agricultural machinery and in
the process of agricultural products. The education
and knowledge given to the students can lead the
students to rearrange the working environment
accordingly, to set up good relations with other
people, and to follow the improvements in the
advanced information technology.
Organization model of the Agricultural Machinery
Program
The Agricultural Machinery Program actively
applies the organization model of vocational
schools of the Council of Higher Education of
Turkey/World Bank within the framework of the
Industrial Education Project, which is shown in
Fig. 2. The presence of the Program Advisory
Board is the most important point in this organ-
ization. This Board forms the primary decision-
making mechanism in planning and following the
plans and evaluating them. In this context, the
program decides on the education planning strate-
gies together with the Advisory Board, which has
been formed to provide education on agricultural
production and after sales service.
The members of the board are formed by the
representatives of the relevant sectors. At present,
the board carries on its activities with three
members: a member from UGURKAN AS (a
joint stock company); a member from TARIMAK
AS; and another member from NEW HOLLAND
AS, representing the post-sales service sector. The
members have regular meetings at school in order
to value the program and get prepared to put
forward some suggestions with the aim of increas-
ing quality. The program council consists of the
educational staff taking part in the program and
they ensure that the system works.
In the education of the Agricultural Machinery
Fig. 2. The organization model of the Agricultural Machinery Program.
Program, a student who carries on his studies
integrated with the industrial sector naturally
needs more educational time. In the first year,
students spend their time achieving basic informa-
tion and abilities. At the end of the second term, they
undergo training at different firms for 8 weeks
within the framework of the Industry-Based Educa-
tion (IBE). This IBE study can be carried on for 8
weeks at the end of the second year according to
demand.
Physical capabilities and educational staff
The Agricultural Machinery Program of
UUVSTS has a tractor, a plough, a fertilizer, a
silage machine, a mowing machine and a bale
spreader, which are used in agricultural produc-
tion. It also has a workshop where maintenance
and repair of agricultural machines is performed
and a garage for diesel engines. At the workshops,
parts of the machines are demonstrated according
to modern working practice. There are also prac-
tical maintenance equipments, necessary tools,
engine parts and measuring devices.
In this program, there are two permanent staff,
both of whom have a Ph.D. The education has
been continuing with five staff from the Vocational
High School of Technical Sciences, a professor
from a related field, an assistant professor and
two associate professors. Most of them have
studied abroad in their fields within the Industrial
Education Project of the Council of Higher Educa-
tion of Turkey/World Bank. The above mentioned
staff, as a result of their academic studies and their
close relations with the sector, update themselves
and continue their studies with the idea of total
quality in education. Some educators from univer-
sity or industry are appointed whenever needed
according to the characteristics of the lesson.
In the Agricultural Machinery Program, educa-
tion is carried out using visual and practical
methods. Therefore, teaching materials such as
data projection, filmstrips, overhead projector,
video player, computerized animations, and data
sharing in the Internet are used. The teaching
staff as much as possible prepare lesson notes,
experiment sheets and textbooks.
Curriculum development
The curriculum of this program is updated in
accordance with demands and needs of the sector.
Parallel to the changing agricultural engineering
 Agricultural Machinery Education in Turkey
concept in Europe, new technologies have been
launched for teaching of agricultural machinery
technicians. New and expanded areas like GPS and
GPRS for management, technical±biological
system analysis, and natural resources technology
have been included in the agricultural technologies
disciplines of traditional Universities of Agricul-
tural Colleges in EC [6]. As well as in our country,
similar studies are going under way. Modern
agricultural machinery technician courses will
also include the subjects of information technol-
ogy, mechatronics, sensor technology and robotics
[7]. The general parameters considered in the
improvement of curriculum are as follows:
. to ensure the continuity of the education given
in vocational high schools;
. to integrate with similar programs accredited
abroad;
. to have qualities in order to meet the expecta-
tions of the sector;
. to meet the needs of subjects according to the
ideas and proposals of the graduates working in
the industry;
. to ensure vertical transfer to the faculties;
. to offer elective courses in the programs.
The proportions of the courses according to the
scientific disciplines in the Agricultural Machinery
Program of 2003±2004 academic year is given in
Fig. 3, and the proportions of the vocational
courses in the curriculum is given in Fig. 4.
Especially in the elective courses, it has been
taken into consideration that students should
have knowledge, ability and the opportunity to
diversify in their postgraduate life.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
Accreditation and self-evaluation studies
First of all, the educational institutions define
vision and mission when they decide to improve
Fig. 3. The proportions of the courses according to the scientific disciplines in the Agricultural Machinery Program.
89
education and create quality of culture. The Agri-
cultural Machinery Program has arranged its
program as follows:
. As its mission, the Agricultural Machinery Pro-
gram undertakes to educate the work force that
industry service sector needs by supplying cul-
tural values, communication abilities, research,
culture and art, high quality education, sup-
ported by the contemporary information and
abilities in the international fields (UUVSTS
Self Evaluation Report, 2003) [8].
. The vision of the program is to supply high
quality education, continuous development and
qualified manpower the sector needs.
. An education institute should thoroughly ana-
lyze its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats and should also have the capacity to
adapt for quality improvements. The Agricul-
tural Machinery Program of UUVSTS values
the SWOT analysis as shown in Table 1.
ECTS and Diploma Supplement
ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) deter-
mines the number of lessons that students have to
study. This system shows all the theoretical and
practical periods of the lessons that an institution
has to complete. ECTS helps to improve the
programs with other schools, to provide the equal-
ity of the academic institutions with similar
features and to improve the cooperation. The
Diploma Supplement is a document given in a
standard format in the EC countries and it gives
the detailed information about the owner of it. The
Agricultural Machinery Program has completed
ECTS and Diploma Supplement studies (EU
Education Policies, 2004).
Institutional Revision Program of the Association
of the European Universities EUA/IRP
Uludag University, as a whole, has voluntarily
applied for the Institutional Revision Program of
the Association of the European Universities. This
90 Y. Tekin et al.
Fig. 4. The proportions of the vocational courses.
application has been made for the purpose of
revision of the university's present situation
during the accreditation process. The team of the
Institutional Revision Program that consists of
three experienced university rectors and a profes-
sor has evaluated the UUVSTS. The team exam-
ined the UUVSTS on 12/05/2003 and wrote a self-
evaluation report. UUVSTS, which obtained a
successful result from this process, believes that it
took successful steps on the way to accreditation
(UU-EUA Self Evaluation Report, 2003) [9].
International relations and projects
In the Agricultural Machinery Program,
UUVSTS, together with students, has been
actively studying national and international
projects. Research, improvement and pilot produc-
tion of biodiesel fuel, which is on the agenda to use
as an alternative fuel in Turkey, has been carried
out in the laboratories of the program.
On the international scale, a study of the
Leonardo Da Vinci Technical Education Project
has been carried out. In this context, a study visit
to England was realized, a mobility project on the
`Adaptation of New Technologies to Agricultural
Table 1. SWOT analysis of Agricultural Machinery Program of UUVSTS
STRENGTHS
 Qualified educational staff
 Located in an agricultural and industrial area
 Industrial Education Project of the Counsel of Higher
Education of Turkey/World Bank
 Ten years experience
OPPORTUNITIES
 Project for changing the site to the continuous education
and technology center
 Accreditation process
 Project of EU Leonardo Da Vinci
 Modular education studies
Machinery Education' was given to study with
Ingelstrop Agriculture and National Resource
College in 2005. In addition to this, two educators
are to do a research in Sweden for three weeks. Also,
the pre-studies of the pilot project on `rural devel-
opment' with Harper Adams University College in
England are about to be submitted for approval.
Working fields of the graduates
Distributions of the graduates recorded in the
periodical questionnaire are given in Fig. 5. From
the point of view of employment, it is the most
positive fact that most of the students graduating
from the Agricultural Machinery Program are
employed as technicians according to the objec-
tives. Another success is that the number of
students that successfully managed to pass the
vertical transfer exam and attended the engineer-
ing faculty has considerably increased.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Taking into consideration that educational insti-
tutions are the sources to meet the manpower of
WEAKNESSES
 Insufficient investment for education
 Low income level of the education staff
 Low level of the students coming from vocational
secondary schools
THREATS
 Economic crisis
 Income level of the education staff
 Little interest for the vocational education
 Agricultural Machinery Education in Turkey 91

Fig. 5. Working fields of the graduates in the employment.

the industry, post-sales services and others, differ-
ent strategies and road maps have been designated
to educate the qualified manpower the sector
needs. Spreading of these strategies nationwide
by means of plans and necessary laws is a must
for the higher education institutions, industry and
service sectors alike.
In Turkey, which is in the process of passing from
an agricultural to an industrial society, the current
agricultural potential should not be ignored but
should be fully exploited. The way to enhance this
is for agricultural industry to develop and be
ready to compete against the other nations. With
the thought that an agricultural establishment
would only thrive by reinforcing the educational
substructure and increasing its quality, UUVSTS
has been continuing the accreditation studies.
The accreditation process has been a benefit for
us, allowing us to increase the quality and produc-
tivity of education, to be well informed about the
education of the agricultural machinery techni-
cians in foreign countries, to know the strong
and the weak sides of our educational system, to
analyze the threats and to designate our opportu-
nities. It can be said that the most important
benefit of the accreditation studies is the increase
of reliance on the productive educational activities
instead of obligatory ones. This trust and confi-
dence is quite encouraging for future educational
programs.

REFERENCES

1. Export Promotion Center of Turkey (IGEME). http://www.igeme.org.tr/tur/yayin/makina/htm

2. Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Agriculture (MA). http://www.tarim.gov.tr/uretim/istatistikler/
aletmakina/istihdam.htm
3. Chamber of Agricultural Engineers (ZMO). http://www.zmo.org.tr/etkinlikler/abgst03/13.pdf
4. Higher Education Council of Turkey (YOK). http://www.yok.gov.tr
5. Student Selection and Placement Center of Turkey (OSYM). http://www.osym.gov.tr
6. D. Briassoulis, H. Papadiamandopoulou and B. S. Bennedsen, Towards a European Standard for
Agricultural Engineering Curricula, AgroTechnology, Denmark (2001). ISBN 87-87414-02-5 KVL
7. L. Opara, Outlook for agricultural engineering education and research and prospects for
developing countries, Outlook on Agriculture, 33, May 2004, pp. 101±111.
8. http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies
9. Vocational High School of Technical Sciences of Uludag University, Self-evaluation Report, 2003.
10. European University Association, Institutional Review Programme, UU Self-evaluation Report,
Attachments, 2003.

YuÈcel Tekin, Assoc. Prof. in UUVSTS, received his B.Sc. from Agricultural Faculty of
Ankara University. He obtained M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Agricultural Engineering
Department of Uludag University. He has been working as a lecturer since 1992. His main
field of interest is vocational education, tillage implements, soil compaction and agricul-
tural machinery. He has been in the UK for a period of seven months to join a course
concerning education and agricultural engineering.

Ridvan Arslan, Assoc. Prof. in UUVSTS, received his B.Sc. from Technical Education
Faculty of Gazi University. He obtained M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Mechanical
 92 Y. Tekin et al.

Engineering Department of Uludag University. He has been working as a lecturer since

1988. His main field of interest is valve mechanisms of internal combustion engines. He has
been in the UK for a period of three months to join a course concerning education and
mechanical engineering. He has been lecturing courses related to automotive technology,
automotive electronic systems, engine-out emissions and power transmissions units.

Yahya Ulusoy, lecturer in UUVSTS, received his B.Sc. from Agricultural Faculty of
AtatuÈrk University. He obtained M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Agricultural Engineering
Department of Uludag University. He has been working as a lecturer since 1992. His main
field of interest is alternative fuel technology.

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