FOCI XXVII Summary Report
Eskişehir Technical University
9–10 May 2025
Esra Gün Alayafi, Itır Beğen
Overview
FOCI XXVII focused on the theme of building and sustaining effective curriculum teams in English language preparatory programs. Participants from 21 institutions engaged in structured discussions, exploring various aspects of curriculum design, implementation, and evaluation. Sabancı University, School of Languages was represented as part of the national dialogue and contributed to focus group discussions centered on curriculum team structure, collaboration, and workflow.
Day 1
The first day included a keynote presentation and three sessions of focus group discussions. Key areas of inquiry included:
• Team composition and selection procedures
• Role distribution within curriculum teams
• Interdepartmental collaboration
• Workflow and sustainability
The structure currently in place at Sabancı University—through the Curriculum and Assessment Team (CAT)—was found to align with several principles discussed during the sessions. Points raised in the discussions that may be relevant for the SL included:
• The potential benefit of formalizing time allocations for staff involved in curriculum development
• Clarifying expectations and responsibilities related to assessment design within curriculum planning
• Considering mechanisms for structured rotation and onboarding within CAT roles
• Ex ploring the use of short-term working groups for specific projects within the broader team structure
Day 2
On the second day, groups finalized their reports and presented key discussion points. Consensus was reached on several themes:
• Teaching hours should be adjusted for staff taking on ongoing curriculum roles
• Ongoing evaluation should be integrated into curriculum development cycles
• Curriculum, assessment, and materials teams should collaborate from the planning stage
• Professional development should be targeted to the specific tasks expected of curriculum team members
These findings align with current practices at the SL, and some suggestions—such as curriculum-assessment alignment and AI integration—are being considered for future implementation.
Conclusion
The FOCI XXVII event provided an opportunity to observe and reflect on national practices in curriculum team formation and operation. The discussions confirmed that many structural elements already implemented at the SL are aligned with common approaches. At the same time, areas such as workload balance, collaborative planning, and structured review cycles are crucial for building the ideal curriculum team.
