You have completed more than 500 ARP projects of work done by students, partners and faculty over the last 15 years. My understanding is that this is still a work in progress. How have you been able to organise your data collection process with so much material to sift through?
Yes, fortunately, we were able to collect over 500 research project outputs from 2010 to 2024 within just a few months. I began by consolidating data from multiple Excel spreadsheets provided by my supervisor, Dr. Claudia Seymour, into a single master sheet listing around 700 projects. Next, I contacted faculty leads, alumni, and partner institutions, asking them to share project outputs via email or upload them to Google Drive folders I had prepared. I reviewed the submissions individually and entered key details—such as project year, title, page count, and names of faculty leads, students, and partners—into the master spreadsheet. Each file was renamed and hyperlinked to allow access via the website or Google Drive. I also removed incomplete records and downloaded about 140 project outputs from the ARPs catalogue on the Institute’s website. Ultimately, I compiled and submitted over 500 project outputs with complete metadata in the format required for the Library Repository.
As you work so closely with ARPs, what are some interesting patterns you have spotted and any key findings?
I have observed that ARPs have evolved structurally over time. They have been implemented under various formats and titles, such as Applied Research Seminars and Capstones. These projects span a broad range of themes across international relations and development, and they vary considerably in quality and academic rigor. Additionally, I have found that some ARPs are featured on the websites of partner institutions, where they often serve as inspiration for subsequent reports and research initiatives.
Did you find that there were any challenges and limitations to your work?
The biggest challenge was that the information about the projects was very scattered, and I had limited time to organize it all. I effectively had only five months to work on this project at an 80% workload. To manage this, on one hand, I sometimes worked until 6 or 7 PM, and on the other, I tried to make use of AI. For example, I used AI to extract hundreds of student names from a single cell into individual cells, to reverse the order of first and last names of students, or to convert project titles into lowercase letters. I then manually checked the accuracy of these changes. This saved me a tremendous amount of time.
Has your collaboration with Dr. Claudia Seymour, the MINT Team and the Library staff helped shape your workflow and experience at the institute?
Yes, I have had an excellent collaboration with Dr. Claudia Seymour, the MINT Team, and the Library staff. I am especially grateful to my supervisor, Dr. Claudia, who consistently played a supportive role, making my work easier at every step. She stayed closely involved in all aspects of the process, facilitated my tasks and motivated me throughout. Most importantly, her warm smile was ever-present, which made a big difference in maintaining a positive working environment.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? Specifically, how has your experience prior to joining the institute helped shape your work?
Before leaving Turkey for political reasons, I worked for 15 years in senior public administration positions. Alongside my professional career, I also pursued significant academic work. I completed three master’s degrees and a PhD in the fields of Political Science, International Relations, European Integration, Development, and Administrative Sciences, studying in the UK, Belgium, and Turkey. I also completed a CAS in Economics at the University of Neuchâtel. My strong professional background and academic qualifications enable me to make valuable contributions to the work here.
At the end of May an ARP Impact Evaluation will be launched with past students and partner organisations under your leadership. Could you shed some light on this process and its benefits for the personnel and projects?
Over the past six months, I have been collecting and archiving the final outputs of all research projects within the MINT program. With that task now successfully completed, I am now starting research on the impact evaluation of ARPs, which will be conducted over the next 2.5 months. This research aims to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of ARPs for partner institutions and students, and to identify ways to improve their quality and impact. The evaluation will be based on empirical analysis of data collected from partner institutions, alumni, and the academic team, using statistical methods with Stata. The ultimate goal is to develop practical, evidence-based recommendations for the design and implementation of future projects.
