Internationally Participated Psychological Counseling Symposium Held

Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ) Faculty of Education Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling organized the II. International Participation Psychological Counselor Education, Supervision, and Accreditation and the III. School Psychological Counseling Symposium. 

On November 7-8, 2024, the symposium featured 4 panels and 4 conferences (2 invited speakers from domestic and 2 from abroad) along with 10 workshops. The event was attended by the President of the Turkish PDR Association, Mesut Yıldırım, deans, academicians, and PDR experts from many national and international universities. Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar also participated in the symposium. At the opening of the symposium, a music recital prepared by our Faculty of Education Music Education Department faculty members Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elvan Gün and Dr. Lecturer Elmas Gün was presented, and the university's promotional film was shown. 

At the opening of the symposium, MAKÜ Faculty of Education Dean and Symposium President Prof. Dr. Firdevs Savi Çakar emphasized that rapidly changing conditions in the world and society have made individuals more in need of mental health support, stating, “As psychological counselors, we must heal individuals' emotional wounds and develop their life skills.” Çakar highlighted the importance of developing the professional competencies of experts trained in this field to contribute to societal improvement.

Another speaker at the symposium, Prof. Dr. Ragıp Özyürek, referred to past and future symposium works and discussed the application areas of school psychological counseling. The President of the Turkish PDR Association, Mesut Yıldırım, explained the work carried out by the association since its establishment in 1989 and stated that professional associations provide reliable service delivery in society.

Career Counseling System at MAKÜ

MAKÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar expressed that they provide services in the field of Psychological Counseling and Guidance at their university and offer career counseling support to students. Dalgar also mentioned their meetings with the Ministry of National Education, stating that they have developed a system that analyzes students' professional tendencies and that studies on the applicability of this system at the national level are ongoing.

Following the opening speeches, Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar presented certificates and gifts to the participants.