Dr Fatih Aktas

Lecturer

Biography

Background

Fatih Aktas received his Ph.D. degree in Comparative and International Education from Lehigh University, U.S. He also received his M.A. degree in the same program with a Fulbright scholarship. His main research interests include comparative and international education policy analysis, creativity and innovation in higher education, globalization and policy transfer in education, and sustainable development. Before joining the University of Edinburgh, he held a faculty position at Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey. He joined the Moray House School of Education and Sport in August 2020.

Qualifications

Ph.D., Comparative and International Education, May 2017

Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA

Dissertation: The Emergence of Creativity as an Academic Discipline in Higher Education Institutions

Concentration: Sustainable Development

 

M.A., Comparative and International Education, May 2013

Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA

Thesis: Labor Market Outcomes for College Graduates with an Associate Degree

 Concentration: Political Science and International Relations

 

Intensive English Language Training Certificate, Feb.2011-Aug.2011

Center for Intensive English Studies, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

 

B.S., Computer Science Teaching, June 2010

Firat University, Elazig, Turkey

Responsibilities & affiliations

  • Recommended List Manager - FreshEd with Will Brehm, a weekly podcast that takes ideas in educational research, which may initially seem impenetrable, and seeks to make them more accessible, unraveling their complexity through conversations with expert academics in the field, for more information, see https://freshedpodcast.com/about/
  • Fellow - Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
  • Member - Comparative and International Education Society (CIES)
  • Member - British Association for International & Comparative Education
  • Member - Fulbright Alumni Network

Postgraduate teaching

Comparative Education and International Development

Introduction to Education and International Development

Education Policy and the Politics of Education

The Sources of Knowledge: Understanding and Analysing Research Literature

Conceptualising Research: Foundations, Assumptions and Praxis

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Areas of interest for supervision

Fatih welcomes to discuss the master's/PhD level dissertation/research projects in comparative and international education policy analysis; higher education policy analysis; globalization and policy transfer in education; qualitative methodologies; creativity and innovation in higher education; sustainable development.

Current project grants

Smith, W. C. (PI), McNair, L., Aktas, F., Taylor, A., & McCluskey, G. (2023-2024). “Scottish COVID-19 inquiry: An exploration of school closures, openings, and related impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland and comparator countries.” Scotland COVID-19 Inquiry, £28,050.

Past project grants

Thomas, M. A. M. (PI), Brehm, W. (PI), Aktas, F., & Boivin, K. (2022-2023). “Surveying the uses of podcasts in higher education.” British Association of International and Comparative Education (BAICE), £4,993.

Conference details

Smith, W., Aktas, F., & McNair, L. (2024). The COVID-19 school closure experience and its impact on children and young people: Lessons from a study of comparator countries. Presented at the Scottish Government Education Research Seminar Series.

 

Aktas, F., Karaagacli, B., Brehm, W., & Thomas, M. A. M. (2024). Podcasting the field of comparative and international education: A descriptive analysis and thematic analysis of FreshEd. Presented at the first bi-annual Education through Podcasting (EPOD) Conference in London, UK.

 

Thomas, M. A. M., Brehm, W., Boivin, K., Aktas, F., Cho, I., & Mensah, P. K. (2024). Podcasts as pedagogy in higher education: A scoping review to map and advance the field. Presented at the first bi-annual Education through Podcasting (EPOD) Conference in London, UK.

 

Aktas, F. (2016). The Emergence of Creativity as an Academic Discipline in Higher Education Institutions (March 6-10, 2016). Presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) in Vancouver, Canada.

 

Goebel, J., Aktas, F., Duong, H., & Earhart, K. (2016). An International Self: A Case-Study of Student Development and Global Citizenship through International Internship Experiences (March 6-10, 2016). Presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) in Vancouver, Canada.

 

Chaney, J., Pitts, K., Aktas, F., & Silova, I. (2015). Institutionalizing Global Citizenship: Critical Analysis of University Mission Statements and Practices (March 8-13, 2015). Presented at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) in Washington, DC, USA.

 

Aktas, F. (2013). Labor Market Outcomes for College Graduates with an Associate Degree (March 10-15, 2013). Presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) in New Orleans, LA, USA.

Aktas, F. (2021). The emergence of creativity as an academic discipline: Examining the institutionalization of higher education programs. Higher Education Quarterly.

 

Brehm, W., & Aktas, F. (2019). All education for some? International development and shadow education in Cambodia. International Journal of Comparative Education and Development. DOI:10.1108/IJCED-01-2019-0005

 

Aktas, F., Pitts, K., Richards, J. C., & Silova, I. (2017). Institutionalizing global citizenship: A critical analysis of higher education programs and curricula. Journal of Studies in International Education, 21(1), 65-80.

 

Leight, R. L., Silova, I., & Aktas, F. (Eds.). (2016). A history of education at Lehigh University: 100 years of excellence. Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University, College of Education.

 

Aktas, F. & Silova, I. (2016). Institutionalizing Education Degree Programs: The Establishment and Growth of the Department of Education (1932-1963). In Leight, R. L., Silova, I., & Aktas, F. (Eds.), A history of education at Lehigh University: 100 years of excellence. Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University, College of Education.

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