The Preschool Teacher Education Program at the Faculty of Education of Istanbul Aydın University carries out structured and sustainable collaborations with employers and sectoral stakeholders in order to strengthen teacher candidates’ professional competencies and to continuously improve teaching and learning processes in line with feedback from the field. These collaborations are implemented through multidimensional interactions established with practice schools, the Sector Advisory Board, graduates, non-governmental organizations, and institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education.

Within the scope of the program, teaching practice and internship processes are conducted in cooperation with public and private preschool education institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. Through the collaboration between Istanbul Aydın University and District Directorates of National Education, teacher candidates are provided with opportunities to gain practical experience in different types of schools and in diverse socio-cultural contexts. This diversified structure strengthens teacher candidates’ preparation for the profession.

One of the important practices aimed at enhancing faculty–school collaboration is a stakeholder event in which the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Dr. Aysel Ergül Keskin, delivered the opening speech and which was attended by administrators and teachers from practice schools, faculty practice coordinators, and program chairs. In this event, stakeholders’ views obtained in response to questions focusing on the continuous improvement of teacher education processes were compiled into a comprehensive report, and the findings were used as input for program development activities.

In addition, a Sector Advisory Board consisting of graduates, practice school administrators, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and private school administrators has been established within the Faculty of Education, and its first meeting was held on 16 May 2025. During this meeting, current needs in teacher education, practical experiences, and suggestions for program development were discussed, with the aim of strengthening faculty–school collaboration through feedback obtained from the field.

In order to evaluate the teaching practice process through a multi-stakeholder perspective, an online “Teaching Practice Stakeholder Meeting” was held on 27 November 2025 with the participation of institution administrators, supervising academics, and all students enrolled in the Teaching Practice I course. In this meeting, the strengths of the practice process and the areas in need of improvement were addressed from the perspectives of all stakeholders; common views were expressed regarding the strengthening of communication channels, the expansion of individual feedback mechanisms, and the continuation of regular stakeholder meetings.

The practice process is implemented within a holistic framework that includes theoretical courses on teaching practice, institutional orientation programs, academic visits, regular reports, briefing meetings, and continuous communication channels among stakeholders. Through WhatsApp communication groups and regular visits, faculty–school interaction is sustained, and rapid solutions can be produced for emerging issues.

All these collaborations and structured processes demonstrate that the Preschool Teacher Education Program operates within a strong network of interaction with employers and sectoral stakeholders and is managed with an approach that supports teacher candidates’ professional development, is responsive to the field, and is based on continuous improvement.