UCWEP and Istanbul Commerce University deepen cooperation on digital media

Following a visit to Istanbul Commerce University by Hasan Taşkın, President of the Union of the World Electronic Press Council (UCWEP), discussions with Professor Rıdvan Şentürk, Dean of the Faculty of Communication, explored opportunities for joint work in digital journalism, media ethics, academic education and international documentary projects.

ISTANBUL – UCWEP – The future of digital media, artificial intelligence, reliable journalism and international documentary projects were prominent topics in discussions that began with Taşkın’s visit to the university’s Faculty of Communication.

In talks with Dean Rıdvan Şentürk and the faculty’s academic team, participants discussed projects that could bring together the university’s research expertise and technical facilities with UCWEP’s international work.

During the visit, Taşkın learned about the university’s television studios, radio broadcasting facilities and hands-on communication training. Participants considered joint work on changes in digital publishing, professional standards in journalism and training the next generation of media professionals.

Professor Rıdvan Şentürk’s academic background

Professor Rıdvan Şentürk, Dean of the Faculty of Communication at Istanbul Commerce University, is known for his academic work on media, cinema, visual communication design and digital culture.

Şentürk took up the role of dean in March 2025. His research focuses on the social effects of communication technologies, digitalisation and media culture.

His academic work on the effects of digital transformation on people, society and culture offers opportunities for collaboration with UCWEP on reliable and responsible digital publishing.

Academic oversight and a quality assessment model for digital media

UCWEP, an international association established under Türkiye’s Law No. 3335, aims to develop self-regulation, quality assessment and professional standards in digital media. These efforts were among the main topics of the talks.

Participants discussed using research-based criteria to assess online news sites for publishing quality, accuracy, editorial responsibility and professional ethics.

The aim is to support research into an assessment model that would classify news sites into A, B and C quality tiers using reliability criteria.

Other areas for joint research include countering disinformation, verifying AI-assisted content and promoting ethical publishing on digital platforms.

Plans for international documentary projects

In line with UCWEP’s international work under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), participants also discussed developing documentaries on the environment, climate change, drought and desertification.

They considered drawing on the university’s academics, communication students and technical facilities to produce science-based documentaries and organise international conferences and panel discussions.

The projects would aim to raise public awareness of environmental problems and give communication students practical experience in international media work.

The university’s technical facilities could support joint work

Participants discussed how the university’s television and radio broadcasting facilities could support the training, research and media projects UCWEP is planning.

They aim to develop joint training programmes, particularly in digital journalism, AI applications, news verification, documentary production and media literacy.

Reports prepared with input from academics are expected to help improve ethical standards in digital publishing and propose solutions to problems facing the sector.

Talks to move to university leadership level

The aim is to develop the contacts that began at the Faculty of Communication into broader institutional cooperation involving Istanbul Commerce University’s rectorate and relevant academic units.

A planned review meeting involving the rector and vice-rectors is expected to cover the scope of joint projects, the schedule and how the projects would be carried out.

The talks, initiated by UCWEP President Hasan Taşkın, aim to bring together the university’s academic expertise and UCWEP’s international media work to improve quality, reliability and professional responsibility in digital journalism.