Seven Universities Included in CoHE’s “Mission Differentiation and
Specialization Aimed at Regional Development Program”
November 12, 2021 / Burdur
Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
The visits to the universities aimed at regional development, which are
made to monitor the performances of the universities in CoHE’s “Mission
Differentiation Aimed at Regional Development Program”, and to exchange
experiences with each other, continue.
In this scope, CoHE President Prof. Erol Özvar participated in the meeting
hosted by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University and announced the names of
the seven universities that are included in the program for the first time.
The meeting was chaired by CoHE President Erol Özvar. In addition to Burdur
Governor Ali Arslantaş, provincial senior officials, the rectors and vice
rectors in charge of the program, which are Artvin Çoruh University,
Aksaray University, Bartın University, Bingöl University, Düzce University,
Hitit University, Kastamonu University, Kırklareli University, Kırşehir Ahi
Evran University, Muş Alparslan University, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
University, Siirt University, Uşak University and Yozgat Bozok University,
and the rectors and related vice rectors of the universities that have been
recently included in the program, which are Batman University, Giresun
University, Gümüşhane University, Iğdır University, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey
University, Munzur University ve Hacı Bektaş Veli University, attended the
meeting.
CoHE President Erol Özvar made a speech after the opening speeches of Prof.
Adem Korkmaz, Rector of Burdur Mehmet Akif University, and Prof. Naci
Gündoğan, CoHE Executive Board Member. He reiterated that they had been
having meetings at the universities that were included in the project at
regular intervals since 2019 to monitor the performances of the
universities and to share their experiences.
He stated that they were having the last meeting at Burdur Mehmet Akif
Ersoy University, as they were not able to hold these meetings for a long
time due to the pandemic. He said that they would visit the universities
that were included in the program in the coming months.
- "The contribution of knowledge and trained human resources is
important"
He underlined that CoHE attached importance to an approach for planning
that focused on quality, diversity, and regional development in all
processes of higher education, including education, research and community
service. Özvar said that he considered the works on the specialization of
Turkish universities with a focus on mission differentiation, which was one
of the most important structural changes, adding that they intended to
continue their activities in this field with the universities and all
stakeholders.
He emphasized that, besides the primary activities of universities such as
education-training and research-development, the program also aimed to use
the natural, economic, commercial, industrial and social potential of the
provinces and regions effectively, to contribute to the development of
local economic life, and to train the human resources needed by the
regions.
“When the current situation of Turkish universities is evaluated, it is
observed that they all tend to be similar. However, trying to be similar
and having the same mission prevent development and progress. Especially
the newly established universities can achieve things that the established
universities, which have completed their institutionalization, cannot
produce for their regions, and can add values to those regions.
There is a need for differentiation of some Turkish universities in
education, some in research and technology production, and some in
contribution to regional development. While the selected universities carry
out their operations for educational processes, they will be able to
specialize in the fields related to their regions during the research
process and make significant contributions to the development of these
regions. This approach is clearly stated in the 10th Development Plan
covering the years of 2014-2018 with the statement ‘Higher education system
will be transformed into an autonomous, performance-oriented,
quality-oriented and competitive structure on the basis of accountability
and in accordance with the principles of specialization and diversity’.
The universities are expected to redefine their own goals and strategies by
establishing relations with their regions, and to differentiate their
visions and missions according to the needs of their regions in order to
ensure regional development through this program. The Program continues to
be carried out with 15 universities (five universities in 2016, and ten
universities added in 2018 and 2019). Today, we will assign regional
development-oriented missions to 22 Turkish universities by including seven
Turkish universities in the process. I congratulate the universities that
were recently included in the program."
CoHE President Erol Özvar drew attention to the fact that the production of
knowledge and competent people in higher education were the two major
aspects required for Turkey’s goals for 2023 and underlined that the
contribution of this knowledge and human resources to the regions was of
great importance.
- Universities and their fields of specialization
Özvar reiterated that seven universities were included in the program by
the decision of the CoHE Executive Board dated September 29, 2021, and
said:
"The selected universities and their fields of specialization are as
follows: Giresun University - Hazelnut, Iğdır University - Agricultural
Products with High Added Value, Munzur University - Strategic Raw Materials
and Advanced Technology Practices, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University -
Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism, Batman University – Energy,
Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey – Precision Agriculture Practices and Innovative
Processing Technologies, Gümüşhane University – Mining.”
Click here to read the full transcript of the speech made by CoHE President
Prof. Erol Özvar. (In Turkish)
After the opening speeches, the names of the seven universities that were
newly included in the program were announced and the program certificates
were presented to the rectors of these universities by CoHE President Erol
Özvar.
Following the presentations of the universities, general evaluations were
made on a program basis. In the afternoon, the participants visited the
project promotion booths and visited the Farm Enterprises of MAKÜ.
- The number of universities in the program which has been carried out
since 2016 has increased from 15 to 22
The number of universities in the “Mission Differentiation Aimed at
Regional Development Program” carried out by CoHE has reached 15 (five
pilot universities in 2016, 5 universities in 2018 and 5 universities in
2020). At the meeting hosted by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, the
number of universities in the program has increased to 22 as a result of
the announcement of the inclusion of seven universities into the program.
- The seven universities, which were newly added to the program, and
their fields of specialization
UNIVERSITY
|
FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION
|
Batman University
|
Energy
|
Giresun University
|
Hazelnut
|
Gümüşhane University
|
Mining
|
Iğdır University
|
Agricultural Products with High Added Value
|
Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University
|
Precision Agriculture Practices and Innovative Processing
Technologies
|
Munzur University
|
Strategic Raw Materials and Advanced Technology Practices
|
Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University
|
Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism
|
- The 15 universities carrying out their studies under the program and
their fields of specialization
UNIVERSITY |
FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION
|
Aksaray University
|
Sports and Health
|
Artvin Çoruh University
|
Medical and Aromatic Plants
|
Bartın University
|
Smart Logistics and Integrated Regional Practices
|
Bingöl University
|
Agriculture and Basin Based Development
|
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
|
Husbandry
|
Düzce University
|
Health and Environment
|
Hitit University
|
Machine and Manufacturing Technologies
|
Kastamonu University
|
Forestry and Nature Tourism
|
Kırklareli University
|
Food
|
Kırşehir Ahi Evran University
|
Agriculture and Geothermics
|
Muş Alparslan University
|
Husbandry
|
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University
|
Tea
|
Siirt University
|
Agriculture and Husbandry
|
Uşak University
|
Textile, Leathermaking and Ceramics
|
Yozgat Bozok University
|
Industrial Hemp
|