CoHE President Özvar Makes Statement at METU: "Financial Support of 100
Million Turkish Liras will be Provided to Research Universities”
June 6, 2022 / Ankara
Erol Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE), paid a
visit to Middle East Technical University (METU) to attend the Research
Universities Collaboration Meeting.
Özvar was welcomed by Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Verşan Kök at METU. He
received information about the current status of the university and the
ongoing studies at the Rector’s Office and then attended the Senate
Meeting.
Özvar made a statement to the journalists after the meeting. He stated that
they came together to establish close cooperation with universities and
said, “We come together with the rectors, senates and administrative boards
of Turkish universities during our university visits. Together with our
professors, we listen to the current situation, expectations, needs, and
criticisms, if any, of the universities, and try to revise and reshape our
policies about the universities with the feedback we receive as CoHE."
He stated that they exchanged views on academic studies, research and
development activities, staff issues and the vision of the university for
the future at METU and said, "METU is one of the most respected and
prestigious higher education institutions in our country. I hope we, as
CoHE, will evaluate these views we gathered from the university and
undertake important works for the future.”
He noted that they were planning a special support program for research
universities with the protocol signed with the Presidency of Strategy and
Budget and added, "Under this protocol, Turkish research universities and
the Presidency of Strategy and Budget will provide Turkish universities
with funds for R&D studies according to their academic performance."
“We are Implementing the Research Universities Support Program”
After his statements, CoHE President Özvar attended the Research
Universities Collaboration Meeting organized by CoHE
within the framework of the Research-Oriented Mission Differentiation and
Specialization Program.
In his speech at the meeting, Özvar said, "Today, we are initiating the
Research Universities Support Program at this meeting."
Özvar reiterated that they shared the new vision regarding the
Research-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization Program with
the public on December 13, 2021. The program had been carried out within
the framework of Türkiye's primary objectives to produce knowledge,
encourage interdisciplinary studies and collaborations, increase the number
of researchers with doctoral degrees, strengthen international cooperation
and make universities more visible in the international arena. Özvar also
explained the works carried out under the program and noted that the new
approach they developed on the concept and strategies of the research
university brought excitement to universities and higher education
specialists.
He pointed out that there were still steps to be taken in the construction
of a strong and high-quality university on a world scale, especially in
increasing the productivity and quality of scientific research in
institutions and noted that one of these steps was financial support for
research universities.
Özvar reiterated that they held various meetings with the Presidency of
Strategy and Budget on the issue of providing special support programs to
increase the research capacity of universities and that they signed a
protocol on the Research Universities Support Program on March 17, 2022.
“Financial Support of 100 Million Turkish Liras will be Provided to 20
State Universities for 2022”
CoHE President Özvar stated that CoHE prepared the procedures and
principles regarding the functioning of the support program in coordination
with the Strategy and Budget Department and shared it with the
universities:
“Under the support program, resources will be allocated to research
universities annually by the Presidency of Strategy and Budget according to
the results of the performance to be assessed every year by the Council of
Higher Education, starting from this year. Research universities will be
able to use this resource allocated to them to support scientific research
projects in the fields they are paired up by CoHE. This year, 100 million
Turkish liras of resources will be transferred to 20 state universities for
research projects.”
"We will Monitor the Results of the Program"
He emphasized that CoHE would monitor the results and stated that they
would make new performance evaluations according to the results.
He noted that the support given to research universities with the
contributions of the relevant units of the State and President Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan was very meaningful in an environment where the global economic
crisis was experienced and conveyed his thanks to President Erdoğan and the
Presidency of Strategy and Budget for their contribution to the execution
of the process.