Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya attended the Regional Development-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization Program meeting hosted by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKU). Within the framework of the Regional Development-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization Program held at MAKÜ Lavanta Tepesi Hotel on Friday, November 12, the President of YÖK Özvar met with 22 University Rectors.

The program, which started with the promotional film of the Regional Development-Oriented Livestock Project, was attended by the President of YÖK Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, Member of the Executive Board of YÖK Prof. Dr. Naci Gündoğan, Governor of Burdur Ali Arslantaş, Deputies Bayram Özçelik, Yasin Uğur, Chief Public Prosecutor Osman Kara, Head of Justice Commission Hacı Süleyman Arslan, Rector of KAEU Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, Rector of MAKÜ Prof. Dr. Adem Korkmaz, Rector of Yozgat Bozok University Prof. Dr. Ahmet Karadağ, Rector of Bartın University Prof. Dr. Orhan Uzun, Rector of Kastamonu University Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, Rector of Gumushane University Prof. Dr. Halil İbrahim Zeybek, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University Deputy of Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Ertekin, Rector of Bingol University Prof. Dr. İbrahim Çapak, Rector of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Karaman, Rector of Uşak University Prof. Dr. Ekrem Savaş, Rector of Aksaray University Prof. Dr. Yusuf Şahin, Rector of Giresun University Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Can, Rector of Iğdır University Prof. Dr. Mehmet Hakkı Alma, Rector of Batman University Prof. Dr. İdris Demir, Rector of Siirt University Prof. Dr. Nihat Şindak, Rector of Muş Alpaslan University Prof. Dr. Fethi Ahmet Polat, Rector of Artvin Coruh University Prof. Dr. Mustafa Sıtkı Bilgin, Rector of Kırklareli University Prof. Dr. Bülent Şengörur, Rector of Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University Prof. Dr. Semih Aktekin, Rector of Duzce University Prof. Dr. Nigar Demircan Çakar, Rector of Munzur University Prof. Dr. Ubeyde İpek, Rector of Hittite University Prof. Dr. Ali Osman Öztürk, Vice Rectors, Rector Advisors, protocol members and academicians.

President of YÖK Özvar: "We Care About Quality, Diversity, Difference and Regional Development-Oriented Planning"

YÖK President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, who gave a speech at the meeting, said, "As the Council of Higher Education, we attach importance to the planning mentality and approach focused on quality, diversity, diversity, and regional development in all processes of higher education, including education, research and community service. We also carry out our studies on the specialization of our universities with a focus on mission differentiation, which is one of our most important initiatives in structural change. We evaluate it in this context, and we plan to continue our activities in this field by strengthening it together with our universities and all our stakeholders.".

President of YÖK Özvar: "The Universities Following Each Other's Steps and Having the Same Mission is a Situation That Prevents Development and Progress"

Prof. Dr. Özvar stated that they aim to make use of the natural, economic, commercial, industrial, and social potential of the province and the region as well as carrying out their primary activities such as education, training, and research and development. He said: "Universities contribute to the development of local economic life. When the current situation of our universities is evaluated, it is seen that all of them tend to resemble each other. However, the fact that all universities try to resemble each other and have the same mission is a situation that prevents development and progress. Especially, our newly established universities in their own regions can reach achievements that our developed universities, which have completed their institutionalization, cannot accomplish for that region, and can bring values that they cannot gain to that region. There is a need for differentiation in the focuses of our universities such as education, research, and technology production, or contributing to regional development."

President of YÖK Özvar: "By Adding Seven More Universities to This Program, We Will Have Gave the Regional Development-Oriented Mission to 22 Universities"

Prof. Dr. Özvar, on the policy and measures numbered 560 of the 11th Development Plan, said, “The diversity in higher education will be increased. He emphasized that the scope of the Regional Development Focused Mission Differentiation and Specialization Project will be expanded. Explaining that the process carried out with a total of 15 universities, 5 of which were added in 2016, 5 in 2018 and 2019, within the scope of the Regional Development-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization Program, Prof Dr. Özvar said, "Today, with the inclusion of 7 universities in the process, our 22 universities have a regional development-oriented mission. I congratulate our newly participating universities in the program: Giresun University in the field of hazelnuts, Iğdır University in the field of agricultural products with high added value, Munzur University in the field of strategic raw materials and advanced technology applications, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University in natural and cultural heritage tourism, Batman University in the field of energy,  Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University in the field of precision agriculture and innovative management technologies, and Gümüşhane University in the field of mining.".

Rector Karakaya: "We Activated the Potentials of the Region, We Focused on 2023 Goals"

Prof. Dr. Özvar gave his certificates to the rectors of 7 universities that were later included in the Regional Development Oriented Specialization Program. Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya who made evaluations after the meeting said: “As Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, we are a university that undertakes a mission and specializes in the field of "agriculture and geothermal". We are trying to contribute by working in the field to contribute to the development of the socio-cultural structure of Kırşehir. KAEU has been working on the projects since 2016, and it is very pleasing for us to see these investments come to life, gain identity, and turn into added value. We are happy to ensure that geothermal, which is the potential of the region, is used in the field of health and greenhouse, greenhouse vegetable cultivation, and drought-resistant species in agriculture come to life. In this respect, the stage we have reached is satisfactory but never enough. In this respect, the phase we have reached is satisfactory but never enough; we are always concerned about how it will be better, how to provide better R&D support to the private sector. We will do our best to reach Turkey's 2023 targets included in the 11th Development Plan. In this sense, we will share our knowledge and experience with the universities that have just joined the program.”