Within the framework of the "Regional Development Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization of Our Universities" program, overseen by the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Strategy and Budget Directorate and coordinated by the Council of Higher Education, our university, designated as a specialized institution in the fields of Environment and Health, continues to expand its endeavors and strategic investments in Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) within the realm of Health.

Under the umbrella of the Scientific and Technological Research Application and Research Centre (DÜBİT) at our university, we are establishing the largest Traditional and Complementary Medicine Products Production Centre in the region. This initiative is part of the project titled "Establishment of Joint Production Facility Infrastructure for Traditional and Complementary Medicine Products," funded by the East Marmara Development Agency (MARKA) with a budget of 1,000,000 TL, identified by the code TR42/19/ PRODUCTION/0007.

This facility, bearing the Univera logo, the new brand of our university, exclusively manufactures products under the supervision of our expert university staff. Additionally, it offers high-quality contract manufacturing services to the industry. As of February 2021, the Düzce University Production Center (DÜ-ÜM) has produced 3,000 Univera branded products and has received 50,000 bottle filling and labeling orders from the industry. Equipped with advanced machinery, DÜ-ÜM has the capacity to produce not only final products for industrial organizations but also various raw materials such as medicinal plant oil, powder, and extracts in liquid or lyophilized form.

The designated production center within Block E of our university's Faculty of Technology has been renovated to meet the standards of ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems, ISO 22000:2018 for Food Safety Management Systems, and GMP certification for Good Manufacturing Practices, overseen by the Department of Construction and Technical Affairs.

To facilitate both product development and production activities for the Food, Food Supplement, and Cosmetics sectors, our university has established a machine park comprising a diverse range of components, including Liquid Filling Lines, Cream Filling Lines, Capsule Filling Lines, Powder-Granule Filling Lines, Labelling Machines, Plant Grinders, Drying Ovens, and Distillation Units.

The establishment of this facility is expected to generate significant income for the region's inhabitants and the public. In our specialization process, locally produced medicinal plants, medicinal mushrooms, and beekeeping products will be transformed into high-value final products. The project targets not only farmers and beekeepers in the region but also more than 600 companies and cooperatives operating in various sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cereals, nuts, tea, and spices within the TR42 region. Additionally, individual entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to engage in contract manufacturing at the facility without investing in machinery. Commencing production in 2021, the facility aims to enhance the competitiveness, production capacity, and export potential of the agricultural and food sectors in our region.

This initiative also aims to elevate the market share and competitiveness of our region and country in the Global Traditional and Complementary Medicine products industry, which has an estimated capacity of 2 trillion dollars, alongside the medicinal and aromatic plants industry, valued at approximately 110 billion dollars globally. Furthermore, it seeks to bolster the workforce trained in Research and Development (R&D), Pilot, and Mass Production within the relevant sectors.