Regional Development-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization of Our Universities

The project titled "Regional Development-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization of Our Universities" aims to foster the integration of our universities with the cities and regions in which they are situated, aligning with our country's developmental objectives. It seeks to reassess the roles of our higher education institutions to cultivate economic, social, and human capital, promoting institutional diversity and leveraging their respective strengths.

Under the auspices of the Presidency of the Council of Higher Education and in collaboration with the Ministry of Development, the project initiative on "Regional Development-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialization of Our Universities" has concluded its evaluation phase to select five pilot universities. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan unveiled the outcomes of this assessment during the Opening Ceremony of the 2016-2017 Higher Education Academic Year on 18 October 2016.

 

                         

 

Regional Development-Oriented Mission of Düzce University

Düzce University is committed to fostering sustainable regional development through specialization in Health Tourism and Waste Recovery within the fields of Health and Environment respectively. To support regional sustainability through Health Tourism, the university plans to establish the Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) Application and Research Centre. This center will conduct research and development, production, training, and application studies. Additionally, the Agricultural Waste Recovery Application and Research Centre will be established to focus on basic and pilot R&D studies aimed at producing composites and chemicals from agricultural waste.

As part of the specialization process, project proposals in the fields of health and environment were solicited from university units and evaluated by senior management. Through focus-group discussions, ideas were shared with a participatory approach to determine how to best contribute to the region in these fields. In light of these discussions, it was decided to establish a Specialization in Environmental and Health Technologies Coordinatorship to ensure a solid foundation for specialization and effective management of these initiatives.

Furthermore, project evaluation and writing teams have been formed with qualified personnel from university units in the fields of health, environment, and business administration. These teams will oversee the implementation of programs and projects identified for specialization by the university.

In the first year of the specialization project mandated by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), Düzce University aims to complete personnel training and installation and equipment works. From the second year onwards, the university plans to conduct R&D and education-dissemination studies, with a focus on supporting production and dissemination to the broader community from the third year onwards.

Rationale for Specialization of Düzce University in the Field of Environment and Health

The economy of the Düzce region primarily relies on agriculture and forestry, with limited presence in high value-added sectors such as energy, health, and defense. Recognizing this, Düzce University seeks to invest in high value-added sectors to stimulate regional development. Additionally, the region boasts significant potential for tourism, thanks to its natural beauty.

Considering the region's needs and potential, the university aims to contribute to regional development by specializing in Health Tourism and Waste Recovery. The university has assessed social, technological, economic, and environmental factors, as well as their impact on specialization areas. Factors such as Düzce's natural resources, the active participation of locals in Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) studies, and the university's academic staff and infrastructure have influenced the decision to specialize in Health Tourism. 

Moreover, the university's focus on hazelnut shell and bee product studies positions it well to leverage agricultural waste for composite and chemical production, thus contributing to regional development. Through these initiatives, Düzce University will not only specialize in these fields but also generate income and contribute to regional prosperity.