Ozyegin University and Sustainable Local and Rural Development

Özyeğin University works in cooperation with the Hüsnü M. Özyeğin Foundation and public bodies to contribute to local and rural sustainable development in Turkey. These efforts are built around the following pillars:

• Capacity Building Certification Programs
• Academic Publications
• Mobilization of Students in Development Projects
• Development of Sustainable Development Plans.

The launch of the “Research Report on the Integration of Rural and Urban Economies (KIRKEP) Project”, completed with the cooperation of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and Özyeğin University, took place on December 22 in Ankara. Click to get more information.

As Özyeğin University, we are pleased to announce the completion of 8th Local and Rural Development Specialization Training Certificate Program.You can click here to get detailed information about the content of the certificate program which has been prepared with innovations that allowed active participation of participants.

Town Development Plans for Sustainable Development Through University – Public Sector – NGO Cooperation:

Town Development Plans for Sustainable Development were prepared.

Investment plans have been prepared for 3 residential areas including Ömerli in Mardin, Besni in Adıyaman and Ravanda Basin in Kilis within the framework of the cooperation established among the Southeastern Anatolia Project (SAP) Regional Development Administration, one of the leading development organizations in the public sector in Turkey,  Özyeğin Foundation and Özyeğin University. Focused on holistic and sustainable local development, town investment plans are an efficient example of multi-sector cooperation as a result of the key roles played by universities, NGOs and public organizations.

Organized since 2015, the “Sustainable Local and Rural Development Expert Training Certification Program” was held for the sixth time last year. To date, over 300 professionals have benefited from the program.

 The certification program was organized to provide participants with a vision about the basic paradigms, applications, and thematic areas of sustainable local and rural development. The program has so far garnered great attention predominantly from public sector and NGO employees.

The Local and Rural Development Expert Training Certification Program is the one and only certification program of its kind. In addition to the OzU faculty, academicians from different universities, NGO executives, and representatives of producer organizations have made significant contributions to the program as trainers.

The Sustainable Local and Rural Development Expert Training Certification Program is organized jointly by Özyeğin University and Hüsnü M. Özyeğin Foundation.

To date, the certification program has featured Associate Prof. Deniz Şenol Sert, Dr. Beyza Polat, Prof. Dr. Ümit Özlale, Dr. Faik Gür, Dr. Alper Yağcı, Prof. Dr. Alpay Er, Dr. Murat Fiş, Associate Prof. Özge Samancı, Tangör Tan Öğretim Üyesi, Dr. Ebru Tekin, Dr. Candan Türkkan, and Dr. Meriç Bıçakçıoğlu from our University.

Sustainable Local and Rural Development From the Perspective of Sustainable Life, a collection of articles authored by the faculty members who took part in the local and rural development certification programs as instructors, was published by Ozyegin University Press.  The book serves readers as a rich source that blends theory with practice, with 24 articles and interviews classified under 4 main headings. The book fills an important void in Turkish literature pertaining to local and rural development.

Our University believes that rural life is one of the main pillars of ecological sustainability, and therefore must be preserved with all of its constituents, in particular agriculture. To this end, our students and faculty are given the opportunity to have first-hand experience about rural development practices. Visits are paid to the pilot villages in Bitlis and Kilis where the Hüsnü M. Özyeğin Foundation implements a series of rural development programs.  These visits help meet the material needs of village schools. The itinerary also includes a series of forums that prompt our students and village children and youth to discuss and exchange their career plans.