Another Significant Step Taken in Balıkesir for University-Industry Collaboration

Another initiative has been added to the efforts to develop university-industry collaborations in Balıkesir. A ‘Goodwill Cooperation Protocol’ was signed between the Balıkesir Organised Industrial Zone (BALOSB) and Balıkesir University (BAÜN) by Balıkesir Governor İsmail Ustaoğlu, Balıkesir University Rector Prof. Dr. Yücel Oğurlu and BALOSB Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Bekki. The protocol signing ceremony, held at the Governor's Office, was also attended by Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Cevdet Avcıkurt and Prof. Dr. Fatih Satıl, BALOSB Regional Manager Akın Ünal, Balıkesir Vocational School Director and Technology Transfer Office Coordinator (BAÜN TTO) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatmagül Tolun, and representatives of the parties.

Under the signed protocol, students will be able to complete their vocational training periods at businesses in the Balıkesir Organised Industrial Zone through the internship and employment office to be established at BALOSB. This will increase students' sectoral experience and professional competence while meeting the qualified labour force needs of businesses in the Organised Industrial Zone.

At the protocol signing ceremony, Balıkesir Governor İsmail Ustaoğlu expressed his hope that the protocol, which is of great importance for developing university-industry cooperation, would be beneficial for the institutions and Balıkesir, and congratulated the institution officials on the signing of the bilateral cooperation goodwill protocol. Balıkesir University Rector Prof. Dr. Yücel Oğurlu stated that the opening of a liaison office belonging to the university to coordinate internship and employment opportunities in the organised industrial zone would be an important step. ‘The 3+1 application, which means three years of theoretical education and one year of internship, which has been discussed for years but has not been implemented, is being implemented in 30 departments of our university. By taking the most concrete and necessary step in terms of cooperation between universities and the business world, we will continue to do what is necessary for the integration of the university and the city.’

Hüseyin Bekki, Deputy Chairman of Balıkesir Organised Industrial Zone, also expressed his hope that the signed protocol would be beneficial for Balıkesir, BALOSB, BAÜN and university students, and expressed his satisfaction with the concrete steps taken regarding the 3+1 model, which had been discussed for many years but had not progressed.