Prof. Dr. Erol ÖZVAR
(President of the Council of Higher Education)
As the Council of Higher Education, we have made significant progress within the scope of the "Regional Development-Oriented Mission Differentiation and Specialisation Programme", which aims to enable our universities to play a pioneering and guiding role in the development and progress of the regions where they are located by adopting the needs and issues of the society as our mission. At this point, I would like to point out that there is no single formula accepted in the world to serve regional development effectively and efficiently. This formula can only be a road map that will be put forward with the support and contributions of our Ministries, Presidency Strategy and Budget Presidency and Higher Education Council, as well as our Governorships, Municipalities, Development Agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations in our provinces to our universities. This solidarity and consultation is essential for achieving the targeted regional outcomes. Councils, one of the most valuable traditions of our state institutions, are of great importance at this stage. Through the councils, opinions are jointly expressed by experts in their fields on hundreds of different topics concerning the future of the state and the nation, and actions are taken in light of these opinions.
Bingöl University, which undertakes the mission of Pilot University in the field of Agriculture and Basin-Based Development, is the only university specialised in the field of "Bee and Bee Products" and has achieved a significant success momentum with its efforts to increase the added value of bee and bee products, especially Bingöl honey. As the Council of Higher Education, we will continue to support this important mission of Bingöl University in order to contribute more to the development of our country and to lead other universities in similar specialisation areas. In this regard, the "International Honey Council and Fair" to be held under the leadership of the Council of Higher Education will provide an important platform for the sustainability and development of the beekeeping and bee products sector.
The main objectives of the "International Honey Council and Fair", which will gather all stakeholders related to honey and other bee products under a single roof, from producers to academicians, from non-governmental organisations to bureaucrats, are; information sharing and training, providing cooperation and stakeholder communication in the sector, ensuring that honey and other bee products reach wider markets, and creating sectoral policy for a sustainable beekeeping.