University with 1000 Projects: Balıkesir University

University with 1000 Projects: Balıkesir University

Balıkesir University has significantly increased its scientific research capacity in the last 3 years, raising the number of Scientific Research Projects (BAP) from 133 to 1000.

Balıkesir University Rector Prof. Dr. Yücel Oğurlu told an AA reporter that three years ago, the university only had 133 registered projects, and that they have undertaken serious work that will change the research ecosystem.

Highlighting that they currently have over 10 high-budget European Union projects, Oğurlu stated:

"With the changes we've seen in the last three years, we've reached 1000 BAP (Scientific Research Projects) in 2026. There has been a significant ninefold increase in our scientific research projects in three years. The value of our projects, which are increasing not only in number but also in quality, excites us. We haven't yet found any other university running 1000 scientific projects simultaneously. These projects are not just about producing knowledge, but about transforming that knowledge into a project, and ensuring that this project has real-world value. We place great importance on this. Now, the commercialization of knowledge or its appeal to the market is expected."

Yücel Oğurlu also mentioned that they provide additional support to projects with patent potential.

57 million lira in support was given to faculty members.

Prof. Dr. Oğurlu stated that students participate in the research ecosystem by working alongside academics in TÜBİTAK (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) projects.

Oğurlu emphasized that the university's revenue from its own resources has increased tenfold in three years, and stated that they provided approximately 57 million lira in support to faculty members through projects last year.