Universities should not overlook their fundamental missions such as education and research, as well as their function of serving the community. Especially for newly established and rapidly growing universities, this function is considered as important as education and research. It is known that the development of cities and regions occurs more quickly and healthily with highly qualified human capital. Supporting this development is regarded not only as an academic responsibility of universities but also as an important obligation they carry towards their regions and the state. In this context, transferring the trained human resources, knowledge accumulation, and richness of thought to society is seen as a significant necessity.
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University has established the Burdur Development Center to contribute to the development of the city and region in line with this mission. The center has created a contact point that acts as a bridge between the sector actors in the region and the university, ensuring that demands, problems, projects, and solution proposals are addressed on an academic basis. It is aimed to transfer competencies such as academic research, problem identification, and solution generation to the projects to be carried out for the city and region. Thus, the ideas, suggestions, and projects of stakeholders in the region will be evaluated within an academic framework, taking on a guiding role.
The Burdur Development Center is structured as a communication center for education, consultancy, and project activities, aiming to create a stronger integrity between Burdur province and the university. Through the center, which has a strong structure in terms of academic, administrative, and human capital, it is aimed to contribute to the development of the city and region, shed light on this process, and take on a pioneering role.