Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ), with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports General Directorate of Youth Services, hosted an important event for university students. The organization, held under the name "University Students Social Contribution Project Competition", aimed to reveal the potential of young people to produce solutions to social problems.
In the competition, which received a total of 218 applications from more than 50 universities across Turkey, 30 projects qualified for the finals after preliminary evaluations. The best 10 of these projects were presented before the jury, and five of them were deemed worthy of awards. Additionally, one project was honored with the Jury Special Award.
The opening speech of the program was delivered by Project Manager and Social Contribution Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Öçal.
Öçal, starting his speech with the concept of "welfare," stated: "I would like to begin my words by focusing on the concept of welfare, which is the main goal of our project. Welfare is not a phenomenon that arises spontaneously or can be easily achieved. Social welfare is a goal we can reach only by working hard and making efforts. At this very point, we are here to contribute to this human quest, to listen to and support ideas that will enhance social welfare. What we are doing right now is to implement the social contribution vision adopted by our university and to add value to society by transforming the creative ideas of our young people into concrete projects."
Rector Dalgar: "We must think and produce together for a more just, livable, and sustainable world."
In the final program held at Lavanta Tepesi Hotel, MAKÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar, who made the opening speech, emphasized that youth should be closely interested not only in academic achievements but also in social issues. Reminding that there are 7.5 million university students in Turkey, Rector Dalgar said, "University youth are thinking about human issues much more than we think. We clearly saw this with this competition."
In his speech, Dalgar stated that young people have responsibilities not only for individual achievements but also for the future of society, saying, "We must think and produce together for a more just, more sustainable world."
Praise from the jury president to MAKÜ
Speaking at the award ceremony, Jury President Prof. Dr. Oğuz Karadeniz stated that the evaluation process was carried out meticulously, saying, "All projects became first in our hearts. The differences between them are very small. MAKÜ adds value to the city it is located in not only with education but also with social contribution. Such universities should be in every city."
Award-winning projects
The winning projects of the competition are listed as follows:
- First prize:Inspired by Nature: Loose Parts and Sustainable Playgrounds – Nazlı Sıla Öner (MAKÜ)
The award was presented by Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar. - Second prize:Nebulizer Training Given to Parents Applying to Pediatric Emergency with Two Different Methods: Classical and QR Code Integrated with Smart Phone Training – Merve Özçelik (Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University)
The award was given by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Hakan Öner. - Third prize:Sustainable Prescriptions on Digital Health – Gizem Yönal (Bartın University)
The award was presented by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Tekşen. - Fourth prize:Barrier-Free Birth – Gamze Gedikli (Karabük University)
The award was given by Rector Advisor Prof. Dr. Ali Murat Alparslan. - Fifth Prize:Identification and Rehabilitation of Stray Dogs: MAKÜ Campus Model – Zeynep Erkoyuncu (MAKÜ)
The award was given by Social Contribution Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Öçal. - Jury Special Award:Take Good Care of Your Feet, Protect Your Steps! – İde Kaya (MAKÜ)
The award was presented by Jury President Prof. Dr. Oğuz Karadeniz.
Great support for youth
Rector Dalgar stated that the state provides all kinds of opportunities to university youth, saying, "Our state mobilizes all its opportunities for our students. As a result of these supports, it makes us proud that our young people produce projects that will contribute to society."
This meaningful event, where young people touched different segments of society with their projects, was not just a competition; it was also remembered as a hopeful step for a more just, conscious, and sustainable world.
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