An important event was held at the Faculty of Forestry of Isparta University of Applied Sciences (ISUBU) as part of the Research and Development (R&D) and Project Preparation Techniques course taught by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ömer Ümit YALÇIN. Students and academics took part in the talk titled “BAKA Projects and Regional Development,” held on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 3:00 PM in the Martyr Ömer Faruk Aydın Hall of the Faculty of Forestry.
At the talk, Dr. Emir Olcay SAYIN, Head of the Social and Sectoral Support Unit at BAKA (the Western Mediterranean Development Agency), and Ömer Ferda AKYOL, BAKA Expert, were featured as speakers. The event covered BAKA project support and grants, techniques for preparing successful projects, and the role of R&D in regional development in detail.
The “From Idea to Value” Approach in Project Development
During the talk, BAKA experts shared the steps to be considered in the process from idea to field implementation, through their presentation “From Idea to Value: Developing Projects, Thinking Entrepreneurially, and Contributing to the Region.” BAKA, which aims to accelerate development in the Western Mediterranean Region covering the provinces of Antalya, Burdur, and Isparta, presented its “Understand the Problem, Design the Solution, Create Value” model for projects that go beyond simply presenting ideas and create social and economic value.
International Funding Opportunity: FOREST Partnership 2026
Another highlight of the event was the international grant programs offering major opportunities for Faculty of Forestry academics and students. Attention was drawn to the following focus areas under the FOREST Partnership 2026 Joint Call, which supports research in forestry and the environment:
• Climate-resilient forests
• Adaptive forest management
• Innovative wood products
• Forest-based value chains
It was stated that the first-stage international application deadline for the call is December 2, 2026 (15:00 Turkey Time), and that TÜBİTAK national conditions apply to researchers participating from Türkiye. Participants were pointed to baka.gov.tr for current announcements and funding opportunities.
