At the meeting held at Uşak University Student Life Center Dining Hall, Uşak University Rector Prof. Dr. Ekrem Savaş made evaluations about the university's work for 2022. Rector Savaş was accompanied by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Kenan Taş and Rector Advisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Vadi Balcı.

Prof. Dr. Savaş explained the development of Uşak University over the past five years as follows: "As you all know, one of the primary responsibilities of universities is to produce knowledge, to innovate, and to produce the technology that the region and the country require. In addition to this, it is to train the basic manpower with the knowledge and skills appropriate to our age, which will adapt and contribute to these technological developments.

Prof. Dr. Savaş noted that the quality of all services provided in contemporary higher education is one of the criteria for preferability. He added, "Universities that recognize the importance of quality management and create a road map in this direction are becoming globally competitive." As a result of our efforts in this direction, we have been awarded ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System certifications.

Prof. Dr. Savaş noted that Uşak University closely monitors technical advances and conducts research to incorporate these developments. " At this point, Uşak OSB Technopark, a candidate for the region's new technology hub, was introduced. Our companies commenced operations in this location. In the past five years, we have achieved the highest level of university-city integration by collaborating with the Governorship of Uşak, Uşak Municipality, NGOs, public institutions, and industrial organizations operating in Uşak in the areas of education, social-cultural cooperation, research and development, and product and process development. In addition to these partnerships, we've established the "Uşak University Advisory Board," whose mission is "Common Mind" and whose objective is "Success." We assembled the institutions and organizations that represent the university's external stakeholders to establish our board. Our academic programs have been organized and standardized to satisfy the requirements of our external stakeholders. In every situation, the city and our university behave with common sense. The performance of the Technology Transfer Office at Uşak University is likewise highly successful. We offer "Public University Industry Cooperation," "Project Support Services," "Patent Support Services," and "Entrepreneurship Services" as part of UTTO."

Rector Prof. Dr. Savaş stated, in reference to Uşak University's worldwide activities and accomplishments, "We have a multinational, multicultural campus and classroom atmosphere." Our university is currently home to 2,856 international students from 55 nations. Our international exchange programs have risen in number. The number of Erasmus Exchange Program agreements climbed from 60 to 112, and the number of Mevlana Exchange Program agreements increased from 18 to 39. Every year, we host researchers and students from worldwide universities during "International Week."

Providing information about Uşak University's academic staff, number of publications and projects, Prof. Dr. Savaş said, "While there was 1 academic staff for every 45 students in 2017, there will be 1 academic staff for every 32 students in 2021. In the last five years, there has been a significant increase in the number of publications of our academicians. While our total number of publications in all indexes (SCI, SCI-E, SSCI, A&HCI, ESCI) was 589 between 2006-2016, it was 1,387 between 2017-2022, and while our total number of citations in all indexes was 1,819 between 2006-2016, this number was 9,386 between 2017-2022. In short, we have an average increase of 84 percent. In the University Ranking By Academic Performance (URAP) ranking, while we were 122nd in the general ranking of Turkey in 2017, we rose to 96th place among 183 universities in 2022. Among universities established after 2000, we rose to 38th place among 112 universities this year. There is also an increase in the projects carried out by our professors. In 2022, 22 of our TUBITAK project applications were accepted, and the application evaluation of 90 of our projects is ongoing."

Underscoring that they have started to enter the rankings of internationally accredited institutions as a result of the studies carried out in recent years, Prof. Dr. Savaş said, "Uşak University took place in THE Impact Rankings for the first time in 2021." Uşak University received "Reporter" status in the 2022 World University Rankings, confirming its place among prestigious universities. While 1600 universities from 99 countries took part in THE World University Rankings 2022, Uşak University was included in the Times Higher Education Emerging Economies University Rankings (THE Universities in Emerging Economies) and was granted "Reporter" status. Recently, "The World University Rankings 2023" (The World University Rankings 2023) was published. "Our university, with an overall average score of 1500+ points, ranked 38th among 61 universities from Turkey that entered the ranking."

Prof. Dr. Ekrem Savaş also talked about the newly initiated applications and said, "One of our new applications is "I am very social". With the "I am very social" application, our students document the activities they participate in. Along with the "Diploma" and "Diploma Supplement", we will also give our students an "Additional Development Activities Student Report Card" documenting all their extracurricular cultural, artistic and sports activities. We have established the Alumni Office and Career Development Coordination, which aims to prepare students for professional life and support graduates in their career journey. In addition, we have established a "Rector Communication System" in order for university staff and students to directly contact the Rector and convey their complaints, opinions and suggestions."

Rector Savaş, who also provided information about the applied education program at Uşak University, described an arrangement in which our students spend the final semester of their education gaining practical experience in enterprises, companies, and industrial organizations in our faculties and vocational schools, i.e. a 7+1, 3+1 system. The initiative benefits both our students and our organization. Our pupils acquire employment before graduation. Our program of applied education has begun to bear fruit. Employers who hire students through this program do so. He recently stated that, as a result of our applied training program, nine of our students have been hired by the company."

Our Design Center Delivers Services Nationwide.

Rector Savaş explained that the Leather, Textile, and Ceramic Design Application and Research Center at Uşak University, which is the first of its type in Turkey, provides services throughout the nation and conducts good research. "In a very short period of time, our Design Center has established protocols with eleven industrial companies, bilateral cooperation with five foreign institutions, more than one hundred fifty design activities, and cooperation with thirty-five industrial organizations. With designs from the Uşak University DTS Design Center, about 35,000 112 Emergency Health Services employee uniforms were manufactured. In addition, we created summer and winter clothing designs and technical standards for PTT A.. employees. We provide substantial design support to industrial groups in our city. While corporations acquire their designs from our center, they also include products designed by our DTS Design Center in their product catalogs. We employ cutting-edge technologies in the creation of our designs. Using 3D simulation software, we are able to manage how the design functions in the field."

Prof. Dr. Ekrem Savaş, the university's rector, provided information regarding the Technology Transfer Office and the Continuing Education Center (USEM).

At the conclusion of the meeting, Rector Prof. Dr. Ekrem Savaş responded to the queries of the press and noted that they continue to work day and night, mindful of their responsibilities as Uşak University, and that local media is vital to the university's and city's integration.

Following the meeting, members of the press toured the Faculty of Medicine Basic Sciences Building and laboratories, the DTS Design Center, and the UsTech Qualified Employment Center to learn about the efforts of the government.