Selçuk Üniversitesi’nin Konya Kent Ekonomisine Etkileri

Üniversiteler, kurulduklarından bu yana bireysel ve sosyal gelişimin yanında, bulunduklarıyörenin ekonomik kalkınmasında da önemli rol oynayan aktörlerdir. Araştırma, öğretim ve hizmetler, yüksek öğretimin temel fonksiyonlarıolsa da, yüksek öğretim kurumları, toplumda verimliliğin artması, işsizliğin azalması, bireysel gelirin artmasıve bunların sonucunda ülkenin ekonomik gelişiminin sağlanmasıyla birlikte pek çok sosyokültürel gelişimleri de beraberinde getirmektedir. Bu çalışma, Türkiye’nin öğrenci sayısıaçısından en büyük üniversitelerinden biri olan ve araştırma tarihi itibari ile kentteki tek üniversite olma özelliğini koruyan Selçuk Üniversitesi’nin Konya ekonomisine olan etkilerini irdelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Selçuk Üniversitesi’nin yöre ekonomisine yaptığıetkiler direkt, dolaylıve uyarılmışgelir ve istihdam rakamlarıolarak ortaya konacaktır.

Besides the individual and social effects, universities also play an important role in the economic development of the cities in which they are located. Although research, education and services are the main functions of the universities, they also have considerable cultural, social and economical impacts on societies. They improve productivity, reduce unemployment, increase individual income and as a result, contribute the country’s development. Besides these economical impacts, they also bring many social and cultural progresses. This study is composed of four main parts. In the first section, the increasing importance in higher education is stressed and impacts of universities are classified with a special emphasis on economic aspects. In this section, some examples from developed countries are given. Second part gives brief information about Selcuk University. In the third section, Selcuk University’s economic impacts on Konya are examined and direct, indirect and induced impacts on employment and income are calculated. University’s budget expenditures and the results of the survey of 1000 student are used for the calculation. The fourth section discusses the results within the framework put forth in the first section. Theoretical framework was obtained from survey of books, periodicals, thesis and internet and the information was supported with the data received from various universities. Books, periodicals, thesis and information were acquired from National Library of Turkey, Libraries of Selcuk University, Middle East Technical University METU , Turkish Higher Education Council YOK , State Statistics Institute DIE and Konya Chamber of Commerce and several web sites. Numeric data were provided from Selcuk University’s Budget Office, Registrar’s Office, Health, Culture and Sports Office, Selcuk University’s Foundation and Revolving Fund Audit Office and Office of Personnel Affairs. Student expenditure data were obtained from a survey of 1000 students of Selcuk University. Impacts of universities can be classified into three categories: individual, social and economical. Contributing to personal development, improving knowledge and skill, providing a better job, income and a better life standard are some of the individual impacts of universities. Expansion of knowledge, increasing social and cultural standards, intercultural communication, awareness in public policy and social mobility are some of the social consequences. Universities have also important economical impacts like decreasing unemployment, increasing productivity, consumption, technological transfer and tax creation. Increasing regional income, economic structure and labor mobility, developments in housing, communication, transportation and medical facilities, decreasing infant mortality, increasing life expectancy are also macroeconomic benefits of universities. Various methods can be used to measure the economic impacts of universities: econometric models, economic base model, input-output analysis, cost-benefit analysis and multiplier models. Multiplier model is one of the most common used models since it provides the assessment of various expenditures of different components i.e. staff, student, university of universities. Its main hypothesis is the consumption expenditures trigger the investment expenditures and cause an expansion in the economy. This study examines Selcuk University’s direct, indirect and induced impacts on income and employment. Direct impacts of universities can be examined into two categories: direct employment and direct income. Academic and administrative staff employed by university forms the direct employment of the university; whereas the payment done by the university to these staff constitutes direct income impact. Indirect impacts of universities can also be examined into two categories like former: indirect income and indirect employment. Besides their payments to its staff, universities also make payments to various individuals or companies to get some goods or services. Moreover students’ expenditures are also an important source of local economy. The university’s expenditures other than staff payments and student expenditures can be called indirect income impact. Indirect employment can be calculated by dividing the total indirect income to the service production rate per person which is obtained from the data released by State Statistical Institute every year. Induced impacts are the increase of income and employment caused by the direct and indirect impacts of universities. Due to the direct and indirect employment, individuals earn money from their activities and spend that money to buy commodity and services which is accepted as induced impact of universities. Konya, which is one of the important cities of Turkey with its agriculture and industry, witnessed important social and economical changes after the establishment of Selcuk University which has approximately 75.000 students, and 5,000 staff. Selcuk University takes the second place among Turkish universities in terms of number of students; moreover by the time the study is undertaken, it has been the only university in the city. Results of the study showed that Selcuk University created 4.205 direct employment and 41.069.000 TL direct income in the 2002-2003 academic year. Selcuk University’s budget expenditures created 13.980.000 TL indirect income and it created 559 indirect employments in the 2002-2003 academic year. Student expenditures in 2003 were 182.964.387 TL and it has an indirect employment impact on 7.315 people. Revolving Fund of Selcuk University has contributed 24.065.310 TL indirect income and 962 indirect employments in the city of Konya in 2003. Selcuk University’s Foundation’s indirect income and indirect employment impacts in 2003 are 7.560.000 TL and 302 people respectively. In the year 2003, Selcuk University’s Health, Culture and Sports Office’s expenditures indirect income impact is 8.984.658 TL and indirect employment is 359 people. By adding Selcuk University’s Budget, Student, Revolving Fund, Foundation and Health, Culture and Sports Office’s expenditures, the total indirect income impact is calculated as 237.554.355 TL and the total indirect employment impact is calculated as 9.497 people in the year 2003. Induced income and employment impacts of Selcuk University are 852.587.466 TL and 34.085 people, respectively for the year 2003