The First International Balıkesir Applied Sciences Congress (IBAS-CON) was successfully held on September 13-15, 2024 in Balıkesir. The congress was attended by approximately 120 participants from 25 different universities, both domestic and international, attracting a wide range of participants. 65% of the attendees were from the Marmara Region, 20.7% from the Aegean Region, 6.3% from the Black Sea Region, 1.8% from the Central Anatolia and Southeastern Anatolia Regions, and 4.5% were from abroad.
During the congress, 84 papers were presented by scholars from the participating universities. The distribution of the papers across different fields was quite diverse. 52.5% of the papers focused on tourism (42 papers), 13.75% on gastronomy and culinary arts (11 papers), 15% on finance and banking (12 papers), 10% on international trade (8 papers), and 8.75% on business (7 papers).
This inaugural congress was of great importance for strengthening academic collaborations, sharing new research perspectives, and discussing advancements in applied sciences across various fields. IBAS-CON provided participants with a valuable platform for scientific cooperation, knowledge sharing, and the development of innovative ideas, bringing together different academic communities. The successful completion of the congress has laid the foundation for similar events in the future and increased Balıkesir’s prestige in the international scientific arena.