Near East University Faculty of Agriculture Dean Prof. Dr. Özge Özden and Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Salih Gücel presented two scientific studies on Cyprus’s bee fauna and beekeeping history at EurBee11, held in Bologna, Italy.

Near East University, ranked among the top 500 universities in the world, was represented at the 11th European Bee Science Conference (EurBee11). At the conference, attended by Near East University Faculty of Agriculture Dean Prof. Dr. Özge Özden and Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Salih Gücel, research on Cyprus’s bee fauna and beekeeping history was shared with the international scientific community.

EurBee11, held in Bologna, Italy, brought together over 540 researchers from 50 countries. The conference’s main agenda included the role of bees in the sustainability and biodiversity of ecosystems, as well as climate change, genetic diversity, bee health, technology, agroecology, and beekeeping policies. Throughout the congress, 196 oral presentations and 296 poster presentations were given. Prof. Dr. Özge Özden, representing Near East University, presented an oral paper titled “The Fauna of Wild Bees in Cyprus” as part of a joint scientific study conducted with Hacettepe University, Istanbul University, Mons University, and the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA).

Prof. Dr. Özden also presented a poster titled “The History of Beekeeping in Cyprus” together with Prof. Dr. Salih Gücel. This study, which examines the historical development of beekeeping in Cyprus, revealed scientific data on the past of beekeeping in the region and laid the groundwork for new research and project collaborations. Prof. Dr. Özden also presented an oral paper titled “Contributions to the Wild Bee Fauna of Cyprus” at the conference. Özden presented research findings on the diversity of wild bees in Cyprus. This presentation was one of the first scientific outputs of a study conducted in collaboration with various universities and research institutions.

Current topics in bee science were addressed!

Within the scope of EurBee11, Prof. Dr. Özden co-coordinated the symposium titled “Relationships Between Managed and Wild Bees” with Gennaro Di Prisco. The symposium addressed the relationships between managed and wild bees from various perspectives. Topics such as the effects of honey bees on wild bees, plant-pollinator relationships, bee density, and the risk of pathogen transmission to wild bees were evaluated. Prof. Dr. Özden also chaired sessions in two different symposiums within the conference. The scientific program of EurBee11 covered topics such as bee health and welfare, genetic diversity, microbiome and nutrition, climate change, agroecology, technological applications, and the decline of bee populations.

• This event is compatible with SDG 2, SDG 15, SDG 13, and SDG 17!