Sakarya University has established a sustainability-focused institutional culture by integrating the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its higher education policies, academic programs, and social contribution activities. With a vision centered on quality education, the university aims to cultivate students not only with academic knowledge but also with a sense of social, environmental, and ethical responsibility.
To this end, Sakarya University has integrated sustainable development principles into the course content, research projects, and learning outcomes system of all its faculties and programs. Courses in engineering, social sciences, health sciences, and education, in particular, address topics such as climate change, environmental sustainability, social equality, ethical management, and resource efficiency from an interdisciplinary perspective. Furthermore, through applied educational models such as the "Youth and Volunteering Course," students gain direct experience in sustainable development by developing social responsibility projects on a local and global scale.
Through the Sakarya University Continuing Education Application and Research Center (SAÜSEM), the university organizes lifelong learning programs for all segments of society. Through social, cultural, and vocational certification training, it supports individuals in acquiring the knowledge and skills to contribute to sustainable development. The training programs offered within this framework provide an accessible and inclusive learning environment for students, graduates, public institutions, private sector employees, and disadvantaged groups.
Sakarya University also conducts regular student-focused assessments to measure and develop sustainability awareness, using the resulting data in curriculum updates and strategic planning. Awareness events, panels, workshops, and practical projects, coordinated by the Office of Community Contribution and Sustainability (TOKAS), strengthen students' sustainability literacy.
This holistic approach demonstrates that Sakarya University implements sustainable development principles not only theoretically but also concretely in its education, research, and social contribution processes. Thus, the university pursues its vision of being a higher education institution that shapes the sustainable future of Turkey and the world by cultivating conscious, sensitive, and responsible individuals who contribute to sustainability at local, national, and global levels.
