Sakarya University extends its anti-poverty impact beyond campus by integrating capability-building, entrepreneurship, livelihoods, nutrition security, ethical finance, and shared safety nets through the Social Contribution and Sustainability Office (TOKAS). This multi-stakeholder approach translates academic expertise into practical, measurable benefits for households, aligning with local needs and strengthening social protection.
TOKAS serves as the central convening platform for public agencies, municipal authorities, NGOs, faculty, students, and private partners to co-design anti-poverty actions. Through partnership-driven governance, interventions are locally anchored, evidence-based, and sustainable, as exemplified by the "Collaboration in Combating Poverty" multi-stakeholder meeting that coordinated strategies across education, livelihoods, nutrition, and social protection.
The Partnership Ecosystem includes Sakarya Teknokent for innovation infrastructure and incubation, the Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality for inclusive community meals and social programming, NGOs for joint design and delivery, private-sector mentors and investors for scale, and the National Vocational Qualifications Authority (MYK) to align training with national standards and improve access to decent work.
Lifelong Learning via the Continuing Education Center (SAUSEM) delivers over one hundred training and certificate programmes that enhance employability, microenterprise capacity, and income generation; with MYK-aligned certification, flexible schedules, and sector-specific pathways, SAUSEM reduces skill gaps, supports career transitions, and directly bolsters economic resilience among low-income community members.
Entrepreneurship, Incubation, and Technology Transfer are supported through Sakarya Teknokent, the Business Incubation Center, Adaptto (Technology Transfer Office), and SARGEM (R&D); subsidized spaces, mentoring, financial instruments, IP support, and prototyping/testing services de-risk venture creation and growth; additionally, Sakarya Teknokent's G-Young entrepreneurship programme offers youth a structured pathway into entrepreneurship with mentoring, incubation, and ecosystem access.
All students complete an Entrepreneurship and Project Management course that covers idea development, feasibility analysis, and project planning. Promising projects are then referred to the university’s incubation and mentoring programs, where students can receive faculty and industry guidance and apply for grants. This pathway gives every student access to entrepreneurship support and helps more ideas grow into viable ventures and career opportunities.
The G-FAST Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme, jointly run by the University, Teknokent, and Adaptto, competitively selects projects from students across all universities for faculty mentorship, structured acceleration, financial awards, grant access, and ecosystem integration—accelerating job-creating, socially impactful solutions.
Ethical Finance and Community Solidarity are advanced through Karz-ı Hasen education that builds financial literacy, promotes interest-free solidarity mechanisms, and reduces vulnerability to exploitative credit; the Islamic Economics Association (established by the university's academics in 2018) supports research, advocacy, and policy engagement on equitable, solidarity-based economic systems.
Household Nutrition Security and Waste Prevention were strengthened by the 2024 Food Safety and Household Nutrition Workshop, teaching cost-effective storage, safe preparation, waste reduction, and nutritional literacy; scalable delivery through SAUSEM equips households with immediately applicable practices that reduce food costs and improve health.
Community Cohesion and Shared Meals were fostered through inclusive iftar gatherings in partnership with the Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality during Ramadan 2024, providing reliable evening meal access, reducing isolation, and reinforcing municipal–university collaboration as a community safety net.
Affordable Nutrition through R&D was advanced by a 2024 plant-based egg alternative—an affordable, highly nutritious protein substitute responsive to food price volatility—supported by SARGEM and Adaptto's transfer pathways, translating research into everyday nutrition solutions.
Disaster Response and Psychosocial Support comprise in-kind aid, emergency financial assistance, trauma counseling, and research for reconstruction in earthquake contexts—addressing immediate survival, mental health, and evidence-based recovery to prevent disaster-induced poverty traps.
Outcomes and Community Impact include improved employability via SAUSEM's MYK-aligned credentials, diversified livelihoods through an integrated entrepreneurship ecosystem, enhanced food security via household training and shared meals, strengthened financial resilience through ethical finance education, and heightened disaster resilience through coordinated relief and psychosocial care.
Science Communication and Public Engagement were implemented in 2024 through targeted science communication initiatives and public scientific events—supported by the Science and Future: Science for Society activities—translating academic expertise into accessible knowledge that strengthens social resilience.
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