Throughout 2025, Sakarya University continued to provide academic and community-oriented education on terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity and the conservation of wild flora and fauna. Its educational approach combines specialised university courses with outreach activities in schools and public science events, helping students and community participants understand ecosystem functions, environmental pressures and practical approaches to conserving natural resources.
The university offers undergraduate and graduate education related to ecology, terrestrial biodiversity and habitat conservation, particularly within Biology and related environmental disciplines. The 2025 Biology curriculum includes courses covering plant and animal systematics, biodiversity assessment and vegetation studies. Representative courses are:
· Tohumsuz Bitkiler Sistematiği (Seedless Plants Systematic)
· Tohumlu Bitkiler Sistematiği (Systematic Of Spermatophyta)
· Biyoçeşitlilik (Biodiversity)
· Omurgasız Hayvanlar Sistematiği (Systematics of Invertebrates)
· Türkiye Vejetasyonu (Vegetation of Türkiye)
· Türkiye Geofitleri (Geophytes of Türkiye)
· Ekoloji Uygulamaları (Ecology Applications)
These courses provide an academic foundation for identifying organisms, analysing ecological relationships, understanding habitat diversity and evaluating conservation priorities. In particular, Ecology Applications introduces research and analytical approaches used in ecological studies, while Biodiversity addresses genetic, species and ecosystem diversity as well as strategies for conservation. Together, the curriculum reinforces the scientific skills needed for informed ecosystem stewardship.
In 2025, the Science&Future – The Science for Stronger Societies project, coordinated by Sakarya University within Horizon Europe’s MSCA & Citizens framework, continued to connect researchers with schools and local communities across Sakarya, Kocaeli and Düzce. The initiative brings research-based knowledge into non-university learning settings through interactive presentations and workshops focused on environmental challenges, climate change and sustainable living.
Under the Researchers at Schools programme, an activity held on 21 February 2025 at Şehit Yunus Emre Ezer Middle School introduced students to carbon-footprint calculation, recycling and upcycling. Participants applied the concepts through practical exercises, demonstrating how individual choices influence environmental pressures. Another school outreach activity on 29 April 2025 at Mevlana Middle School featured researcher-led presentations and workshops about climate change, natural disasters and environmental issues. These educational encounters develop a broader understanding of the challenges facing terrestrial ecosystems and the responsibilities involved in their protection.
By maintaining cooperation with regional universities, schools and public institutions, Science&Future expanded access to sustainability-related science education outside the university campus. The project’s ongoing 2025–2026 programme also provides continuity for local and national community engagement.
Figure 1. Science&Future Researchers at Schools activities introducing environmental responsibility to middle-school students
Sakarya University also makes campus biodiversity knowledge accessible through educational resources derived from ecological field research. The Esentepe Campus Plant Inventory and Labelling Project documented 115 plant species across 39 families, providing a strong basis for learning about local vegetation and the diversity of native and introduced plants. The associated QR-coded plant labels and online botanical catalogue allow students, staff and visitors to access species information directly within the campus landscape.
These freely accessible identification tools support self-directed biodiversity learning and help connect ecological terminology with plants found in everyday surroundings. They complement formal coursework and offer a practical way to communicate scientific knowledge to a wider audience, while the separate ecosystem monitoring report documents the underlying biodiversity inventory and wildlife observation activities.
Sakarya University complements its academic teaching and school outreach with public-facing environmental awareness events. Within the 2025 Sustainable Future Meetings series, the session “Forests and Climate Change: Protection, Sustainability and Steps for the Future” featured Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahnaz Gümrükçüoğlu Yiğit from the Department of Environmental Engineering. The discussion addressed forests as carbon sinks, their importance in climate change mitigation and the principles of sustainable forest management. It connected the ecological functions of forest ecosystems with practical environmental responsibility.
Taken together, university teaching, researcher-led school workshops, accessible campus biodiversity information and environmental seminars provide complementary educational opportunities. Through these activities, Sakarya University supports SDG 15: Life on Land by strengthening understanding of ecosystems and encouraging responsible approaches to conserving terrestrial biodiversity among students, schools and broader community audiences.
Figure 2. Public awareness and education on forest ecosystems, climate change and sustainable forest management
