Sakarya University provides a neutral, inclusive and academically safe platform that enables diverse stakeholders to openly discuss social, political, cultural, and community issues. This aligns with Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Goal’s commitment to promoting peaceful, inclusive, and participatory dialogue processes in public life.
During the 2024 calendar year, the University hosted academic panels, public discussion forums, community engagement workshops, and roundtable meetings bringing together local government representatives, civil society organizations, professional associations, academic experts, and student groups. These activities were designed to facilitate respectful exchange, mutual understanding, and evidence-based dialogue, without promoting or endorsing any political position.
The Turgut Özal Culture and Congress Center, campus seminar halls, and faculty-level event spaces served as neutral and publicly accessible venues, ensuring that discussions occurred in an open environment free from political influence. Student organizations and university research centers also organized themed dialogue programs addressing sustainable development, youth civic participation, social equity, cultural dialogue, and community well-being, providing safe and constructive spaces for shared problem-solving.
Academic Neutrality and Inclusive Dialogue
Institutional Policies on Academic Neutrality and Openness: These policies emphasize academic independence, transparency, inclusiveness, and the provision of unbiased discussion environments where differing viewpoints can be expressed without ideological pressure.
University Event & Public Engagement News Portal: The University’s publicly available news archive and event listings provide verifiable documentation of open dialogue events, forums, and multi-stakeholder discussion platforms conducted in 2024.
Annual Administrative Activity Reports: These reports document all forums, public panels, civic engagement meetings, and multi-stakeholder dialogue activities, confirming that the University consistently implemented neutral platforms for public discourse throughout 2024.
Neutral Public Dialogue Spaces: The University provides politically neutral and publicly accessible venues, ensuring open and unbiased discussion environments.
Multi-Stakeholder Participation: Events include government bodies, NGOs, students, academics, and community actors, demonstrating inclusive and participatory dialogue.
Academic Neutrality Framework: Institutional policies guarantee freedom of expression, transparency, and no political alignment, ensuring discussions remain balanced.
Verifiable Implementation During 2024: Activities are documented and publicly accessible via event archives and official activity reports, fulfilling THE Impact evidence criteria.
Together, these elements demonstrate that Sakarya University actively provides a safe, neutral, and inclusive platform for open public dialogue, fully meeting SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Goal.
Neutral Platforms for Public Dialogue at SAU:
1. Workshop on the Problems and Solutions of Roma Citizens: Hosted by SAU, the workshop brings together the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, the Provincial Directorate of National Education, the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports, the Metropolitan Municipality, Roma NGOs and Roma citizens. It is strong evidence that SAU offers a neutral and safe academic platform where different political stakeholders can openly discuss challenges and solutions.
2. Youth Policy Vision Workshop: Held at SAU Faculty of Law Conference Hall with the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports, this workshop provides a neutral space where youth, public officials and academics can freely express their views on youth policies.
3. Conference on Local Governments’ Activities for Youth: The conference hosted by SESAM, where experiences of local governments are shared with students and academics, is a safe university environment for discussing and critically reflecting on youth policies.
4. Women- and Family-Friendly City Workshop: The Women- and Family-Friendly City Workshop, in which SAU Women’s Studies Center participates as a stakeholder, brings together local authorities, academia and civil society to discuss women and family policies in a neutral and safe platform.
5. Workshop on Religious Services in the Anniversary of the Earthquake: The workshop organised at SAU Faculty of Theology offers a neutral space where the Provincial Mufti’s Office, religious officials and academics can discuss post-disaster religious services in depth.
6. Workshop on the Problem of Knowledge in Higher Education (Rize): With the participation of SAU academics, the workshop co-organised by the Rize Governor’s Office, Rize Municipality and Cihannüma Association allows different institutional stakeholders to critically discuss higher education and knowledge policies in a safe environment.
Evidence Links (2024)
https://haber.sakarya.edu.tr/yerel-yonetimlerin-genclere-yonelik-faaliyetleri-konusuldu-h120867
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