Sakarya University opens lifelong learning to the wider community. Its published equality statement names ethnicity, religion, disability, refugee status and gender. The continuing education and Turkish language centres have separate provisions for public participation, and a Senate directive sets out how people with disabilities can request adjustments. [1, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13]
The University’s 2022 Sustainability Report sets out its lifelong learning access policy under that name. It extends participation in University activities to members of the public and applies equal treatment to participation in events. It lists, among other grounds, ethnicity, religion, gender and “national affiliation”. The University’s public equal-access statement also names disability and refugee status and expressly covers lifelong learning, professional training and community activities. [10, printed p. 16]; [1]
Figure 1. Earlier institutional account of the lifelong learning access policy. PDF p. 16. Source [10]
Figure 2. Published institutional statement on equitable participation. Extract from the published web text (print layout). Source [1]
The SAÜSEM Regulation gives the Continuing Education Centre an explicit remit to offer classes open to the general public, courses based on learners’ interests, and online or blended education for people of all ages and groups. In its 2025 Performance Programme, the University describes vocational training offered by the continuing education and language centres as open to everyone who meets the requirements of the particular course. [11, Article 6(1)(k) and (l)]; [12, indicator 4]
Figure 3. Continuing Education Centre regulation, remit and activities. PDF p. 2. Source [11]
Under Article 5(1)(ı) of the TÖMER Regulation, foreign nationals living in or around Sakarya who are students, academics or workers may request Turkish language instruction. The University’s public statement on lifelong learning separately lists refugee status among the grounds for equal access. [13, Article 5(1)(ı)] [1]
The Disability Coordination and Accommodation Directive was adopted by the Senate on 12 October 2023, meeting 656, decision 14. Under Article 17, the Directive entered into force on the date of its adoption [3]. Article 3 includes University courses and training within its definition of teaching. Article 4 requires accessibility considerations in University activities and partnerships, with reasonable accommodations where needed. [3]
Figure 4. Directive page 1, showing the Senate approval record. Source [3]
Article 4(3) covers activities organised by the University and those undertaken with partners. If accessibility standards cannot be met, reasonable adjustments must be made. Article 4(4) extends the services and adjustments available to students with special needs to staff and other people with special needs, as appropriate to the activity and taking available resources into account. A person seeking an adjustment applies to the Barrier-Free Life and Support Coordination Office under Article 5(1). The Office may request supporting information where necessary. [3, Articles 4(3)–(4) and 5(1), PDF p. 3]
Figure 5. Directive page 3, including Article 4(4) and Article 5. Source [3]
The Barrier-Free Life and Support Coordination Office coordinates accessibility services. On 27 December 2024, the Office and the In-Service Training Unit ran a workshop on accessible social media. Staff practised describing images in text and adding captions or narration to videos. [4a, 4b, 8]
In July 2025, TÖMER’s A2 Turkish Summer School brought together international learners. The Rector met 16 participants from 14 countries. [14]
Figure 6. Turkish summer school and international learners, July 2025. Source [14]
The 2025 Sustainability Report describes the Accessible Lifelong Learning Project, jointly implemented by the Barrier-Free Life and Support Coordination Office and SAÜSEM. The reported improvements include keyboard navigation, subtitled learning materials, contrasting subtitles for learners with low vision and screen-reader-compatible assessments. [2]
The report identifies the project’s Barrier-Free Informatics Education Award as a 2024 achievement and states that staff training continued during 2025 to extend accessible practices across University units. These measures support disability access to continuing education. [2]
During the ten-week autumn 2025 programme at the Sakarya Day Care and Rehabilitation Centre, university student clubs organised music, theatre, educational games and art activities with participants with special needs. The Centre’s participants were the community beneficiaries. [5]
On 26 September 2025, the University signed a two-year protocol with Sakarya No. 2 L-Type Closed Penitentiary Institution. It provides a framework for seminars, workshops, vocational education and library support for people in custody, with contributions from University staff and students. [6]
The ‘Bir Tatlı Huzur’ (A Sweet Peace) intergenerational programme, completed in December 2025, brought university students and elderly nursing home residents together for ten weeks, addressing social isolation among older adults and extending participatory learning opportunities to a population that faces barriers to formal education [7].
The University’s 2025 Sustainability Report describes accessibility representatives in academic and administrative units and reports 13 Orange Flags for physical access, 20 Green Flags for educational access and three Blue Flags for sociocultural access. Accessible SABİS provides screen-reader access and options for adapting examinations and course materials. [2, p. 55]
Figure 7. Sustainability Report 2025, PDF page 59, printed page 55. Source [2]
Equal access also extends to families of children with special needs: on 30 May 2025 the Accessible Life and Support Coordination Office hosted families of Nilüfer Special Education Practice School on campus for a Family Festival, where student communities prepared games and activities for the children to raise awareness and support families’ participation in social life [9].
Figure 8. Campus family festival with the special education school, May 2025. Source [9]
