A new project has been added to Istanbul Kültür University’s portfolio of scientific research and community-focused initiatives. Titled "Sustainability Awareness and Development Study in the Context of Global Goals: The Case of Istanbul Kültür University", the project has been approved for support under the Scientific Research Projects (BAP) program. It aims to increase awareness of sustainability issues within the university community and to educate students in line with the global goals.
The project is led by Prof. Dr. Burcu Yavuz Tiftikçigil, Vice Rector of Istanbul Kültür University. The Dean of Students Office – Kültür Point and the Sustainable Development Center (İKÜSÜRKAM) have contributed as project partners. The project is structured around the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with particular emphasis on global warming, climate change, efficient use of natural resources, and gender equality.
As part of the ongoing project, an event titled "Sustainable YOU Conversations: Responsible Individuals in a Changing World" was held on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at the Design Factory in the Ataköy Building of Istanbul Kültür University’s Bakırköy Campus. The Sustainable Development Center and the Kültür Point Unit of the Dean of Students Office co-organized the event. The program featured panels focused on the three core dimensions of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
In the economic sustainability panel, moderated by Prof. Dr. Burcu Yavuz Tiftikçigil — Vice Rector and Coordinator of İKÜSÜRKAM:
Dr. Murat Üçer, Advisor at GlobalSource Partners Turkey, Co-Founder of TurkeyData Monitor, and Part-Time Lecturer at Koç University, was featured.
In the environmental sustainability panel:
• Ms. Özge Sivrikaya, Director of the Center for Sustainability and Climate Change at the Marmara Municipalities Union and SDG Ambassador, took part.
In the social sustainability panel, the speakers included:
• Ms. Doğa Kurtyiğit, Assistant Dean of Students
• Ms. Ecem Uçar, Career Specialist
• Mr. Mert Efe Anğın, Assistant Specialist for Education, Event Planning and Organization
• Mr. İlker Mete Uysal, Sustainability Specialist at the Sustainable Development Center
In addition, podcast episodes were recorded with expert academics and project researchers to improve sustainability literacy across the university. The series focuses on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The podcast, titled “Sustainable Development Goals – Istanbul Kültür University,” is available on Spotify and features contributions from Rector Prof. Dr. Fadime Üney Yüksektepe, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Burcu Yavuz Tiftikçigil and Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız, and Chair of the Board of Trustees Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver.
As part of the effort to assess sustainability literacy, a university-wide study was conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year, involving all academic and administrative staff and students at Istanbul Kültür University. A survey was conducted via the Microsoft Forms platform between October 30 and November 30, 2024. A needs analysis questionnaire was distributed and fully completed by 423 respondents.
The form remained open for one month, after which the data were transferred to IBM SPSS Statistics 22 software. All responses were analyzed through frequency distributions and descriptive statistics to offer a general evaluation of the sample. In addition, participants’ opinions on SDG-related items were compared across demographic variables and social media usage, and the generalizability of the findings was tested statistically.
The study does include some limitations. It was conducted solely with academic and administrative staff and students of Istanbul Kültür University during the 2024–2025 academic year. Therefore, interpretations of the results should take into account the sample size and time constraints.
