Project Fact Sheet

• Project Duration:  15 October 2025 – 14 October 2027

• Project Coordinator:  Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özdal Koyuncuoğlu

• Project Coordination Team Member:  Prof. Dr. Fırat Yaldız | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saadet Korucu Kış

• Cooperation Partner:  Turkish Statistical Institute, University of Thesaly, International Balkan University, Institute of Legal Sciences, Research and Development in the Field of Law, Maribor, and Konya Plant Project Regional Development Administration

• Funding Organisation:  The Centre of European Union Education and Youth Programmes (Turkish National Agency)

• Funding Programme:  Under the Erasmus+ Programme (2021-2027) Key Action 2 Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education

The concept of “sustainability” was first introduced in 1972 at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, where it was framed as the protection of the environment and the preservation of ecological balance. The notion evolved significantly with the publication of the Brundtland Report (Our Common Future, 1987), which defined sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition emphasized intergenerational equity, the interdependence of environmental, social, and economic systems, and the need for a balanced approach to development. 

Following the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, the global action plan Agenda 21 highlighted the pivotal role of education — particularly higher education institutions — in advancing sustainable development. Article 36 of the document called for the reorganization of education to support sustainability, positioning universities as key actors in shaping sustainable societies.

In the academic literature, various theoretical frameworks, models, and assessment tools have emerged to evaluate sustainability in higher education, typically under the concepts of “green university” or “green campus.” Universities today are expected not only to foster environmental sustainability in campus operations, teaching, and research but also to contribute to socio-economic development, address societal challenges, and generate innovative solutions within a sustainable public sphere.

By rethinking the concept of the Sustainable University, a comprehensive evaluation model with an innovative methodology is developed and made applicable by designing a SMART and user-friendly digital tool. (2) The developed model is intended to serve as a reference for university administrations and sustainability offices and to specifically support sustainable strategies. (3) Guidelines and educational materials are being created to promote use.

The partnership structure was created based on the complementary expertise of universities, public institutions, development agencies and non-governmental organizations. Each partner organization was specifically selected for its expertise, resources and networks.

The coordination and overall administration of the project is carried out by Necmettin Erbakan University (NEU), which serves as the project coordinator and ensures the effective management of all operational, financial and administrative processes. The coordinator oversees the implementation of activities across work packages, guarantees compliance with Erasmus+ regulations, and facilitates communication among all partners. In addition, Necmettin Erbakan University plays a key role in the development of the model and indicators, as well as in ensuring the academic and technical coherence of the project. Through its strong coordination capacity, the university provides a solid managerial foundation that enables the consortium to function efficiently and collaboratively.

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) – Department of Environmental and Sustainability Statistics – will provide statistical expertise and ensure that the sustainability assessment model is consistent with international and national data frameworks. It will support the validation and standardization of indicators to increase the scientific credibility of the model.

The University of Thessaly (UTH) brings strong academic expertise in sustainability education and serves as the leading institution for key intellectual outputs, including the creation of an E-Book on Sustainability in Higher Education and the development of curricula designed to integrate sustainability into higher education teaching practices.

The International Balkan University (IBU) supports the project through the development of informative materials for Sustainability Offices, contributing to capacity building and institutional awareness on sustainability practices.

The legal part is often missing. The Research Institute for Law and Development from Slovenia (OPHIZ) will play an important role here, especially in the areas of legal framework, governance and sustainable higher education policy. The combination of academic, statistical and sustainable development expertise, the alignment of universities' sustainability strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the ability to use the model in different academic and policy contexts are the added value of the project's international cooperation.

The Presidium of the Regional Development Administration (KOP) is responsible for promoting regional economic development and sustainable initiatives. The participation of this partner will enable the pilot study to be implemented by the UNIKOP Alliance (13 Universities), of which it is the founder and coordinator. It will support the scaling up and dissemination of the project results to policy makers.

Together, the partners form a cohesive and balanced consortium in which each institution contributes according to its core competencies, ensuring both the academic rigor and practical applicability of the project's results.