Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Environmental Issues Application Research Center Quality Management Coordination Office organized a workshop titled “Environmental Sustainability and Student Participation in the Context of Quality Assurance in Higher Education” on December 10, 2025 with the support of the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TÜBİTAK) 2223-B Domestic Scientific Activities Program. Held at the Ahi Evran Congress and Culture Center in the 15 July Milli İrade Hall, the workshop was attended by Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Secretary General Dr. Hüseyin İlter, Director of the Environmental Issues Application Research Center Prof. Dr. İlkay Açıkgöz, Associate Professor Dr. Dilek Yalçın from Başkent University, academic and administrative staff, and a large number of students.

The workshop titled “Environmental Sustainability and Student Participation in the Context of Quality Assurance in Higher Education” aims to promote a holistic approach that evaluates environmental sustainability principles and student participation together in the quality assurance systems of higher education institutions in Turkey. The workshop focused on how environmental responsibility is structured in institutional quality management processes and discussed the active role of students in these processes. TThe event aims to rethink the role of higher education in its transformation within the framework of YÖKAK quality assurance standards, the 11th Development Plan, the 2053 Net Zero Emissions target, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The workshop addressed topics such as sustainability in quality processes, student participation experiences, best practices, and institutional strategies. At the end of the event, the “Workshop Report on Environmental Sustainability and Student Participation in the Context of Quality Assurance in Higher Education,” to be prepared based on the outcomes, will contribute to universities’ internal evaluation processes and serve as a reference for policy-making institutions.

The opening speech of the workshop was delivered by Prof. Dr. İlkay Açıkgöz, Director of the Environmental Issues Application Center. In his speech, İlkay Açıkgöz stated that this workshop would provide an opportunity to rethink, share, and develop the concepts of environmental sustainability and quality assurance from a higher education perspective. Açıkgöz went on to say that the main goal of the workshop was to contribute to making environmental sustainability a culture in universities and to strengthen the active participation of students in environmental management and quality systems. Prof. Dr. İlkay Açıkgöz concluded his speech by thanking the 20 participating universities and other attendees and expressing his hope that the workshop would be productive.

Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil emphasized that he hopes this workshop will greatly contribute to Kırşehir Ahi Evran University's sensitivity, determination, and efforts in environmental sustainability. He stated that the aim of this workshop is to raise environmental awareness, develop a shared vision for the future, and empower students by strengthening their role in these processes. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil continued by stating that our country's long-term climate change strategy and the 11th Development Plan aim to provide us a more livable environment and a sustainable future. In the final part of his speech, Karahocagil thanked all participants and expressed his hope that the workshop would be fruitful.

Head of the Department and Quality Coordinator at Başkent University Associate Professor Dr. Dilek Yalçın then took the floor. In her speech, Yalçın stated that universities need to undergo a transformation. She emphasized that universities must move beyond being mere sources of knowledge and human resources to become institutions that cultivate the strategic actors of the future. She stated that student participation plays a very important role in quality assurance. She expressed the need to implement the “Project for the Establishment of Zero Waste Policies and Deposit Management Systems on University Campuses and the Development of Standard Practices throughout Turkey.” Aslı Özmutlu, Quality Unit Manager at Doğuş University and the final speaker in the first part of the workshop, discussed quality processes and student participation in her speech. Özmutlu added that students receiving direct feedback in quality processes and taking an active role in university quality management would also be beneficial in their job search processes.

The Workshop on Environmental Sustainability and Student Participation in the Context of Quality Assurance in Higher Education continued throughout the day with various sessions. The workshop concluded with the presentation of certificates of appreciation to the participants and a commemorative photo.