A Strong Contribution from IGU to the COP31 Journey at Boğaziçi: Climate Agenda Meets Academia

Istanbul Gelisim University’s (IGU) climate-focused academic vision will be strongly represented at the “COP31 Journey” event, to be hosted by Boğaziçi University on April 17, 2026. Moderated by Assoc. Prof. Başak Özarslan, Director of SCTUAM at IGU, this significant gathering will take place at Albert Long Hall and aims to bring together representatives from academia, the public sector, and industry to establish a common ground in line with Türkiye’s climate goals.

Within the scope of Forest Week (March 21–26), the Sustainable Environment and Society Application and Research Center participated as an external stakeholder in the “The Strength of Türkiye: Forests” event organized by the General Directorate of Forestry.

The topics of green transition and critical minerals, which are among the key issues on the agenda of sustainable development and energy transformation, were discussed in detail on the Digital Vatan program broadcast on TYT Türk television channel. Assoc. Prof. Başak Özarslan, Director of the Sustainable Environment and Society Application and Research Center at Istanbul Gelisim University, participated in the program as a guest and shared her insights on the global energy transition and the strategic role of critical minerals in this process.

The fifth session of the “Sustainability Talks” series organized by the Sustainable Environment and Society Application and Research Center (SCTUAM) at Istanbul Gelisim University was held under the title “Can We Sustain?”

Assoc. Prof. Başak Özarslan was a speaker at the “Technovation Girls Lunch Event” program hosted by SabancıDX and supported by UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Organized by the Sustainable Environment and Society Application and Research Center (SCTUAM), the fourth session of the Sustainability Talks series was held on February 17, 2026, under the title “Is Sustainability Possible Without Nuclear Energy?”

At the kind invitation of the Maslak Rotary Club, the seminar titled “Critical Raw Materials and the Impact of Trade” was held online on February 11, 2026. The seminar featured Assoc. Prof. Başak Özarslan, Director of the Sustainable Environment and Society Application and Research Center at Istanbul Gelişim University, as the guest speaker.

The Sustainable Environment and Society Application and Research Center (SCTUAM), operating under Istanbul Gelişim University, met with officials from the Climate Change Presidency within the scope of the COP31 process. During the meeting, comprehensive information was shared regarding the planned activities for COP31, the preparation process, and Türkiye’s roles and responsibilities within this framework.

Assoc. Prof. Başak Özarslan, Director of the Sustainable Environment and Society Application and Research Center at Istanbul Gelişim University, was a guest on the "ClimateCarbon and the Net Zero Journey" program broadcast on Industry Radio on January 30, 2026. The program was hosted by Şafak Özsoy.

Asst. Prof. Burcu Savaş Çelik, Assistant Director of the Sustainable Environment and Society Application and Research Center, has published her academic study on the relationship between financial development and capital markets in Türkiye in the Journal of Academic Sensitivities that indexed within the TR Dizin database.