Sustainable Yeditepe

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Countries have committed to prioritize progress for those who're furthest behind. The SDGs are designed to end poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls. The creativity, knowhow, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context.

calculate your ecological footprint

The Ecological Footprint of a person is calculated by adding up all of people’s demands that compete for biologically productive space, such as cropland to grow potatoes or cotton, or forest to produce timber or to sequester carbon dioxide emissions.

You can calculate your own ecological footprint from the link below.

CALCULATE

225
Courses Related to Sustainability

8000
Percent of Water Recycled

270245
Hectares of Forest within the Campus

219
Plant Species in the Campus

Call To Action

We need help for our existing sustainability efforts and ideas for new ones. Find out how exactly you can aid our effort.

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F.A.Q

Questions that a lot of people have about the sustainability subject that you might be searching for an answer as well.

What is sustainable development?

In 1987, the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) made an urgent call for “a global agenda for change”. The World Commission on Environment and Development prepared the “Our Common Future” report - also known as the “Brundtland Report” with reference to the chair of the commission, Gro Harlem Brundtland, who championed the concept of sustainable development.

“Sustainable Development” was defined as “meeting the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future” in the Brundtland Report by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Commission).

The concept of “Sustainable Development” recognizes the problems of poor people and less developed countries and highlights the important role of the developing countries to achieve “Sustainable Development” through inclusive economic growth and development - thereby reducing poverty and making the poor better off.

“Sustainable Development” is a holistic approach that covers economic development, social progress, and environmental protection and specifically emphasizes the elimination of poverty, preservation of the environment, and reduction in all inequalities throughout the world and within countries.

What are the "UN Sustainable Development Goals"?

The “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) were formulated by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 by taking the planetary boundaries into account. The United Nations defines “Sustainable Development Goals” as a call for action by all countries - regardless of their income levels - to conserve the planet and foster the well-being of people. The SDGs aim to ameliorate the living standards of all humans in the world and alleviate the climate change, environmental degradation, and destruction.

Concepts of economic growth and development, poverty and income inequality, human capital, environmental degradation and destruction, climate change, population growth, urbanization, migration, agricultural transformation, rural development, social progress, and partnerships for the application of appropriate policies to attain “Sustainable Development” are covered within the scope of the SDGs.

What is sustainability?

“Sustainability” and sustainable development are related, but different concepts. “Sustainability” is a concept that expresses the equitable distribution and use of natural and renewable resources in a way that can be transferred to future generations in the long run. “Sustainability” refers to an integrated approach that takes the economic, social, and environmental aspects of development and the achievement of a balance between and within the economic, social, and environmental systems, communities, and societies into account for an improved quality of life. “Sustainability” indicates the complex relationship between the planet and humanity in which global ecosystems, planet’s biosphere, and human well-being are interdependent on each other for survival.

How can we make our environment more sustainable?

Save energy
Eat less meat, eat healthier
Use reusable alternatives
Go paperless
Use renewable energy for electricity
Recycle, upcycle, and reuse
Grow your own produce
Donate unused items and goods
Save water
Buy fair trade products
Drive less, drive green
Do not waste food
Wear sustainable clothing and recyclable clothes
Use eco-friendly cleaning products
Think twice before shopping
Make sure your big purchases have big environmental benefits
Go “PlasticFree”
Do not use products that endanger wildlife
Pay attention to labels
Be water wise, save water
Switch heating source
Green your home
Choose Wild Energy
Take Extinction Off Your Plate
Choose to have a smaller family
Use your voice and your vote
Turn down the bag
Buy only what you will use
Buy second hand
Don’t invest in idle equipment
Buy products with less packaging
Avoid disposable products
Kick the bottled water habit
Give new life to old electronics
Upgrade to a green computer
Invest in a clothesline
Switch out your light bulbs
Shut off lights
Unplug electronics
Turn off your computer
Reinvest in heating and cooling
Choose local and organic
Stop throwing out food
Compost
Buy a cleaner car
Drive efficiently
Consider alternatives to air travel
Green your school
Involve the workforce
Volunteer

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How can a sustainable future be achieved?

A sustainable future may be achieved through access to basic needs, clean water, sanitation, inclusive health, education, formal employment, sustainable production and consumption, renewable energy, science, research, and innovation that may promote sustainable development for all.

Yeditepe University is a proud member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, which is aimed to promote integrated approaches to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, through education, research, policy analysis, and global cooperation.

WHAT IS SDSN?

Times Higher Education’s mission is to be the definitive source of data, insight and expertise on higher education worldwide. It is built on 10 million datapoints from 2,500 institutions in 93 countries; on unrivalled news, insight and intelligence; and on a relationship of trust with universities spanning 50 years. Yeditepe University is ranked high and aspires to be even higher on every category of this ranking system, as it is the case for other similar systems.

WHAT ARE TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION RANKINGS?

According to 2021 results; Yeditepe University is ranked 115th amongst 956 universities world-wide, which makes it 7th best university in Turkey. This was a remarkable leap forward considering our university is ranked; 273rd amongst world-wide, and 12th in Turkey the year before.

WHAT ARE UI GREENMETRIC RANKINGS?

The Sustainable Development Report 2021 presents the SDG Index and Dashboards for all UN member states including Turkey, outlines the short-term impacts of COVID-19 on the SDGs, and describes how the SDGs can frame the recovery. It was prepared by teams of independent experts at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

LET'S ANALYZE THE REPORTS

Yeditepe University, within the framework of the “Sustainable Environmental Policy“, has adopted continuous improvement as a pioneering educational institution aiming international recognition and respectability in the fields of education, scientific research and social service, while focusing on environmental awareness and sustainability issues.

GO TO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Yeditepe University is a member of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI)! UNAI is consisted of 1500 institutions in 147 countries who are working with the United Nations to promote global priorities, including peace, human rights, and sustainable development.

MEMBERSHIP DOCUMENT