Atatürk University, through its formal institutional structures, offers a wide range of educational programmes aimed at local and national communities—educating the public as a body about ecosystems, wild flora and fauna, biodiversity and conservation. These programmes are embedded in the institutional mission, delivered via dedicated units, and include significant community-based events and projects during 2024.
1. Institutional Framework & Educational Infrastructure
Atatürk University houses the Biodiversity Research and Application Centre (Biyolojik Çeşitlilik Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi) which explicitly lists “Ecosystems” and “Interactive Education” among its education programme topics. abbm.atauni.edu.tr+2abbm.atauni.edu.tr
Within its educational offering the Centre notes modules such as “Ecosystems” and “Species & Ecosystem Conservation”, thereby providing structured educational content about wild flora, fauna and ecosystems to both students and the broader community. abbm.atauni.edu.tr
The Centre’s interactive education page further identifies learning activities designed to engage non-specialist audiences and increase public awareness of biodiversity and ecosystem interconnectivity. abbm.atauni.edu.tr
2. Community-Facing Educational Programmes & Public Engagement
In 2024, Atatürk University expanded its community-oriented ecosystem education through its Toplumsal Duyarlılık Projeleri Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi (TDP). For example:
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The project titled “Öğrencilerde Çevre Bilinci Eğitimi” (Students’ Environmental Awareness Training) held on 29 February 2024 targeted school-aged children and local community groups to raise awareness of environmental ecosystems, wild flora and fauna. tdm.atauni.edu.tr The project “Sürdürülebilir Ekosistemler” (Sustainable Ecosystems) initiated on 29 February 2024, explicitly framed around ecosystem education and sustainable use of wild land/biological resources. tdm.atauni.edu.tr
These projects reflect the university acting as an institutional body offering structured educational programmes beyond its campus community, reaching into schools, local communities and regional stakeholders.
3. Educational Content, Formats & Reach
Atatürk University’s educational programmes cover core ecosystem concepts:
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The Biodiversity Centre describes its curriculum components as including “ecology and ecosystems”, “hot-spots of biodiversity”, “species and ecosystem conservation”, and promoting “public awareness”. abbm.atauni.edu.tr
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The interactive education platform includes hands-on modules where participants observe species collections, ecosystems, engage in interactive kiosks and digital content about ecosystem interdependencies. abbm.atauni.edu.tr
Thus, the programmes are accessible, varied in format (workshops, school outreach, interactive museum environments) and target non-academic audiences.
4. National/Regional Engagement & Inclusion
The university’s external-community engagement is evident in its TDP-centred projects which address regional schools and community groups in Eastern Anatolia. The fact that these are listed under “Toplumsal Duyarlılık Projeleri” shows institutional threads linking outreach, ecosystem education and regional service. tdm.atauni.edu.tr
The inclusion of ecosystem-related projects in the TDP portfolio in 2024 demonstrates Atatürk University’s commitment to offering ecosystem education to broader audiences beyond enrolled students.
5. Evidence of Education on Wild Flora and Fauna / Ecosystems
The Biodiversity Centre’s webpage clearly states that its education includes modules on “ecosystems”, “species & ecosystem conservation”, and “interactive education” addressing biodiversity and ecological interrelationships. abbm.atauni.edu.tr
The public-facing TDP projects in 2024 are oriented around environment/ ecosystem themes (“Sürdürülebilir Ekosistemler”, “Çevre Bilinci Eğitimi”) and target external audiences.
Together, these constitute direct institutional offerings of educational programmes on wild flora/fauna and ecosystems for local/national communities.
6. Institutional-wide Governance & Integration
Atatürk University has integrated these educational programmes into its institutional governance through the Biodiversity Centre and TDP-Centre, both residing within the university’s structure. The Biodiversity Centre frames its educational activities under its mission; the TDP-Centre’s 2024 “Toplumsal Duyarlılık Projeleri Uygulama Usul ve Esasları” document states that from 2023 onward, projects must link to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and include community-education/awareness elements. tdm.atauni.edu.tr
This demonstrates that ecosystem education programmes are institutionally sanctioned, managed, and delivered by the university as a whole.
