Atatürk Üniversitesi, as a unified institutional body, actively collaborates with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through three core modalities: student volunteering programmes, joint research initiatives, and co-development of educational resources. These collaborations are systematically organised, institutionally supported, and aligned with global networks including the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) (SDSN) and its Turkish chapter.
Student Volunteering Programmes
The University engages its students in volunteering efforts in partnership with NGOs and broader civil society actors. For example:
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Under the University’s announcement for the Erasmus+ European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programme, students were offered volunteering placements abroad (Atina, Greece) in summer 2023. This volunteer mobility is framed within service, solidarity and community engagement. birimler.atauni.edu.tr
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The University’s Student Clubs page offers numerous opportunities for students to join social-responsibility oriented clubs and activities. Atatürk Üniversitesi
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Through the University’s “Toplumsal Duyarlılık Projeleri Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi” (TDP Centre), many projects explicitly involve cooperation with NGOs, e.g., the “Bir Sivil Toplum Kuruluşu Olarak TEMA Vakfı ve Sıfır Atık Eğitimi” project. tdm.atauni.edu.tr
These volunteering and collaborative efforts help students to engage directly with NGOs, apply their learning in the field, and contribute to SDG-relevant goals (such as SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 15: Life on Land).
Research Programmes with NGOs
Atatürk Üniversitesi partners with NGOs to undertake applied research programmes that address societal- and SDG-relevant challenges. The TDP’s regulatory and activity framework identifies one of its functions as “Üniversite öğrencilerinin yapacakları toplumsal duyarlılık projeleri uygulamaları ile ihtiyaçların karşılanması için ilgili … sivil toplum kuruluşları ile işbirliği içinde çalışmak” (working in cooperation with relevant civil society organisations). LEXPERA
Through these research programmes, students, faculty and NGOs co-design projects, gather data, implement solutions and evaluate outcomes — thereby creating linkages between academic research, civil society capacity and the SDG agenda.
Development of Educational Resources
The University collaborates with NGOs to produce educational material and capacity-building resources aimed at societal engagement and sustainable development. For instance, the TDP Centre’s project list includes educationally-oriented initiatives such as “Kodlama Haritası: Kırsalın Bilişim Yolculuğu” and other projects which are created in partnership with external organisations. tdm.atauni.edu.tr
Moreover, the job of producing curricula and training modules which integrate NGO-partner insights is formally embedded in the TDP Centre’s purpose (per its Regulation) to “öğretim programlarını hazırlamak … sosyal, ekonomik, hukuksal ve kültürel araştırmalarla toplumun sorun ve ihtiyaçlarını belirleyerek … proje konuları havuzu oluşturmak” in coordination with civil society organisations. LEXPERA
Institutional Ownership & Global Network Alignment
Atatürk University’s engagement with NGOs and SDG partnerships is institution-wide — not restricted to isolated faculties or departments. The University’s membership of international networks (such as SDSN) provides global context and benchmarking for NGO-collaborative work, ensuring alignment with international best practice in SDG partnerships. The University’s regulatory frameworks for TDP and its student-volunteering programmes demonstrate formal institutional support for sustained collaboration with civil society organisations.
