Atatürk University acts institutionally, not merely through individual faculties, to facilitate open, inclusive, and neutral forums where a diverse range of stakeholders—including local residents, local government actors, civil society organisations, students, academic staff, and various policy- or community-groups—can convene in a safe environment to discuss regional, national and societal challenges. The university’s structured event frameworks, research-application centres, stakeholder-engagement policies and documented events all contribute to its role as a trusted neutral convenor.
1. Institutional Framework & Commitment
Atatürk University’s governance and strategic documents emphasise stakeholder dialogue, participatory engagement and creating forums for shared discussion. For example, the university’s Toplumsal Katkı Politika Belgesi (Social Contribution Policy Document) explicitly commits to “paydaşlarla ortak projeler geliştirmek ve kamuyla ilişkilerin geliştirilmesine önem vermek” (develop joint projects with stakeholders and prioritise relations with the public) — which underpins institutional provision of neutral platforms.
The university also maintains dedicated units such as the Toplumsal Duyarlılık Projeleri Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi (TDP), which organises “Dış Paydaş Buluşmaları” (External Stakeholder Meetings), workshops and major stakeholder forums. For instance, on 16 February 2023 the TDP held the “Dış Paydaş Buluşmaları Çalıştayı-I” event; listing on the events webpage confirms the date and nature of the convening. tdm.atauni.edu.tr
These arrangements reflect institutional ownership of neutral stakeholder dialogue, not just ad-hoc individual events.
2. Examples of Neutral Forums & Stakeholder Dialogue Events
The university provides documented examples of forums that bring together stakeholders across sectors under its auspices:
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The TDP event list shows the “Dış Paydaş Buluşmaları Çalıştayı-I” on 16 February 2023. tdm.atauni.edu.tr
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The Department of Landscape Architecture (“Peyzaj Mimarlığı Bölümü”) posted a “Dış Paydaş Buluşması 2023” on 7 April 2023—demonstrating cross-department stakeholder engagement. birimler.atauni.edu.tr
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The Faculty of Nursing announced the “3. Dış Paydaş Çalıştayı” on 9 January 2025, further confirming ongoing external‐stakeholder meetings with participation from non-academic actors. birimler.atauni.edu.tr
These events indicate that Atatürk University routinely convenes stakeholder gatherings that span local government, civil society and community groups in an inclusive, non-partisan setting.
3. Neutrality, Safe-Space Design & Governance Mechanisms
Atatürk University ensures its stakeholder forums are neutral and safe through:
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Hosting events within university-managed venues (e.g., TDP uses official university spaces), which provides institutional oversight and reduces risk of partisan capture.
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Publicly listing multiple stakeholder engagement events in its internal management systems (e.g., event calendars on TDP web pages) and making them accessible to various stakeholder types.
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Enforcing codes of conduct through its ethical principles (“Etik İlkeler ve Temel Değerler”) framework, to ensure respectful, inclusive discourse—which supports the “safe space” aspect of dialogue.
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Utilizing multi-stakeholder event formats (workshops, forums, “paydaş buluşmaları”) which invite diverse participants (students, academics, civil society, local government, business) rather than single-interest groups, thereby enhancing multi-party representation and open dialogue.
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Maintaining institutional units (such as the TDP and Strategy Development Department) that monitor and administer stakeholder engagement programmes, ensuring continuity, neutrality and documentation.
4. Institutional Ownership, Monitoring & Sustainability
The University’s approach is institutional and sustainable:
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Stakeholder-dialogue events are listed and archived (as seen in the TDP event list) indicating repeatable formats and institutional commitment.
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The university’s strategic planning references “paydaş işbirliği” (stakeholder collaboration) and “bölgesel toplumsal katkı” (regional social contribution), embedding stakeholder forums into the institutional agenda.
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Internal monitoring mechanisms (e.g., through the Quality Assurance Office) integrate stakeholder engagement performance into assessment frameworks, thereby institutionalising these neutral-platform functions rather than leaving them to individual staff initiatives.
