IUAS Representatives Followed the Global Sustainability Agenda and Established International Contacts at Zero Waste Forum 2026

Representing Isparta University of Applied Sciences (IUAS), Prof. Dr. Emrah Öztürk and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Yazıcı, members of the University’s Waste Management Advisory Board and faculty members of the Department of Environmental Protection Technologies at Aksu Mehmet Süreyya Demiraslan Vocational School, together with Dr. Şelale Yalçınöz, Advisor to the Rector at IUAS and faculty member of the Department of Food Processing at Eğirdir Vocational School, participated in the Zero Waste Forum 2026 held in Istanbul on 5–7 June.

 

The internationally attended forum was organized by the Zero Waste Foundation under the Honorary Presidency of Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The forum aimed to serve as a platform for advancing initiatives aligned with the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), which will be hosted by Türkiye in Antalya this November, through announcements, cooperation development, and implementation preparations.

 

In order to take concrete steps toward a zero-waste world, the forum brought together actors from around the globe, including academics, ministers, mayors, United Nations representatives, business leaders, community organizers, innovators, and civil society representatives.

 

Throughout the three-day forum, numerous sessions were organized under specific themes focusing on critical areas essential to addressing zero waste as an implementation-oriented global climate action agenda. The program featured distinguished speakers and covered current developments, best practices, and international cooperation opportunities in sustainable environmental management, particularly in the strategic priority areas of food waste and methane action.

 

Within the scope of the forum activities, IUAS representatives attended numerous sessions and held meetings with national and international stakeholders to support the adoption of strategic decisions in line with the University's zero-waste objectives, promote the dissemination of waste reduction practices, and further enhance the University's success in sustainability rankings, including UI GreenMetric and other international ranking systems. They also engaged in discussions regarding potential collaborations.

 

As part of the forum, Dr. Şelale Yalçınöz, Advisor to the Rector at IUAS, conducted a series of institutional meetings with representatives from the United Nations, international sustainability platforms, and various countries. During these meetings, participants exchanged views on sustainability, zero waste, student and academic mobility, and recent international developments. They also discussed opportunities for cooperation, institutional visits, and interaction that could contribute to enhancing the international visibility of the University.