Water Management Educational Opportunities
Does your university as a body provide educational opportunities for local communities to learn about good and sustainable water management practices?
In 2025, our University shared its academic knowledge on sustainable water management, water footprint reduction, water-sensitive urban planning, protection of water resources, and water literacy not only with its students, but also with public institutions, the business community, school students, and the wider public.
In this context, the Grand Black Sea Forum provides particularly strong evidence for 2025. As part of the Forum hosted by KTÜ, a seminar entitled “Sustainable Living Tips for Reducing Carbon and Water Footprints in Combating the Effects of Climate Change” was delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nazihan UrsavaÅŸ on 10 December 2025. The seminar focused directly on reducing water footprints at both individual and institutional levels and on promoting sustainable living practices.
The Grand Black Sea Forum was not a closed educational activity limited to university students. It brought together representatives from academia, business, entrepreneurship, and public institutions, while various seminars and panels were open to visitors. In this way, the University’s expertise on water footprint reduction and sustainable living was shared with a broader community audience.
Another strong example under this indicator is the “Water-Sensitive Cities and Urban Environments” programme organised by the Faculty of Architecture and the Department of City and Regional Planning on 17 March 2025. The publicly accessible programme, broadcast via KTÜ Radio/TV with the participation of Prof. Dr. Yelda Aydın Türk, communicated the principles of water-sensitive urban planning and sustainable urban environments to the wider community. The programme is also officially recorded in the Faculty of Architecture’s event calendar.
Evidence:
https://www.ktu.edu.tr/mimfakulte/etkinlik/suya-duyarli-kentler-ve-kentsel-cevreler
The Faculty of Architecture and the Department of City and Regional Planning also organised a three-day training programme entitled “Integrated Approaches to Environmental Sustainability: Water, Waste, and Climate Change Resilience” on 3–5 December 2025. The programme addressed water, waste, and climate resilience within an integrated sustainability framework and envisaged the provision of certificates to regular participants. As this activity primarily targeted postgraduate students, it should not be used as the sole evidence for the “local community” component of the indicator; however, it provides highly valuable supplementary evidence of the University’s educational capacity in sustainable water management.
More importantly, our University also took its water education activities directly into the local community. On 11 December 2025, KTÜ academics visited Hami Yıldırım Primary School in Trabzon and delivered a water footprint education session to primary-school students. The session was delivered by Prof. Dr. Fatma Telli Karakoç as part of the University’s marine sciences and environmental awareness activities.
Off-Campus Water Conservation Support
Does your university as a body support water conservation off campus?
Our University’s efforts to protect water resources are not limited to campus boundaries. In 2025, the University contributed to the conservation of water resources beyond the campus through projects carried out in cooperation with local communities, schools, and international partners.
One of the strongest examples is the NIDA – Nature of Aquatic Environment: Inclusion and Rising Awareness in Diverse Societies project. Launched in March 2025, this Erasmus+ project directly aims to protect water resources in Türkiye, Romania, and North Macedonia. The project examines the impacts of climate change on marine, lake, and river ecosystems and aims to develop a digital atlas covering these aquatic ecosystems. It also includes educational activities designed to train environmentally aware volunteers and raise awareness of the protection of water resources.
Evidence:
https://ktu.edu.tr/peyzaj/haber/nida-projesi-hayata-gecirildi
Another concrete example of off-campus support was the visit to Hami Yıldırım Primary School on 11 December 2025. University academics directly engaged with the local school community and provided students with education on the water footprint, marine litter, and the protection of aquatic environments. In this way, awareness of water conservation was extended beyond the campus and directly into the local community.
The seminar on reducing carbon and water footprints held as part of the Grand Black Sea Forum also provides supporting evidence of the University’s wider societal impact beyond the campus. As the Forum served as a regional platform bringing together academics, public institutions, the business community, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem, the knowledge shared on reducing water footprints was not limited to KTÜ students but was disseminated to a much broader range of stakeholders.
Cooperation on Water Security
Does your university as a body cooperate with local, regional, national, or global governments on water security?
In 2025, our University cooperated directly with local and national public institutions on issues related to water security, the impacts of climate change on water resources, flood and drought risks, and sustainable water management.
One of the strongest examples was the “Water and Forest Management in the Context of Climate Change” Panel, held on 16–17 October 2025. The event was organised by the KTÜ Faculty of Forestry, Faculty of Marine Sciences, and Faculty of Engineering, with contributions from the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Forestry, General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSÄ°), and Trabzon Water and Sewerage Administration (TÄ°SKÄ°).
During the panel, Türkiye’s precipitation basins, changes in the water cycle, increasing flood and drought risks, and sustainable resource management were explicitly discussed within the framework of cooperation between public institutions and academia.
The “Water Efficiency Strategy Document and Action Plan (2023–2033)”, published by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, aims to improve the efficient use and sustainable management of water resources. In alignment with this national strategy, KTÜ implements water-saving measures across its campuses and contributes through infrastructure improvements, technical monitoring to prevent water leakage, rainwater harvesting, and efficient irrigation practices.
The Grand Black Sea Forum also strengthened this cooperation capacity at the regional and international level. The Forum was organised within the framework of a transnational project under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme and brought together representatives from academia, public institutions, the business community, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem around themes including climate change, the blue economy, and sustainable development.
Evidence:
https://www.ktu.edu.tr/ttoen/event/grand-black-sea-forum
Promoting Conscious Water Usage on Campus
Does your university as a body actively promote conscious, efficient, and water-saving practices on campus?
In 2025, our University actively promoted conscious and sustainable water use across its campuses through both physical/technical measures and educational and awareness-raising activities.
As part of its technical measures, internal building plumbing and water transmission lines are regularly inspected; leaks are identified and repaired; water supplies to unused areas are shut off; irrigation is carried out during periods of lower evaporation; automated irrigation systems are used; and low-flow, aerated, or sensor-operated fixtures are preferred during renovations. The use of rainwater collected from roof and parking surfaces for landscape irrigation also helps reduce demand for mains water.
Evidence:
https://www.ktu.edu.tr/surdurulebilirlik/su-tasarrufu-bilincine-sahip-bina-standartlari
Educational activities implemented in 2025 complemented these technical measures. On 15 December 2025, the seminar entitled “Water Literacy in the 21st Century: From Invisible Consumption to Sustainable Living” was held, during which Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nazihan UrsavaÅŸ provided students, academic staff, and administrative staff with information on water literacy and sustainable water use.
In addition, the water footprint seminar held on 10 December 2025 as part of the Grand Black Sea Forum took place directly on the KTÜ campus. The theme, “Sustainable Living Tips for Reducing Carbon and Water Footprints”, encouraged participants to recognise both the direct and indirect dimensions of their water consumption and to adopt behaviours aimed at reducing their overall water footprint.
The “Water, Waste, and Climate Change Resilience” training programme organised by the Faculty of Architecture and the Department of City and Regional Planning on 3–5 December 2025 provided another concrete example of campus-based education and awareness-building in sustainable water management.
Overall, KTÜ’s 2025 approach demonstrates a comprehensive campus-wide system for promoting conscious water use, combining infrastructure measures, water literacy, water-footprint awareness, and academic education.
Promoting Conscious Water Usage in the Community
Does your university as a body actively promote conscious, efficient, and water-saving practices in the wider community?
In 2025, our University extended its efforts to promote conscious water use beyond the boundaries of the campus. Through publicly accessible broadcasts, educational activities in local schools, regional forums, and international environmental projects, the University raised awareness in the wider community about water conservation and the protection of water resources.
A particularly strong example under this indicator is the water footprint seminar organised as part of the Grand Black Sea Forum. On 10 December 2025, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nazihan UrsavaÅŸ delivered a presentation entitled “Sustainable Living Tips for Reducing Carbon and Water Footprints in Combating the Effects of Climate Change.” The presentation was delivered within a broad regional forum bringing together academics, students, representatives of the business community, entrepreneurs, and public-sector representatives. Therefore, knowledge and practical awareness relating to conscious water use were shared not only within the University but also with a diverse range of social and economic stakeholders.
The “Water-Sensitive Cities and Urban Environments” programme organised by the Faculty of Architecture also provides important evidence of wider community engagement. The publicly accessible broadcast, delivered by Prof. Dr. Yelda Aydın Türk via KTÜ Radio/TV on 17 March 2025, shared knowledge with the wider public on the relationship between water, urban planning, environmental sustainability, and the design of liveable urban environments.
Evidence:
https://www.ktu.edu.tr/sbp/etkinlik/suya-duyarli-kentler-ve-kentsel-cevreler
One of the most direct examples of community impact was the water footprint education activity carried out at Hami Yıldırım Primary School. On 11 December 2025, Prof. Dr. Fatma Telli Karakoç introduced primary-school students to the concept of the water footprint. The same educational programme also addressed marine litter and threats to aquatic ecosystems. In this way, awareness of responsible water consumption and the protection of aquatic environments was communicated directly to younger members of the local community.
Public awareness activities continued throughout the year through KTÜ Radio/TV. Programmes such as “The Role of Forests in Preventing Floods, Inundations and Landslides” on 18 June 2025 and “Forest and Water” on 9 October 2025 contributed to public understanding of the water cycle, watershed protection, flood risk, and the sustainable management of water resources.
In addition, the NIDA – Nature of Aquatic Environment: Inclusion and Rising Awareness in Diverse Societies project extends the University’s message on responsible water use and the protection of aquatic environments to an international audience. Through research, education, and awareness-raising activities focused on the protection of marine, lake, and river ecosystems in Türkiye, Romania, and North Macedonia, the project promotes broader understanding of aquatic ecosystem conservation and sustainable environmental behaviour.
Evidence:
https://ktu.edu.tr/peyzaj/haber/nida-projesi-hayata-gecirildi
Overall, in 2025, our University’s approach to promoting conscious water use in the wider community was not limited to a single awareness campaign. It was supported through a combination of local school education, publicly accessible media programmes, a broad regional forum, and an international aquatic ecosystem project, demonstrating a sustained and multi-channel commitment to water conservation and responsible water use.
