Karadeniz Technical University actively collaborates with local authorities on issues such as urban planning, sustainable development, smart cities, disaster risk reduction, structural safety, and environmental design. Different faculties, research and application centers, and academic units of the University carry out joint projects, technical assessments, planning meetings, and cooperation protocols with Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality and other local authorities.
Collaboration with Local Authorities in Urban Planning and Design
One of the significant initiatives carried out by the University in cooperation with local authorities concerns the planning and design process of the Ortahisar Gülcemal Reclamation Area Project. A dedicated working meeting was organized within the University to provide academic and scientific contributions to the planning and design stages of the project.
Coordinated by the Faculty of Architecture, the initiative involved contributions from the Departments of Civil Engineering, Geological Engineering, Geomatics Engineering, and Landscape Architecture. During the meeting, the environmental, structural, and landscape design aspects of the area were evaluated, and science-based planning and implementation recommendations were presented to the local authority.
This initiative demonstrates that the University directly contributes to local government planning processes by providing interdisciplinary expertise for urban development projects.
Long-Term Collaboration with Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality
The University has several cooperation protocols with Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality that were signed at the end of 2024 and remained actively in force throughout 2025.
One of these is the cooperation protocol signed between the University’s Landslide Application and Research Center and Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality. The protocol covers the period from 27 December 2024 to 27 December 2029 and was therefore actively in force in 2025. The collaboration is significant for assessing landslide and natural disaster risks, supporting the development of safer settlement areas, and strengthening urban planning processes through scientific data.
In addition, a cooperation protocol is in place between the University’s Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences and Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality in the fields of postgraduate education, research, and development. This protocol remains valid until 2027 and supports the generation of academic knowledge and joint research on scientific and technical issues required by the local authority.
Evidence:
https://ktu.edu.tr/yonetim/ulusalprotokoller
Additional Evidence:
https://www.ktu.edu.tr/huam/haber/trabzon-buyuksehir-belediyesi-ile-isbirligi-protokolu-imzaladik
Smart Cities and Urban Development
The University also conducts activities in the fields of smart cities and cadastre in order to support the future-oriented planning capacity of local authorities.
The “Smart Cities and Cadastre” panel, organized by the Department of Geomatics Engineering, brought together the Mayor of Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality, representatives of the Governorship of Trabzon, the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre, public institutions, local authorities, and academics.
Such activities create a platform for knowledge exchange and joint planning between the University, local authorities, and public institutions in areas including land management, urban information systems, smart city applications, and sustainable urban development.
Institutional Cooperation Mechanism with Local Authorities
The University’s engagement with local authorities is not limited to individual projects. The cooperation mechanism established between the University and the Union of Municipalities of the Eastern Black Sea Region aims to make academic knowledge and expertise available in areas where municipalities require support.
Within this framework, efforts are made to establish mechanisms that ensure continuous communication between municipalities and the University, transform issues identified by municipalities into undergraduate and postgraduate theses and student projects, and develop academic solutions to problems faced by local authorities.
This approach demonstrates that the University maintains a continuous and institutionalized framework of cooperation with local authorities in planning and development.
Evidence:
https://ktu.edu.tr/tr/haber/universite-yerel-yonetimler-bulusmasi
Alignment with Regional and Local Planning Documents
The University’s institutional planning system takes into account not only its own strategic plans but also regional and local development documents such as the Trabzon Provincial Plan (2024–2028), the TR90 Regional Plan (2024–2028), and regional planning documents prepared by the Eastern Black Sea Development Agency.
This approach demonstrates that the University aligns its strategic objectives with the planning priorities of the city and the wider region and acts in accordance with local and regional development processes.
Evidence:
https://ktu.edu.tr/yonetim/planlar
2025 Approach to Sustainable Cities and Communities
Within the University’s 2025 SDG 11 activities, it is explicitly stated that cooperation with local authorities, public institutions, and civil society organizations contributes directly to the sustainable development of the city of Trabzon.
This approach covers different dimensions of urban development, including energy efficiency, protection of green spaces, accessible environments, disaster resilience, transportation, urban planning, and social life.
Evidence:
https://www.ktu.edu.tr/dosyalar/surdurulebilirlik_NR3bj.pdf
Overall, these activities demonstrate that Karadeniz Technical University is actively involved in local and regional planning and development processes and contributes to joint decision-making and planning processes with local authorities through its academic expertise, research capacity, and technical knowledge.
