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SDG-Oriented Compulsory Courses in Higher Education: An Exploratory Case from Turkey
(Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, 2026) Gover, Ibrahim Hakan; Ayten, Asim Mustafa
Purpose This study aims to examine students' perceptions of a set of compulsory Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-oriented courses implemented across undergraduate programmes at a newly-established Turkish state university. Rather than evaluating individual courses, the study explores how a compulsory, SDG-framed curricular approach is associated with students' reported sustainability awareness, civic orientation and social engagement within a specific institutional context.Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 325 undergraduate students enrolled in four compulsory SDG-oriented courses during the 2024-2025 academic year using a non-probability convenience sampling approach. A 19-item structured survey was administered to capture students' self-reported awareness and attitudes related to sustainability and social responsibility. Descriptive and inferential analyses (including t-tests and ANOVA after verifying normality assumptions) were conducted using SPSS and R.Findings The findings, derived from a composite impact scale, suggest that participation in SDG-oriented compulsory courses is associated with higher levels of sustainability awareness and positive orientations towards civic responsibility and social engagement. Differences were observed across demographic groups, with female students and those reporting prior familiarity with sustainability concepts indicating stronger perceived impacts. Given the exploratory design and reliance on self-reported data, the results should be interpreted as indicative rather than conclusive.Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its cross-sectional design, convenience sampling and reliance on self-reported perceptual data, which restricts causal interpretation and generalisability. The findings capture the initial, formative stages of learning rather than long-term transformation. As the data were collected from students enrolled in the earlier and intermediate stages of a set of compulsory SDG-based courses, the findings do not capture longer-term educational effects associated with the full curricular sequence. Future research employing longitudinal and comparative designs could provide deeper insight into how SDG-oriented curricular approaches develop over time and across institutional contexts.Practical implications The study provides empirical insight into how compulsory, SDG-oriented courses may contribute to students' sustainability-related awareness and civic orientations within higher education curricula. For curriculum developers and policymakers, the findings highlight both the potential and the limitations of using dedicated courses as one possible approach to embedding education for sustainable development.Social implications By foregrounding students' perspectives, the study contributes to ongoing discussions on the role of higher education in supporting sustainability-oriented values and social responsibility.Originality/value This study contributes exploratory, context-specific evidence on students' perceptions of SDG-oriented compulsory courses in Turkish higher education, offering a cautious empirical basis for further discussion and research on education for sustainable development at the institutional level.
Citation - WoS: 4
Strategic Sustainable Site Management in Higher Education Institutions
(deomed Publ, Istanbul, 2016-12-01) Ayten, Asim Mustafa
In retrospect, the role of scientific progress is of the utmost importance in the development and the current status of the universitites whose history is as old as the city life. The main determinants of the emergence of Enlightenment period have been the Reformation and the Renaissance movements in Europe. Thus, thoughts and ideas based on the mind instead of dogmas have made progress under the guidance of positivism and the city life has been indirectly affected from this development. The industrial revolution caused remodeling and changes in urban and spatial structure. Although educated and skilled labor force was not requested by the industry initially, that kind of force gained importance over time and the collaboration between industry and universities became inevitable. Until the years of 1940, Von Humboldt system, prevailing in Germany, changed and US system has become effective since 1945. During the years of 1960, universities became technology-based organizations and the institutions where scientific researches were conducted instead of the ones where only educational activities were carried out. Particularly, new settlements based on technology development regions attracted the attention. Within the order created by this relationship, different kinds of universities, research centers and spatial constructions were emerged either inside or outside the cities. In parallel with the growth of the cities, university buildings moved to the campuses outside the cities in accordance with the changing needs and new applications were made inside the cities and over the vast areas with different spatial typologies. In our study, campus site managements were examined in terms of environmental factors, logistics, traffic management, transportation and other criteria (population size, field size, space per person and etc.), sampled with a survey carried out on 22 universities and made an evaluation based on the responses taken by 17 universities. This study has shown that our universities have not got a large part of the criteria required to become a 3rd generation university. So as to compete with the other universities in the World, an approach with corresponding social, economic, and spatial dimensions which leaves an impression on the city, region, country and the whole World should be put into practice in the field of higher education.

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