Scopus İndeksli Yayınlar Koleksiyonu
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12573/395
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Article SDG-Oriented Compulsory Courses in Higher Education: An Exploratory Case from Turkey(Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, 2026) Gover, Ibrahim Hakan; Ayten, Asim MustafaPurpose 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.Article Citation - WoS: 3Citation - Scopus: 4Rare Earth Elements in the Global Economy: Usage, Recovery, and the Quest for Supply Security – A Review(Springer Heidelberg, 2026) Top, Soner; Ayten, Asim Mustafa; Altiner, Mahmut; Demir, Idris; Kursunoglu, SaitOften described as the vitamins of modern industry, rare earth elements (REEs) are indispensable for the deployment of low-carbon and clean energy technologies. However, ensuring a secure and sustainable REE supply remains a major challenge due to the strong interdependence between application-driven demand, extraction and processing technologies, and the geopolitical concentration of resources. This review adopts an integrated analytical framework in which these three dimensions are treated as interconnected components shaping the resilience of global REE supply chains. First, the major application sectors of REEs are examined to clarify how emerging energy and advanced manufacturing technologies drive demand for specific elements and amplify their strategic importance. Second, extraction and processing technologies are reviewed in relation to both primary and secondary resources, highlighting how technological maturity, process selection, and material characteristics constrain or enable supply expansion. Finally, geopolitical and strategic aspects of the REE supply chain are analyzed to demonstrate how resource concentration, policy instruments, and international dependencies directly influence technological deployment and industrial competitiveness. By explicitly linking application-driven demand, technological pathways for extraction and processing, and geopolitical supply structures within a unified framework, this review provides a coherent understanding of the systemic challenges facing the REE sector and identifies key leverage points for improving the robustness and sustainability of REE supply chains in the context of the global clean energy transition.