YÖDAK Represented Higher Education in the TRNC at the Global Sustainable Development Congress

The Higher Education Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation and Coordination Council (YÖDAK) represented the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and its higher education system at the Global Sustainable Development Congress, held at the Istanbul Congress Center from June 16 to 19, 2025.
The congress, organized in cooperation with the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and the international university ranking organization Times Higher Education (THE), was held for the fourth time this year and hosted over 5,000 participants from 110 countries.
YÖDAK President Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın, Vice President Prof. Dr. Hasan Amca, and Board Member Prof. Dr. Hülya Harutoğlu attended the event. Throughout the congress, the YÖDAK delegation held meetings with numerous academic and institutional representatives, exploring opportunities for cooperation on aligning the TRNC higher education system more closely with sustainable development goals.
As part of the congress, Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın also met with YÖK officials, exchanging views and making significant assessments regarding the TRNC higher education system—particularly in areas such as quality assurance, internationalization, and sustainability-focused transformation processes.
The congress was officially opened on June 17 by YÖK President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar and THE Global Director Phil Baty. During the program, the implementation of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals by higher education institutions was discussed through best practice examples. Additionally, the results of the 2025 Impact Rankings of world universities were publicly announced.
The congress featured discussions on key topics such as climate change, socio-economic equity, artificial intelligence, sustainable campuses, energy, health, education, and sustainable development economics. The societal impact potential and global responsibilities of universities were emphasized. In this context, YÖDAK representatives highlighted the importance of quality, transparency, and strategic cooperation in the sustainability-oriented transformation of universities in the TRNC.
Moreover, a “Turkish Universities Pavilion” was established to enhance the international visibility of Turkish universities. Through exhibition stands, higher education institutions presented their academic programs and research capacities. Supporting the TRNC universities’ presence in the pavilion, the YÖDAK delegation contributed to strengthening inter-university collaborations.
YÖDAK emphasized that participation in such global platforms is of great significance for the internationalization of higher education in the TRNC and for advancing its integration with the goals of sustainable development.