Our University has achieved remarkable progress in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 2026 Sustainability Rankings, an international assessment evaluating universities based on environmental, social, and governance performance. While our University ranked in the 1450s globally in 2024, it has risen nearly five hundred places this year, advancing into the 1000–1010 band. Nationally, we strengthened our overall standing by rising from 29th to 23rd place across Türkiye.

Significant Progress in the Environmental Impact Category

Our University demonstrated notable improvement in the Environmental Sustainability category compared with the previous year. Expanding environmental management practices, enhancing green campus initiatives, increasing sustainability-focused research, and strengthening environmental awareness programs contributed substantially to this progress. In particular, the rise in international publication volume and diversification of projects under Environmental Research made a strong impact on our performance.

Striking Achievement in the Social Impact Category

One of the areas showing the greatest leap forward was the Social Impact category. Our University received significantly higher evaluations this year in indicators such as Social Equity, Knowledge Exchange, and Community Impact of Educational Outputs. Our strong performance in the Knowledge Exchange indicator reflects our active engagement in University–Industry Cooperation, regional development projects, and social contribution activities. Positive evaluations in the Health and Wellbeing category highlight the strengthening of support mechanisms for both students and staff.

Governance: Alignment with International Standards

Our performance in the Governance category demonstrates the tangible outcomes of our efforts guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and institutional ethics. This progress stands out as one of the core elements of our commitment to becoming a sustainable higher education institution. With improvements across all categories, our University has secured a strong position both nationally and internationally in the QS Sustainability 2026 results.

“A Core Component of Our Institutional Culture”

In his remarks regarding the QS Sustainability 2026 results, our Rector Prof. Dr. Hamdullah ÇUVALCI emphasized: “At Karadeniz Technical University, we consider the sustainability approach as a fundamental part of our institutional culture. It is a source of great pride for us to see that the improvements we have implemented, from environmental sensitivity and social impact to governance principles and academic productivity, are recognized on an international scale. This achievement is the collective result of the dedication of our academic and administrative staff, our students, and all our stakeholders. In the coming period, we will continue to accelerate our sustainability-oriented initiatives and further enhance the global visibility of our University.”