The project titled “Urbanization Needs More Accessible Actions!”, carried out with the contribution of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, has been successfully completed.
Coordinated by our faculty member Dr. N. Ceren Türkmen and supported by the Turkish National Agency under the Erasmus+ KA152 Youth Exchange program, the project was successfully implemented in Sakarya between May 26 and June 1, 2025.
A total of 35 young participants from four different countries took part in the project, which was realized with the active participation of third-year students from our Faculty’s Department of International Trade and Finance. Participants engaged in workshops, field visits, and cultural exchange activities on topics such as the concept of accessible cities, the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in urban life, inclusive urban planning, and the role of youth in these processes.
The program was enriched by the valuable contributions of our faculty members and representatives of local government. Our faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asena Boztaş contributed with her presentation titled “EU Urbanization Policy,” providing participants with up-to-date policy perspectives at the European level. SUBÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Sarıbıyık shared the university’s inclusive vision through his presentation “Accessible University: The SUBÜ Example.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dilşad Türkmenoğlu Köse (SAÜ) delivered the presentation “EU Accessibility Strategy,” outlining the framework of accessibility policies at the European Union level. Dr. Abdülkadir Özden conducted interactive sessions on “Accessible Urban Planning and Infrastructure,” addressing how inclusiveness can be enhanced in urban planning through practical examples. In addition, İbrahim Bingül from the SAÜ Library and Documentation Department shared his experiences in the field of accessibility with the participants.
Throughout the project, young participants conducted field studies in different areas of Sakarya to examine local accessibility conditions. During the field visit to Karasu, they met with Karasu Mayor İshak Sarı, where the level of accessibility in the district was evaluated. The participants also had the opportunity to observe accessibility-oriented local government practices along the Karasu coastline.
Our Faculty Dean, Prof. Dr. Sinan Esen, visited the program and met with the participants, emphasizing the importance of the international learning experience and multicultural interaction provided by the project.
Sessions supported by the effective use of digital tools, cultural nights, and team-based activities created a rich multicultural learning environment for the participants. Our students transformed their visions of accessible cities into tangible outputs through hands-on activities such as short film production, policy proposal development, and poster design.
Following the activities, Project Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Dr. N. Ceren Türkmen shared the following evaluation:
“The creative ideas produced by our faculty students together with peers from different countries on accessible cities offer remarkable recommendations not only for local administrations but also at the European scale. Our project not only increased young people’s awareness of urban transformation and inclusiveness, but also made a significant contribution to the international visibility of our faculty.”
