Yıldız Technical University received 29,616 applications for the School of Green Transition and Sustainability, which it established this year as part of its Digital University Platform. The school, which has attracted more interest than expected, offers training to participants from various disciplines through a six-module program ranging from climate policies to clean energy technologies.

Educational initiatives, which began last year with the School of Data Analysis under the leadership of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), were expanded under the umbrella of the Digital University Platform for the 2026–2027 academic year. This year, Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ), in collaboration with Marmara University’s Institute of Population and Social Research, took on the coordination of the platform. The School of Artificial Intelligence, the School of Data Analysis, and the School of Green Transition and Sustainability were brought together under the same umbrella.

With its participation in the platform, YTÜ established its own school focused on green transition and sustainability. The school’s program, which has seen high demand with nearly 30,000 applications, addresses not only the environmental dimensions of sustainability but also its relationship with institutional management, finance, social life, and energy technologies.

Six modules ranging from climate policies to clean energy

The program’s “Climate Change and Global Policies” module examines the scientific foundations of climate change, international agreements, emission reduction, and adaptation strategies. The “Corporate Sustainability” module focuses on integrating sustainability strategies into organizational management and business processes, as well as reporting standards and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators.

The “Environmental Sustainability” module emphasizes the conservation of natural resources, carbon and water footprint calculations, and resource efficiency. The “Circular Economy and Sustainable Finance Ecosystem” module evaluates the connections between production and consumption models, green finance, and the climate economy.

The “Social Sustainability” module covers the impacts of this transformation on people and society, ranging from individual consumption habits to inclusivity, equality, and a just transition. The “Clean Energy Technologies” module addresses the hydrogen economy, energy storage systems, battery technologies, and solar and wind energy.

Under the coordination of YTÜ faculty members

The program is coordinated by YTÜ Dean of Students Prof. Dr. Gamze Varank. The module coordinators include Prof. Dr. Senem Yazıcı Güvenç, Prof. Dr. Güler Aras, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emine Can Güven, Prof. Dr. Tunç Durmaz, Prof. Dr. Serdar Bozkurt, and Prof. Dr. Aysel Kantürk Figen.

This free, online education model is open not only to students but also to academics, public sector employees, private sector professionals, and civil society representatives. The program enables participants from various professions to enhance their knowledge in the field of sustainability.

Among the Digital University Platform’s other schools, the School of Artificial Intelligence received 138,700 applications, while the School of Data Analysis received 64,851. Thus, the total number of applications for the three schools reached 233,167.