Istanbul Gelişim University Rector Prof. Dr. Şükran Güzin Ilıcak Aydınalp and Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Arda Öztürkcan attended the Science Diplomacy Academy Launch on the Road to COP31 and COP31 Meeting, organized by the Council of Higher Education (CoHE) in Ankara. At the meeting, which addressed the role higher education will assume during Türkiye's COP31 Presidency, universities' scientific contribution to the fight against climate change and to sustainable development goals was assessed.

İstanbul Gelişim University continues to contribute to sustainability and environmental awareness through its students. As part of this effort, Furkan Emre Başaran, a student in the Radio, Television, and Cinema Department of IGU's Faculty of Economics, Administrative, and Social Sciences (FEASS), participated as a climate ambassador on behalf of the university in the "Marmara Region Climate Ambassadors Zero Waste and Climate Workshop." The workshop, hosted by Sakarya University, aimed to raise awareness on environmental sustainability and to support young people's active participation in climate policy. Organized with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the event addressed many important topics related to the environment and climate from academic and technical perspectives.

The Public Relations and Promotion Department of İstanbul Gelişim University has launched an exhibition titled "Small Details in Sustainability" (Sürdürülebilirlikte Küçük Detaylar) that brings together environmental awareness and sustainability through art, as part of the "June 1–7 İstanbul Zero Waste Week." The exhibition "Small Details in Sustainability," prepared within the framework of the "Sustainability and Communication" course taught in the department and aimed at raising awareness in the area of sustainability, opened its doors to visitors. Designed by department students Gamze Günde and Özkan Kuru under the coordination of Asst. Prof. İlknur Gümüş, the exhibition will be open for visitors from June 2–5 in the Tower Building, 2nd Floor Foyer Area of İstanbul Gelisim University.

Istanbul Gelisim University continues its academic and industry-oriented events aimed at preparing students for the transforming business world of the future. As part of this effort, the seminar titled “Sustainability: Young Entrepreneurship in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, organized by the Economics and Finance Department of FEASS and the Economics and Finance Student Club, was held to strong student attendance. At the event held in the K Block Firnas Auditorium, the development of AI, its impact on the entrepreneurship ecosystem, sustainable business models, and the working domains of the future were examined.

Istanbul Gelisim University's (IGU) climate-focused academic vision will be strongly represented at the “COP31 Journey” event, to be hosted by Boğaziçi University on April 17, 2026. This significant gathering, to be held at Albert Long Hall and moderated by the Center of Sustainable Environment and Society (SCTUAM) Director Assoc. Prof. Başak Özarslan, aims to bring together representatives from academia, the public sector, and the private sector to establish common ground in line with Türkiye’s climate objectives.

The "Sustainability Ecosystem Conference," organized through a collaboration between the Istanbul Gelisim University Center for Istanbul Studies and the GastroZone Club, brought together academia, industry, and students on a single platform. The event examined sustainability across a broad spectrum, from gastronomy and agriculture to food production and health, offering a comprehensive review of current approaches, field experiences, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. The conference provided an important foundation for raising awareness of sustainable production and consumption while encouraging young people to take an active role in this field.

Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU) participated for the first time in the APAIE 2026 International Education Fair, held in Hong Kong from February 24-26, 2026, one of the most prestigious international higher education events in the Asia-Pacific region. IGU was represented at the fair by a delegation comprising Vice Rector for Research and Development Prof. Necmettin Maraşlı, Vice Rector for Education, Training, and Planning Prof. Nuri Kuruoğlu, International Exchange and Cooperation Office (IECO) Director Alisa Usubova, and IECO Assistant Specialist Yaren Ergenç. Over the course of the four-day event, the university delegation held one-on-one meetings with approximately 60 universities. Discussions covered topics including student and academic exchanges under the Erasmus+ program, bilateral cooperation agreements, joint research projects, double degree opportunities, and short-term academic programs.

International conferences will be held on May 7-8, 2026, in Bali Denpasar, organized in collaboration between Istanbul Gelisim University and Indonesia's Nusa Putra University, and hosted by Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha. Among the opening speakers at the conferences will be Istanbul Gelisim University Faculty of Economics, Administrative, and Social Sciences Dean Prof. Kenan Aydın. The events, to be held under the Bali Conference Series, aim to bring together the academic world by focusing on themes of sustainable development, digital transformation, innovative approaches in education, and the green economy.

Istanbul Gelisim University, Research Center for Sustainable Environment and Society Director Assoc. Prof. Başak Özarslan was a speaker at the Technovation Girls Launch Event hosted by SabancıDx. In her address, Assoc. Prof. Özarslan drew attention to the strong and strategic relationship between sustainability, energy transformation, and the economy of the future.

As part of the European Week for Waste Reduction, held between 22–30 November, Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU) Faculty of Fine Arts, in collaboration with Bakırköy Municipality’s Directorate of Climate Change and Zero Waste, organized a striking exhibition aimed at raising environmental awareness.