Eight projects prepared by student communities of Kastamonu University in the field of environment and climate have been deemed eligible for support under the University Student Communities Cooperation and Support Program (ÜNİDES) conducted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Our university ranked among the top three universities in Türkiye in terms of the number of supported projects.  

The results of the "Environment and Climate" Special Call Period, implemented within the framework of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20, 2026, have been announced.  

During the application period from June 22 to September 18, 2026, a total of 855 projects, including 303 national and 552 local, were uploaded to the system from 79 provinces. As a result of the evaluations conducted by the Evaluation Commission, a total of 304 projects, 99 national and 205 local, from 76 provinces were deemed eligible for support.  

3 national and 5 local project supports from our university 

A total of 8 projects, 3 at the national level and 5 at the local level, prepared by our university's student communities, have been deemed eligible for support under the ÜNİDES "Environment and Climate" Special Call Period.

Our student communities that have qualified for national-level support are the World Language Turkish Student Community, Patika365, and the International Trade and Logistics Student Community, while our communities supported at the local level are the Biological Sciences Research Community, Young Lenses Photography and Cinema Community, Young TEMA, Kastamonu University Education Community, and ÜniAK.

With this result, our University ranked third in Türkiye in terms of the number of accepted projects, following Karabük and Çanakkale Universities, which share the first place for the most supported projects, and Hakkâri University, which is in second place.

The projects supported under the ÜNİDES program will contribute to young people developing solution-oriented work in areas such as environmental protection, combating climate change, zero waste and recycling, sustainable living, and environmental awareness. The projects are planned to be implemented between October 14 and November 30, 2026.

Our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, stated that the success achieved by our university's student communities within the scope of ÜNİDES demonstrates the students' competence in project production and implementation.  

Our Rector, stating that student communities are not only structures that carry out social and cultural activities but also have become student bodies that develop projects addressing societal needs and have the capacity to implement these projects, emphasized that the work students have undertaken on globally significant issues such as the environment and climate also holds value.  

Our Rector expressed his satisfaction with the support of 8 projects from our University, stating, "It is extremely valuable for us that our students show sensitivity toward the environment and climate, develop projects aimed at finding solutions, and implement these projects." The fact that our university is among the leading universities in Turkey in terms of the number of projects supported in this call shows the level of productivity of our students and the culture of projects we have reached.

Our Rector thanked all the students, academic advisors, and the Kastamonu Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports who contributed to the project processes. Additionally, he stated that the supported projects aim to benefit not only the university but also society as a whole, and he expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Osman Aşkın Bak, for their contributions.