The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP31, which will bring together decision-makers, academics, public and private sector representatives and civil society stakeholders from different countries of the world in the common denominator of combating climate change, will be held in Antalya from 9 to 20 November 2026. Our university will also contribute to the conference with its academic expertise in sustainable tourism, gastronomy, cultural heritage, climate resilience and data-driven sustainability.

During COP31, our Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Ali Karasar, our Chairman of the Board of Trustees Funda Aktan and our University faculty members Prof. Dr. Candan Gökçeoğlu, Assoc. Dr. Sinan Smart, Assoc. Dr. Halil Burak Sakal, Dr. Associate Professor Avşin Ayhan and Dr. Associate Professor Selda Öztürk are different Sessions and studies will take place, and our University's research and application studies will also be shared with booths and digital demonstrations. In addition, our Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Ali Karasar, our Chairman of the Board of Trustees Funda Aktan, Prof. Dr. Candan Gökçeoğlu, Assoc. Dr. Sinan Akıllı and Assoc. Dr. Halil Burak Sakal will attend the Leaders' Session to be held within the scope of the Conference.

One of the highlights of the COP31 program of our university will be the session entitled “Cappadocia Model: Sustainable Tourism, Gastronomy and Cultural Heritage in the Age of Climate Crisis”, which will be held on November 9. During the session, where our Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Ali Karasar will be the speaker, the approach that deals with the preservation of the unique values of Cappadocia and the sustainable development of tourism and gastronomy will be evaluated in the context of the climate crisis.

During COP31, our University academics will contribute to sessions and studies on a variety of topics ranging from sustainable gastronomy to zero-waste practices, climate resilience of destinations to data-driven decision support systems. Measuring destination sustainability, green kitchen practices, microplastic pollution and the use of research and data in sustainable tourism will also be among the topics that our University will raise.

On November 18, our Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Ali Karasar will be moderating the session titled “From Claims to Credibility: Building Trust in Sustainable Tourism”. On the same day, our University, together with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will also contribute to the work on addressing climate solutions in the tourism sector with zero waste, electrification, sustainability and investment focus at the Turkey Pavilion.

Art and sustainability will also come together in the COP31 programme. In this context, the installation work prepared by the artist Günseli Kato together with the students of our University will be exhibited in the Blue Zone, and the work aims to address the climate and sustainability agenda with an artistic expression.

Within the scope of the program, different studies are planned to be carried out on the effects of climate change on Cappadocia, strengthening the resilience of the region, protecting cultural and natural values, converting destination data into climate action and developing sustainability awareness.

Our university aims to combine the knowledge and practice it has developed in Cappadocia with the international climate agenda through its work during COP31 and to contribute to workable and science-based solutions against climate change by strengthening cooperation between academia, public and private sectors.