Özyeğin University Project Awarded Funding under the EU–Türkiye Climate Change Grant Programme
Özyeğin University Project Awarded Funding under the EU–Türkiye Climate Change Grant Programme
A project coordinated by Özyeğin University, titled “Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Farming: Innovative and Cooperative Solutions in Yenişehir”, has been awarded funding under the EU–Türkiye Climate Change Grant Programme.
Funded within the framework of the European Union’s IPA III (2021–2027) period, under Window 3: Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, the project has been designed in alignment with key priorities on environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation, and digital transformation. With a total budget of approximately EUR 460,000, the project will be implemented in the Yenişehir district of Bursa between 2026 and 2028.
The project adopts a holistic approach that brings together agroecological farming practices, farmers’ traditional agricultural knowledge, and data- and artificial intelligence–based digital decision support systems. At the core of the project, a Digital Decision Support and Early Warning System will be deployed in the field to provide farmers with timely and localized recommendations in response to drought, frost, and extreme weather events.
One of the project’s defining features is its implementation through a Living Lab approach. This model is based on the active involvement of universities, local governments, cooperatives, farmers, and technical experts not merely as implementers, but as co-learning, co-creating, and co-decision-making actors throughout the process. The Living Lab framework enables solutions to be tested and refined in real production settings, ensuring that innovations remain closely aligned with local needs and realities.
The project will be implemented through a co-design approach in partnership with Yenişehir Municipality, under the coordination of Özyeğin University’s Sustainability Platform. Its conceptual framework, implementation model, and field-based components will be shaped through the contributions of an interdisciplinary team with expertise in academic research, local governance, community empowerment, data-driven decision support systems, and digital infrastructure development.
The project team consists of Prof. Dr. Burcu Balçık, Orkun Doğan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Tekin Bilbil, and Murat Bayramoğlu, working in close collaboration with experts from the ÖzÜBEX Industrial Transformation Center, as well as with the technical contributions of Mehmet Kültigin Fodul and Dr. Erinç Albey.
In parallel, the governance structure and institutional design of the Agroecology and Digital Agriculture Center, planned to be established within Yenişehir Municipality, will be developed through a joint learning and co-production process involving municipal units and the project team. Özyeğin University’s project management, financial, and administrative units will provide horizontal support to ensure that the project is implemented in a transparent, efficient, and EU-compliant manner.
Upon completion, the project aims to strengthen farmers’ capacity for early warning and data-driven decision-making in the face of climate risks, promote the efficient and sustainable use of water and agricultural inputs, and contribute to the development of participatory and resilient local agricultural governance models.
Through this initiative, Özyeğin University seeks to translate its research and innovation capacity into practice, generating tangible and measurable social impact in the field of climate change adaptation.
