SUSTAIN-ED (Sustainability in Education Beyond Borders) is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange project coordinated by Ibn Haldun University, in partnership with the Turkish Youth and Education Service Foundation (TÜRGEV) and Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden (OTH AW) in Germany.
The project brings together international students studying in Türkiye and Germany to comparatively explore sustainability practices across two different education systems. Sixteen young participants aged 18–25 will take part in two mobility activities — one in Istanbul and one in Germany — observing, discussing, and co-creating around sustainable education practices.
While the majority of EU countries have integrated sustainability learning objectives into their curricula, implementation varies significantly from one national context to another. Türkiye's 2021 Green Deal Action Plan and Germany's National Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Strategy, in place since 2017, represent two distinct yet complementary approaches.
SUSTAIN-ED turns this diversity into a comparative learning opportunity, strengthening young people's sustainability awareness within the framework of UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 and the European Green Deal.
Comparatively analyze sustainability practices in education in Türkiye and Germany
Develop participants' digital skills and make their learning visible through social media and digital storytelling
Raise awareness of environmental responsibility and active citizenship among participants
Strengthen tolerance, empathy, and inclusiveness through intercultural interaction
Support participants in developing a Sustainability Action Plan and sharing it with a wider audience
Green Bridges: Istanbul Experience
Participants from both Türkiye and Germany will take part in a five-day program in Istanbul focused on "Sustainability in Education from an EU and Turkish Perspective," combining seminars and workshops with cultural visits to iconic sites such as Sultanahmet and Hagia Sophia, alongside fieldwork on campus and across the city.
Green Bridges: Germany Experience
The second mobility centers on "Sustainability in Education from an EU and German Perspective," featuring field visits to universities, NGOs, and local sustainability projects that allow participants to compare approaches and identify best practices.
Across both mobilities, participants transform their observations into concrete outputs — posters, digital storytelling products, and collaborative group work — starting with an online preparatory session and culminating in a joint Sustainability Action Plan.
Ibn Haldun University (Türkiye) – Coordinating organisation
Turkish Youth and Education Service Foundation (TÜRGEV) (Türkiye) – Partner organisation
Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden (OTH AW) (Germany) – Partner organisation
The project will produce a comprehensive comparative report on sustainability practices in the Turkish and German education systems, along with a Sustainability Action Plan developed by the participants themselves. These outputs will be disseminated through posters, videos, digital content, university networks, civil society platforms, and the Erasmus+ Results Platform, extending the project's impact well beyond its direct participants.
SUSTAIN-ED directly contributes to European Youth Goals #8 Quality Learning and #10 Sustainable Green Europe.