By implementing the ECOUNITY project, we wanted to increase the awareness of university students and local actors about sustainable green development (SGD) and strengthen the cooperation of universities and NGOs. In line with this purpose, the following aims were adopted: O1.1 to examine effective approaches regarding economic, social, and environmental issues, and create innovative educational plans to encourage learning and teaching of SGD O1.2 to add new course modules to increase environmental awareness as a part of SDGs and interactions of local actors O1.3 to bridge the gap between undergraduate students and NGOs operating in the field of environment and society and establish integrative and constructive collaborations O1.4 to raise students' awareness of SGD and how to take action by collaborating with local actors O1.5 to contribute to the digital transformation in HE through eco-friendly digital learning tools O1.6 to pave the way for future studies in this field O1.7 to exchange information by observing the practices of partner countries in the field of environment and climate O1.8 to share and promote the use of project outcomes in other European universities and raise awareness of local actors for better interactions.
We applied for this project to provide our students to become more aware of strengthening cooperation between universities and NGOs in addressing sustainability and environmental protection. The project focused on increasing the awareness of sustainable green development among university students and preparing them to take an active role in solving environmental problems from the perspective of public management, business, and economics. We focused on contributing to initiatives that encouraged students to take social responsibility and engage with real-world environmental challenges. Universities play an important role in preparing students to deal with sustainability challenges in both their personal and professional lives. The project also addressed the need to provide students with practical experience through interaction with NGOs. This experience helped them develop key skills such as civic engagement, communication, and teamwork, which are important for their future careers.