- President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar: “The Sports-Friendly Campus designation is not merely an award; it is also a quality assurance mechanism based on continuous improvement.”

- “An additional 31 campuses from 30 universities have earned the Sports-Friendly Campus title.”

- “The number of campuses holding the Sports-Friendly Campus designation has risen to 79.”

- A new three-tier rating system—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—will be introduced.

June 17, 2026

President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar stated that higher education should not be viewed solely through the lens of academic achievement. “We believe that universities should be holistic living environments that support the intellectual, physical, social, and cultural development of our students,” he said.

The Sports-Friendly Campus Certification Ceremony was held at Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University.

In his address at the ceremony, Özvar emphasized that the Sports-Friendly Campus designation is not simply an award but also a quality assurance mechanism designed to promote continuous improvement.

Drawing attention to the growing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles among young people in the digital age, Özvar said: “Screen dependency, lack of physical activity, social isolation, and the related health problems are no longer merely individual concerns; they have become serious issues that must be addressed at a societal level.”

“We Are Making Sports an Integral Part of Higher Education”

Özvar noted that the primary objective of the Sports-Friendly Campus initiative is to foster a culture of sports among students and university staff. “Our goal is to create campuses where students and university personnel are more actively engaged in sports, where healthy lifestyle habits are strengthened, and where physical and mental well-being are supported.”

He emphasized that sports contribute not only to physical health but also to the development of discipline, self-confidence, teamwork, leadership, and time-management skills. According to Özvar, the program aims to make sports an integral part of university life and goes far beyond simply increasing the number of sports facilities.

“The Sports-Friendly Campus Program is not merely an initiative to expand sports infrastructure. It is a comprehensive model that encourages universities to place sports culture at the center of their institutional structures, facilitate access to sports activities for students and staff, and promote healthy nutrition and active lifestyles.”

Özvar explained that universities are evaluated according to 45 different criteria, including sports infrastructure, student clubs, addiction prevention initiatives, mental health support activities, accessibility for individuals with disabilities, and efforts to preserve traditional sports.

- “79 Campuses at 77 Universities Now Hold the Sports-Friendly Campus Designation”

Sharing the results achieved during the program’s second year, Özvar recalled that 48 campuses from 47 universities had earned the designation in the previous year. This year, 60 campuses from 56 universities submitted applications.

Following the evaluation process, 31 additional campuses from 30 universities qualified for the title. “As of today, a total of 79 campuses across 77 universities in our country hold the Sports-Friendly Campus designation,” Özvar announced.

- “We Will Implement a Quality-Oriented and Sustainable Model”

Özvar also announced significant changes to the program’s evaluation framework, stating that a quality-oriented and sustainable model will be introduced in the next phase. “We are transforming the Sports-Friendly Campus concept into a quality model based on institutional policy, governance, accessibility, sustainability, and measurable impact.”

He explained that accessibility to sports facilities for individuals with special needs will become an independent evaluation criterion. In addition, the presence of a dietitian or a relevant unit promoting healthy nutrition on campus will become a mandatory requirement.

Özvar further announced the introduction of a new rating system within the Sports-Friendly Campus Program. “Under the new system, we are introducing a three-tier rating model consisting of Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. The maximum evaluation score has been increased from 100 to 120 points, and the minimum score required to earn the designation has been set at 85.” He stated that the changes will take effect next year and added that the Sports-Friendly Campus initiative will expand beyond Türkiye and open to international participation.

Nevşehir Governor Hüseyin Kök also emphasized the importance of such initiatives and described universities as productive and dynamic educational institutions.

- Karadeniz Technical University Ranked First

The award ceremony followed the speeches.

Karadeniz Technical University ranked first, followed by Erzurum Technical University in second place, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University in third, Gaziantep University in fourth, and Hitit University in fifth place.

Other universities that earned the Sports-Friendly Campus designation included Kırıkkale University, Sakarya University, Akdeniz University, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Dokuz Eylül University, Kayseri University, Anadolu University, University of Health Sciences, Amasya University, Ardahan University, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Siirt University, Near East University, Bingöl University, Harran University, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Bartın University, Dicle University, Bursa Uludağ University, Gümüşhane University, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Izmir Institute of Technology, TED University, Afyon Kocatepe University, and Kütahya Health Sciences University.

During his visit to Nevşehir, Özvar also visited Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University together with Governor Hüseyin Kök. He was accompanied by Deputy President of the Council of Higher Education Naci Gündoğan and CoHE Executive Board Member Prof. Erol Arcaklıoğlu.