Anadolu University stands out in savings

Anadolu University, under the leadership of Rector Prof. Dr. Fuat Erdal, achieved significant paper savings through the efficient use of public resources in the Open Education Exams with the regulations made. In the past years, the paper usage, which reached 155 tons, gradually decreased to 98 tons within two years and further dropped to 48 tons in the Fall Semester Exams of 2023. The paper waste, which was 29 tons, decreased to 674 kilograms in the Fall Semester Exams of 2023. Approximately 25% savings were achieved in the number of exam envelopes, while there was a decrease of about 95% in the number of wasted booklets. Compared to traditional production systems, Anadolu University achieved record savings for a green future thanks to lower energy consumption. These savings prevented the cutting of approximately 11 thousand trees for each academic term, prevented more than 5 tons of plastic waste from entering nature, and prevented the release of thousands of tons of CO2 into the environment due to reduced transportation needs. Energy efficiency efforts and waste reduction initiatives led by Rector Prof. Dr. Fuat Erdal also yielded significant results. Between 2019-2022, an average energy saving of 23.25% was achieved. During this period, more than 2.6 million plastic cups, over 1.6 million meal sets, more than 25 thousand large trash bags, and tons of paper and plastic waste were prevented from being released into nature. By moving Open Education System services to online platforms, the University evacuated Open Education Offices with high rent costs. This not only resulted in financial savings but also transferred the human resources in the offices to the center, creating a more efficient working environment. Coordination among units where movable and immovable assets inventories were conducted was increased during Rector Prof. Dr. Fuat Erdal’s term. This facilitated shared use of resources among units, prevented resource waste, and further increased efficiency. Examining the numerical data between the Academic Fall Semester 2021-2022 and the Academic Fall Semester 2023-2024 Open Education System Midterm Exams reveals the successful results of the meticulous work of the Computer Research and Application Center (BAUM) and the Printing Office in terms of sustainability. In this context, while the number of exam sessions was reduced from 4 in the 2021-2022 Fall Semester to 3 in the 2023-2024 Fall Semester, the number of boxes containing exam materials decreased from 21,887 to 12,449. The logistics vehicles allocated for the use of exam documents were recorded as 53 in the 2021-2022 Fall Semester, whereas this number was determined as 29 in the 2023-2024 Fall Semester exams. Thus, Anadolu University made significant progress in terms of carbon footprint. Additionally, a 50% decrease was achieved in the number of optical forms used by students and the number of booklet pages used in the exams. While the number of optical forms used last year was 4,473,112 and the number of booklet pages was 40,674,596, this year the number of optical forms used was 2,450,426, and the number of booklet pages was 25,971,940. The ‘Zero Waste’ project carried out within the scope of Sustainable Campus activities during Rector Prof. Dr. Fuat Erdal’s term aims to create a waste-free campus for both staff and students in the new academic year. In addition to the sustainability practices previously implemented in all units, no unnecessary printed material will be used to prevent paper waste. Accordingly, the distribution of all materials such as posters, invitations, brochures, booklets, etc., will now be carried out in digital environments. Furthermore, unnecessary paper usage has been minimized with the electronic document system. The University ensures the collection of recyclable waste with 43 outdoor recycling equipment at 33 different points and has removed individual waste bins under desks by setting up 450 indoor waste bins. The exemplary work of Anadolu University under the leadership of Rector Prof. Dr. Fuat Erdal in the efficient use of public resources and environmental sustainability serves as an inspiration for other educational institutions and public organizations. The University administration aims to continue these efforts to achieve significant savings and environmental contributions in the future.