F. ENDA TOLON

Abstract

The Sustainability Office of İstanbul Gedik University plays a central role in integrating sustainability into the university’s institutional strategy. By adopting a holistic approach, the Office promotes resource efficiency, environmental impact reduction, and social equity across campus operations and academic processes. In alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, strengthening national and international collaborations is defined as a strategic priority.

Within this framework, the Sustainability Office coordinates data collection, reporting, and continuous improvement processes for international sustainability rankings such as Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and UI GreenMetric. These efforts enhance the global visibility and accountability of the university’s sustainability performance.

In addition, the Office actively develops and manages European Union and Erasmus+ projects, contributes to scientific publishing activities including journals and books, and supports the integration of sustainability and climate change education at associate, undergraduate, and graduate levels. The Office also fosters multi-stakeholder collaborations with public institutions, private sector organizations, and civil society to contribute to sustainable development from a multidisciplinary perspective.

Overall, the Sustainability Office ensures the integration of sustainability principles into all university activities, reinforcing İstanbul Gedik University’s commitment to building a more sustainable and resilient future.

Biography

Dr. F. Enda Tolon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Istanbul Gedik University, where she also serves as the Director of the Sustainability Office. She holds a B.Sc. in Forest Industrial Engineering from Istanbul University and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Energy Science and Technology from Istanbul Technical University.

Prior to her academic career, she worked as a Project and Business Development Engineer at Istanbul Environmental Management Industry and Trade Co. (İSTAÇ) and Istanbul Tree and Landscape Inc..

Dr. Tolon conducted research on energy production from biomass at Aalborg University. She also served as a visiting researcher at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she carried out studies on the sustainable supply chain management of biomass-based companies.

Her research interests include waste management, biorefineries, energy efficiency, carbon management, sustainability management, life cycle assessment, and renewable energy technologies.