Asst. Prof. Nuri Cihan Kayaçetin from the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design (IAED) recently represented Bilkent University and the Urban-CoLLaR (Co-creating Urban Living Labs for the Circular Regenerative Neighbourhoods) project at two major events organized within the framework of the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) program.
Invited by TÜBİTAK, Dr. Kayaçetin participated as a guest speaker in the National Info Day of the DUT 2025 Call held on September 18, where he shared his experiences as the first coordinator from Türkiye in the program.
The event gathered researchers, representatives of municipalities and SMEs interested in developing international collaborations under the DUT partnership.
Dr. Kayaçetin also attended the DUT Projects Event 2025 in Milano, Italy, on September 30, which brought together all projects from DUT 2022 and 2023 for a joint kick-off and mid-term meeting. The event provided a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge, build networks and highlight the research capacity of Bilkent University and other Turkish institutions in the field of sustainability and circular neighbourhood development.
The Urban-CoLLaR project, coordinated by Bilkent University, is the first DUT project led by a Turkish institution. Supported for 36 months with a budget of approximately €1.8 million, the project brings together partners from six countries and aims to strengthen the decision-making capacity of municipalities and developers in applying circular strategies for sustainable urban transformation.
Through its leadership in Urban-CoLLaR, Bilkent University continues to contribute to international efforts toward sustainable, circular and resource-efficient cities.