GTU Participates in Transnational Meeting Under the CESynergy Project

March 25, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations

Gebze Technical University (GTU) participates in a transnational project meeting held in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, between March 17–21, 2025, within the scope of the CESynergy Erasmus+ Project funded by the European Union. Representing GTU, Prof. Selçuk Toprak (GTU Project Coordinator), Prof. Banu Çetin, Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Balçık, and Research Assistant Oğuz Dal attend the meeting. The meeting is hosted by Instituto Superior Técnico (University of Lisbon), one of the largest universities in Portugal.

Project Partners and Objectives

The main coordinator of the project is the Silesian University of Technology from Poland, and esteemed project partners such as the University of Bremen (Germany), Training2000 (Italy), and the Institute for Innovation and Responsible Development (INNOWO) (Poland) participated in the meeting alongside Gebze Technical University (Türkiye). Participants exchanged knowledge and experience to promote sustainable energy practices, disseminate circular economy principles, and enhance resource efficiency in energy systems.

CESynergy Project and Sustainable Energy

The CESynergy Project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of resource consumption and circularity in energy systems and supports the green energy transition within this framework. The depletion of lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements used in renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles is among today’s critical challenges. This situation highlights the importance of resource efficiency, the use of alternative materials, and the implementation of circular economy practices, making it necessary to develop solutions through education.

Conscious Choices Through Education

In this regard, the project seeks to address existing educational gaps concerning material consumption and resource management in the context of the energy transition. It aims to equip future engineers and decision-makers with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed and sustainable choices. The educational content developed under the title "Circular Economy Pathways for the Energy Transition" will be offered through modules tailored to different expertise levels, ensuring accessible learning opportunities for all learners.

GTU’s Role in International Collaborations

By actively participating in this project, GTU strengthens international collaborations while also making a scientific contribution to the transition toward sustainable and circular energy systems. The educational materials and case studies developed during the project will also address the resilience of energy infrastructures against earthquake and disaster risks. Additionally, new approaches will be developed from a circular economy perspective for the safe integration of solar and wind energy systems.

CESynergy Project for a Sustainable Future

The CESynergy Project, carried out to make future energy infrastructures more sustainable, resilient, and environmentally friendly, reinforces GTU’s vision of contributing to sustainability on a global scale. Through this initiative, all project partners and stakeholders are working together to shape the energy systems of the future. Detailed information about the project and relevant social media accounts can be accessed at https://www.circularsynergy.org/.