In the Heart of Cappadocia, in Service to Society

Kapadokya University is a higher education institution that regards societal contribution as one of the fundamental components of its institutional responsibility. This understanding aims to generate a multidimensional engagement that extends beyond educational activities into social, cultural, and environmental domains. The University's vision in this regard has been formalized through its Community Contribution Policy.

This approach is reflected not only in service and application projects but also in the realm of intellectual production. The series Texts That Guide Us and Texts That Guide the West, published by Kapadokya University, clearly demonstrate the importance the University places on intellectual diversity. Texts That Guide Us presents, in contemporary language, selected works, edicts, and manifestos that shaped Islamic civilization between the years 750 and 2001; whereas the Texts That Guide the West series brings foundational texts of Western thought—from 1400 BCE to 1990 CE—into Turkish. Together, these extensive collections function as a conceptual and historical atlas for students and academics alike.

The University’s intellectual production extends beyond publishing and is supported by research programs shaped through interdisciplinary collaboration. The project titled “Shared Horizon Vision for Humanity and the Planet: KÜN Thought Circle” brings together experts and students from various fields to foster collective intellectual inquiry. Topics within the project—such as History of Turkish Diplomacy, Public Diplomacy in Foreign Policy, Contemporary Issues in International Relations, and Current Topics in Turkish Foreign Policy—reflect the University’s vision of contributing to global thought from a local perspective. All these contents are shaped under the umbrella of the KÜN Thought Circle, offering new perspectives on the relationship between humanity and nature through the notion of a Shared Horizon.

This multidimensional intellectual structure also manifests in Kapadokya University’s engagement with intangible cultural heritage. Through the Ashik Art Symposium, the traditional ashik (minstrel) culture—an essential component of Turkish folk literature—is brought into academic discourse. The symposium facilitates discussion of the values carried by oral tradition from past to present and contributes to the transmission of this cultural heritage to future generations.

The University’s environmentally conscious approach is reflected in its application projects as well as research activities. The project titled Cappadocia Flora documents the region’s endemic and natural plant species, contributing to biodiversity conservation. This database serves as a valuable resource for both academic research and environmental education initiatives.

Another project supported in line with the same sustainability principles is the Slow Food Earth Market, which brings local producers and consumers together on an ethical and direct platform. This initiative helps preserve local food culture while promoting environmentally friendly production methods, thereby enabling the University to advance sustainable development goals at the regional level.

Highlighting the individual as the central actor of societal contribution, Kapadokya University honors students and academics who embrace volunteerism as a virtue through its annual Volunteer of the Year Award. This award supports the commitment to transform personal responsibility into societal benefit and makes visible the University’s culture of solidarity and participation.