Pedestrian Priority on Campus

Kadir Has University implements various projects and improvement initiatives that enhance pedestrian accessibility across its campus. These efforts, particularly focused on the Cibali Campus, aim to provide students, staff, and visitors with a safe, comfortable, and inclusive walking experience. During the planning and organization of pedestrian routes, special attention is given to preserving the campus’s historical and natural character.

Enhancing Pedestrian Accessibility on Campus

Kadir Has University continues to enhance its main pedestrian routes to ensure full compliance with accessibility standards. On the primary walkway extending from the campus entrance to the central courtyard, wide and uninterrupted paths have been developed to facilitate the safe and independent movement of individuals who are visually impaired. All improvements are carefully designed to remain in harmony with the university’s historical architecture and natural landscape.

Additionally, the university boasts a network of interconnected pedestrian routes that minimize dependence on motorized transportation, thereby helping to reduce carbon emissions and the overall environmental footprint. The use of bicycles is actively promoted, and pedestrian safety is further enhanced through well-lit and regularly maintained walkways across the campus.

License Plate Recognition and Access Management

To ensure better traffic control and promote a more pedestrian-friendly campus environment, Kadir Has University has implemented a License Plate Recognition System at all vehicle entry points.

Introduced through a decision of the Rectorate, this system enables the university to monitor and regulate campus traffic effectively, minimizing unnecessary vehicular circulation within the premises. By managing vehicle access in a controlled and systematic manner, the initiative contributes to a safer, quieter, and more accessible campus experience for pedestrians.

SUSTAINABLE CAMPUSES – PUBLIC ACCESS TO CAMPUSES 

Kadir Has University (KHAS), founded in 1997 in Istanbul, is dedicated to sustainability in education and aims to become a leader in both educational and cultural fields in Turkey. With its five faculties (Art and Design, Communication, Economics and Administrative Sciences, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Law), KHAS also aspires to contribute to the global sustainable development goals through its academic programs and research activities.

The Cibali campus of Kadir Has University, located in Istanbul’s Fatih district on the shore of the Golden Horn, is designed with a green approach, ensuring easy access from every point in the city. The historic Tekel Cibali Factory building, originally used as a tobacco warehouse and cigarette factory, has been transformed into a sustainable university campus that aligns with clean energy standards and environmentally friendly principles.

 Today, the rectorate, faculties, institutes, and research centers operate in this campus, located in a historically significant area of Istanbul, maintaining an impressive architectural heritage while supporting sustainability in design. The campus has been recognized with the prestigious European architecture award, the “Europa Nostra Award,” for its commitment to preserving cultural heritage and promoting sustainable development.

 The campus spans an indoor usage area of 50,000 square meters and includes various facilities like classrooms, laboratories, an information center (library), theatre, conference and movie theaters, sports facilities, restaurants, cafeterias, and a dance studio. These facilities aim to foster a green culture, supporting clean energy practices and sustainable resource use.

PUBLIC ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES

Kadir Has University provides public access to green spaces on its two main campuses, Cibali and Silivri, allowing students and the general public to enjoy these open spaces.
Cibali Campus: Located centrally in the city on the historic Golden Horn, the Cibali Campus includes limited green spaces that offer city dwellers a place to breathe fresh air, socialise and relax. The small gardens and open spaces on the campus are accessible not only to the Kadir Has University community but also to the public, especially visitors to the Rezan Has Museum, creating valuable places for rest and social interaction in an urban setting.
Silivri Campus: Situated on a large seafront area, Silivri Campus is ideal for those seeking time in nature with ample green spaces and coastal walkways. This campus provides public access to green spaces where visitors can enjoy nature, relax, and engage in outdoor activities, making it a retreat from city life.

Both campuses actively maintain and preserve their green spaces, reinforcing Kadir Has University’s commitment to social responsibility and community well-being by ensuring that these areas remain open and accessible to the public.

SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES

FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE

To encourage and promote public transportation, a free shuttle service operates daily from and to Kadir Has University, serving the most central public transportation points in the morning and evening. To avoid disrupting the free shuttle service, the driver, shuttle information, and departure times are shared in the myKhas system, which is the university’s current portal.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Kadir Has University is a city university. Kadir Has Campus, located at the heart of Istanbul, encourages public transportation and prioritizes pedestrian access for all its employees and students. Kadir Has University provides personnel with free public transportation cards, which enable them to use all public transportation vehicles in Istanbul, including buses, metro, metrobus, railways, and ferries. 

Kadir Has Campus is located right across a bus stop named after the university, which is situated near its main building.

Please click here to learn more about the ways to access the Kadir Has Campus.

BICYCLE RENTAL AREA

As part of our commitment to fostering sustainable cities and communities, we proposed a collaboration with the local municipality to establish a bicycle rental area. This initiative aims to promote eco-friendly transportation options, reduce traffic congestion, and lower carbon emissions, aligning with our goal of creating a greener urban environment. By enhancing access to shared bicycles, we support the development of sustainable mobility solutions that promote active lifestyles and foster a healthier, more environmentally conscious community.

Kadir Has University actively contributes to international collaborative research addressing the Sustainable Development Goals, through its participation in the Cycling Cities: The Global Experience project (https://www.cyclingcities.info/) which is part of the Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUM) International Research Network (https://www.cyclingcities.info/research/cpsum/) Dr. Müge Özbek (Common Courses Department) participates in the project as the author of Cycling Cities: The Istanbul Experience, representing the university in a comparative global study encompassing over fifty cities in twenty-five countries, including Amsterdam, Istanbul, Toronto, Bogotá, Erbil, Tehran, Cairo, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lisbon, Bamako, Dar es Salaam, and others.

Müge Özbek’s name is featured on the project’s main page under İstanbul title on the main page of the Cycling Cities project and in the Sum Team section (https://www.cyclingcities.info/sum-team/) This collaboration develops comparative approaches and promotes international best practices in sustainable, low-carbon urban mobility — a direct contribution to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).