According to a statement by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) dated 19 August 2026, the COP31 academic participation process — which involves all 208 universities in Türkiye — received a total of 3,373 submissions from 2,767 different national and international participants.
208Universities involved (all of them)
3,373Academic submissions
2,767Different national and international participants
4,742Youth Academy Team applications
Submissions by category
| Category | Submissions |
|---|---|
| Research, Technology and Innovation | 1,670 |
| Events, Panels and Workshops | 867 |
| Pre-COP31 Preparation and Awareness | 490 |
| International Academic Cooperation | 180 |
| University–Industry and Innovation Cooperation | 166 |
“We want to turn COP31 into a strong platform for science and cooperation.”
— Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, President of YÖK
Özvar stressed that different disciplines must work together on shared solutions. Submissions will be evaluated in line with the ten priority themes of the COP31 Action Agenda, and results will be announced on the websites of the Climate Change Presidency and YÖK.
The number of applications received between 24 and 26 August 2026 for the COP31 Youth Academy Team, formed under YÖK's coordination, was announced as 4,742. Selected students will complete COP31 training and then work alongside academic teams in Antalya on 9–20 November 2026.
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