The strategic plans of universities have an important role in enabling HEIs to contribute to sustainability transitions. To address the current lack of studies in HEIs in Türkiye, this paper aims to determine how universities in Türkiye integrate sustainable development goals (SDGs) into their strategic plans to indicate the extent to which these universities align with the 17 SDGs and to discuss the visibility of SDGs in strategies. The research has been designed as a qualitative study involving document analysis. QS World University Rankings or being a research university are the two criteria for the sampling. The scope of the study consists of 27 universities, representing 13.4% of the universities in Türkiye. The most striking result was that, apparently, none of the strategic plans mentioned Goals 1 (no poverty), 6 (clean water), and 13 (climate action). The sampled universities in Turkey have established a restricted set of strategic objectives linked to SD Goals 2, 5, 10, and 11. These remarkable findings prompt inquiries into the underlying reasons for this constrained scope, warranting further investigation. A potential factor contributing to the limited objectives regarding these goals could be traced to a lack of awareness and understanding of the intricate connections between these goals and the overarching mission of higher education institutions.

This study critically analyzes the current state of gender equality in Turkiye with a specific focus on its intersection with educational outcomes. Utilizing secondary data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) and the Ministry of National Education (MoNE), the research examines key indicators aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 5. The findings reveal that, despite progress in girls’ enrollment and literacy, women’s labor force participation remains low (36%), political representation is limited (17.3% in parliament), and ownership of agricultural land by women stands at only 13.2%. The study also highlights persistent gender stereotypes in both domestic and professional domains, reinforced by cultural norms and unequal access to digital technologies. Building on these findings, the study introduces a novel, school-based framework composed of nine strategic actions aimed at reshaping societal perceptions and promoting gender-responsive learning environments. The proposed framework emphasizes the transformative role of education in addressing structural inequalities and offers a practical roadmap for institutional reform within schools. The research fills a critical gap in the literature by providing actionable strategies for integrating gender equity into educational policy and practice in Turkiye.

This study examines students' perceptions of personal growth by applying growth mindset principles through a grounded theory approach. Using qualitative data collected from interviews, the research focuses on beliefs about effort, responses to failure, feedback, and the malleability of intelligence. A theoretical sampling strategy, integral to grounded theory methodology, was employed to select 32 students from the Faculty of Education, including 9 second-year, 19 third-year, and 4 fourth-year students. The findings reveal four key themes: Effort-Driven Development, emphasizing the primacy of effort over innate ability; Resilience and Learning from Failure, which highlights failure as an opportunity for growth; Openness to Feedback as a Development Tool, demonstrating the value placed on feedback for self-improvement; and A Dynamic View of Intelligence and Abilities, reflecting a belief in the evolving nature of intelligence. These insights enhance our understanding of how growth mindset principles manifest in educational contexts, offering practical implications for teaching practices and organizational strategies aimed at fostering personal development.