ISTANBUL, June 11, 2026 — Turkish lender Akbank and Türkiye’s Ministry of National Education (MEB) have signed a cooperation protocol aimed at integrating upcycling techniques into vocational education and expanding sustainable production practices across the country. The initiative seeks to make upcycling a permanent component of vocational school curricula and support the development of a circular economy.
Under the “Upcycling Studies Protocol,” a new upcycling-focused module will be incorporated into the furniture and interior design programs of vocational high schools. The program is designed to equip students with practical skills in transforming used materials and furniture into new products with added value.
As part of the project, 1,000 teachers will participate in specialized training programs over the next year to become certified instructors in upcycling techniques. Akbank will also provide 1,000 laptop computers to support educators during the training process. Upcycling courses are scheduled to begin in vocational schools during the 2026–2027 academic year.
The partnership is expected to reach thousands of students nationwide, helping cultivate a new generation of skilled workers with expertise in sustainable manufacturing and resource efficiency. Officials say the initiative will also contribute to the wider adoption of circular production models throughout Türkiye.
The agreement builds on Akbank’s “There Is a Future in Transformation” project, which originated from the renovation of the bank’s headquarters. Through the initiative, used office furniture has been repurposed into school furnishings for communities affected by the 2023 earthquakes. To date, the project has helped produce 18,000 pieces of school furniture distributed to 1,311 schools in the earthquake region, benefiting approximately 398,000 students while preventing an estimated 406 tons of carbon emissions.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, education officials emphasized that collaboration between government institutions and the private sector is essential for strengthening vocational education and achieving sustainable development goals. Akbank representatives described the program as a model public-private partnership that could serve as a benchmark for sustainability-focused education initiatives in Türkiye.
The initiative is also expected to expand the role of vocational schools in sustainability efforts by providing students with hands-on experience in repair, redesign, and material reuse, preparing them for emerging opportunities in green industries and circular manufacturing.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök