“Journey to the Summit: Mountaineering and Life Experiences” Event Completed
Students of the Forestry and Forest Products Program at Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Sütçüler Prof. Dr. Hasan Gürbüz Vocational School, came together in an online event titled “Journey to the Summit: Mountaineering and Life Experiences”, held with the participation of professional mountaineer and academician Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamza Kandemir.
The event was held on May 17, 2026, at 16:00 under the moderation of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serkan Özdemir. During the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamza Kandemir, a faculty member of Isparta University of Applied Sciences and a mountaineering athlete, shared his mountaineering experiences, outdoor survival skills, summit journeys, and the contributions of these experiences to personal development with the students.
The event was conducted in an interactive format, including a question-and-answer session. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kandemir answered students’ questions on a wide range of topics, from his story of starting mountaineering to different types of climbing such as bouldering, lead climbing, and sport climbing; from safe movement techniques in challenging terrain to awareness of ecosystem conservation.
Among the prominent topics discussed during the event were safe working methods in rugged and mountainous terrain that forestry students may encounter in their professional lives, field and map reading skills, high-altitude survival techniques, and the importance of teamwork. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kandemir also shared his experience of carrying out academic life and professional mountaineering together, explaining how these two fields support each other.
During the event, which attracted great interest from students, suggestions for protecting natural ecosystems during mountaineering and camping activities were also discussed. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kandemir emphasized the nature-based structure of the forestry profession and encouraged students to invest in outdoor sports and personal development.
At the end of the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Güvenç Negiz, Director of Sütçüler Prof. Dr. Hasan Gürbüz Vocational School, thanked Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamza Kandemir and the event moderator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serkan Özdemir for their contributions to the realization of the event. He also stated that the event made important contributions to increasing students’ professional awareness and helping them gain consciousness about safe working practices in nature.
The event, which was open to all students of the Forestry and Forest Products Program, ended with the satisfaction of the participants.