Our Chair of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver, and our Rector, Prof. Dr. Fadime Üney Yüksektepe, visited Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, who was reappointed as the President of the Council of Higher Education, to extend their congratulations and best wishes for his new term in office.

Academics of Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) continue to achieve remarkable success by taking part in international research networks organized under the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) framework.

Prof. Dr. Sinan Alçın, Director of the Graduate Education Institute and faculty member of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, has been accepted to the COST Action titled “EU Circular Economy Network for All: Consumer Protection through Reducing, Reusing, Repairing (ECO4ALL).” Assist. Prof. Pelin Özfiliz Kılbaş, faculty member of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science and Letters, has been accepted as a Working Group Member to the COST Action “CA23151 - Mediterranean Cancer Screening and Early Diagnosis Network (Medi-CaSE).”

By participating in these European-wide scientific networks, both academics will contribute to interdisciplinary research collaborations and further strengthen our university’s international visibility.

We congratulate our esteemed academics on their remarkable achievements and wish them continued success in their scientific endeavors.

The “5th Turkish-Arab University Rectors Congress,” organized in cooperation with the Association of Arab Universities and the Eurasian Universities Union, was held at El Manar University in Tunisia on October 10-11, 2025. The event also featured a keynote address by Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education. Representing our university, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Burcu Yavuz Tiftikçigil and Levent Ersezgin from the International Relations Office participated in both the Congress and the Turkish Universities Fair, held on October 12, 2025. At the congress, attended by numerous universities and representatives from Türkiye, we established connections with El Manar University and its representatives, and introduced our university and its academic programs to prospective Tunisian students.

The administration of Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) Vocational School (MYO) visited Prof. Dr. Dursun Koçer, Istanbul Kültür Educational Institutions (IKEK) Schools Coordinator, in his office on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

The second guest of the “Dev-Meets” event series, organized by the Department of Digital Game Design, was one of Türkiye’s leading independent game studios, Newmind Interactive. Held on Monday, October 13, the event featured Anıl Yıldız (Co-Founder & Lead Developer), Batuhan Gözlüklü (Co-Founder & Narrative Lead), Öykü Baltacı (Narrative & Design), and Kayra Bora Keskin (Developer).  Our guests shared both the story of their studio and their experiences in the game industry with students.

Drawing on his previous experience as a Quest Designer on Cyberpunk 2077, Batuhan Gözlüklü offered a behind-the-scenes look into large-scale AAA game production processes. Participants had the chance to compare the creative and technical challenges of working on international projects with the unique aspects of developing games in an independent studio environment.

Throughout the event, the guest speakers provided insights into art design, narrative development, and how independent studios sustain themselves amid today’s economic conditions. Highlighting both the artistic and entrepreneurial dimensions of game development, the talk offered an inspiring learning experience for our students.

As part of a series designed to foster industry awareness among future game developers, Dev-Meets 2 created a sincere space for sharing knowledge and inspiration.

Türkiye Innovation Week, one of Türkiye’s most prestigious entrepreneurship and technology events, became the meeting point at the heart of innovation with the theme of “Now Tomorrow” this year.

The IKUANTS Technology Development Center (TEKMER), operating under Istanbul Kültür University, represented our university’s vision for innovation, entrepreneurship, and R&D at the event held between October 9-11, 2025. Throughout the event, IKUANTS TEKMER, Istanbul Kültür University Technology Transfer Office (TTO), Spectroscopy Lab, and student clubs showcased IKU’s strong R&D infrastructure and contributions to the entrepreneurship ecosystem to visitors.

Our stand attracted significant interest from participants across different age groups, reaching a wide range of audiences from students to entrepreneurs, academics to industry representatives.

Over the course of three days, the IKUANTS TEKMER team met with key stakeholders from the entrepreneurship ecosystem, explored new collaboration opportunities, and provided a platform for sharing innovative ideas. The event’s theme “Now Tomorrow” perfectly resonated with the vision of transforming today’s technological advancements into tomorrow’s opportunities.

Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız, Vice Rector of Istanbul Kültür University and Deputy Chair of the IKUANTS TEKMER Board of Directors, also visited the stand and expressed her support to the team.

Three Days at the Heart of Innovation!

IKUANTS TEKMER demonstrated the strength of the university ecosystem and the entrepreneurial spirit that shapes Türkiye’s future through the activities they carried out during Türkiye Innovation Week.

As part of the “Formation of Modern Türkiye” course, one of the Non-Departmental Elective Courses from the Department of Common Courses, instructed by the Deputy Head of the Department, Lecturer Ceren Çilek, our students visited the exhibition titled “The Construction of a New City: Ankara 1923-1933” at Müzegazhane on Sunday, October 12.

Focusing on the foundation and transformation of Ankara as the capital of the Republic of Türkiye, which is a central theme in the course, the trip was joined particularly by students from the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design. Under the guidance of Lecturer Ceren Çilek, students had the opportunity to examine historical documents, archival materials, and photographs.

The event provided valuable insight into the early years of Republic and the formation of the new capital, deepening students’ understanding of the era.

The “National Competence Initiative Stakeholder Collaboration Meeting” was held on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the Nation’s Library Conference Hall by the Defense Industry Academy of the Presidency of Defense Industries of the Republic of Türkiye.

Ecem Uçar, Career Specialist from the Dean of Students Office - Kültür Point Unit, participated in the meeting on behalf of Istanbul Kültür University.

The program began with an opening speech by Prof. Dr. Hakan Karataş, Vice President of the Presidency of Defense Industries, and a promotional presentation on the National Competence Initiative. The presentation emphasized the goals of increasing the professional competencies of young people, strengthening university-industry cooperation, and training the qualified human resources of the future.

The meeting continued with the sharing of projects, educational programs, and new collaboration models aimed at university students.

Our esteemed academics from the Department of Nursing, Assist. Prof. Aysel Çavuşoğlu and Res. Assist. Zozan Tutuş, attended the “27th National Internal Medicine Congress” held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on between October 8-12, 2025. 

Assist. Prof. Çavuşoğlu presented her study titled “The Effect of In-Service Training on Nurses’ Knowledge Levels: A Clinic-Specific Program Analysis,” while Res. Assist. Zozan Tutuş presented “An Examination of the Relationship Between Nursing Students’ Diabetes Knowledge Levels and Their Perception of Professional Competence.”

We congratulate our faculty members on their successful presentations at the congress and extend our thanks for their contributions to science.

The Philosophy Club held an introductory meeting on Tuesday, October 14, to help members get to know each other. The event, which created an atmosphere for discussion around the question “What is Philosophy?”, opened the door to new topics for future meetings.

As part of the “ENC1001 - Engineering Orientation” course offered by the Department of Industrial Engineering, a seminar was held on Thursday, October 9, featuring Osman İnal, one of our 2023 graduates, as the guest speaker.

The research papers titled “Enhancing Small Cosmetics Businesses with Big Companies Innovations: A Sustainable Productivity, and Lean Manufacturing Journey”, jointly prepared by Assist. Prof. İbrahim Ethem Tarhan from the Department of Industrial Engineering, and our master’s student Abeer Mutahar, and “Applying Machine Learning for Monthly Forecasting of Real Estate Sales to Foreigners in Türkiye”, jointly prepared by Assist. Prof. İlayda Ülkü and our master’s student Sanam Geranpayehvagheei, were successfully presented at the “International Symposium for Production Research Program (ISPR 2025).” We congratulate our academics and students and wish them continued success in their studies.

Organized by the Istanbul Kültür University Alumni Relations Unit, the “IKU Alumni Day 2025 & Back to Kültür” event will take place on Sunday, October 19, between 12.00-20.30, in the front garden of the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

For further information and the program: https://mezun.iku.edu.tr/tr/back-kultur-2025-iku-mezunlar-gunu

The IKU Technology Transfer Office (TTO) will organize an informatory seminar on Monday, October 20, at 10.00, in the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall at the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus. The seminar aims to inform students about the TÜBİTAK 2209-A/B programs and encourage their participation.

The Dean of Students Office - Kültür Point will organize “Turkish Sign Language Training” to support effective communication with individuals with hearing impairments, raise social awareness and promote a sense of social responsibility among students. The training, instructed by Ahmet Tombul, will be held online via the CATS platform on October 20-21, 2025, between 17.00-20.00.

In collaboration with ARC Enstitü, the Dean of Students Office - Kültür Point will hold the event titled “Introduction to Financial Literacy, Stock Market, and Technical Analysis Training.” Led by Financial Markets Analyst Mehmet Güney, the training aims to help participants develop skills in understanding the fundamentals of personal finance, recognizing investment instruments, interpreting market data, and creating strategies through technical analysis methods. The event will take place on October 20-22-24, at 20.00, via Microsoft Teams.

The Department of Political Science and International Relations will organize a conference titled “Examining Nation-Building: Race Relations and Social Cohesion in South Africa” to explore the process of nation-building through the South African case in the context of the race relations, social cohesion, and identity politics. The event will feature Prof. Dr. Ntsikelelo Breakfast from Nelson Mandela University as the guest speaker and will take place on Tuesday, October 21, at 13.00, in the Küçükçekmece Campus Conference Hall.

The Faculty of Engineering will hold an event titled “Faculty of Engineering Day 2025” on Tuesday, October 21, between 13.30-16.30, on the ground floor terrace of the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus to celebrate the achievements of its students.

In collaboration with the Aviation Club and the Program of Flight Operations Management, a talk titled “The Role of Flight Dispatcher in General Aviation” will be organized to support students in their career planning processes. The event, featuring Flight Dispatcher Çağrı Sanıcı from Gözen Air as the speaker, will take place on Tuesday, October 21, at 14.00, in the 1A-01 Amphitheatre of the İncirli building, Bakırköy Campus.

The Istanbul Kültür University Vocational School (IKU MYO) will host a talk titled “From the Counter to the Classroom: The Art of Communication through the Grand Bazaar Experience” to explore the importance of communication through real-world sectoral examples. The event will feature Assoc. Prof. Rezal Koç, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Grand Bazaar, as the guest speaker and will be held on Tuesday, October 21, at 16.00, in the 1A-01 Amphitheatre of the İncirli building, Bakırköy Campus.

The Department of Business Administration will hold a conference titled “Building the Future Across Generations” to strengthen students’ connection with the business world. The event will feature Polat Gülman, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors and CEO at Gülman Group, as the guest speaker and will take place on Wednesday, October 22, at 11.00, in the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall of the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

The Department of Public Relations and Advertising will organize a talk titled “Artificial Intelligence and Career Management” to support students in their career development journeys. The event will feature Aytaç Mestçi, Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurship Consultant at MarkeFront, as the guest speaker and will be held on Wednesday, October 22, at 11.00, in the 1st floor multi-purpose hall of the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

The IKU Vocational School (MYO), in collaboration with the Design Factory, will host a talk titled “Where Time Bends: A Journey through Einstein’s Universe” exploring the concepts of time, space, and the universe in the light of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. The event will feature Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özer, Director of the Vocational School, as the speaker and will take place on Wednesday, October 22, at 14.30, in the Design Factory at the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

The Faculty of Science and Letters continues its “Coffee is Just an Excuse Meetings” to share significant studies in the fields of basic and social sciences. The upcoming seminar, titled “The Magic of Words, the Mathematics of Poetry: Abjad,” will be presented by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Fatih Köksal from the Department of Turkish Language and Literature. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 22, at 15.00, in the Erdal İnönü Seminar Hall of the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

Organized in collaboration with the Program of Foreign Trade, the Program of E-Commerce and Marketing, and the Financial Literacy Club, the event titled "Marketing and Trade in Action - II" aims to help students apply their theoretical knowledge of trade, marketing, and sales through case studies. The event will feature Serkan Ünal, Sales and Marketing Manager at the Museum of Illusions, as the speaker and will take place on Thursday, October 23, at 11.00, in the 4A-01 Amphitheatre of the İncirli building, Bakırköy Campus.

Organized in collaboration with the Women’s Solidarity Club and the Cultural Heritage Preservation Club, the “Women’s Rights and Law Summit” will focus on the role of women within the legal system, gender equality, and the role of law in combating violence. The speakers will include Lawyer Lerzenur Asan Elik, Lawyer Yağmur Birdal, and Nazan Moroğlu, Türkiye’s first Women’s Law Specialist. The event will be held on Thursday, October 23, at 13.00, in the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall of the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

The Cinema Club will organize an “Open-Air Cinema” event to encourage social engagement among students. The event will take place on Thursday, October 23, between 16.00-22.00, in the front garden of the Ataköy building, featuring performances by the Orchestra IKU and a DJ set.

The Dean of Students Office - Kültür Point will organize the “BAP Project Workshop” with the aim of developing university-level policies and solution proposals for sustainable development based on a SWOT analysis. The workshop will take place on Friday, October 24, between 09.00-16.00, in the Design Factory at the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.