Istanbul University

Istanbul University (), also known as University of Istanbul, is a public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, The successor institution, which has been operating under its current name since 1933, is the first university in modern Turkey.

The university has 58,809 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students studying in 112 academic units, including faculties, institutes, colleges, and vocational schools at 9 campuses. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square in Fatih, the capital district of the province, on the European side of the city.

Istanbul University alumni include Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Aziz Sancar and Nobel Prize in Literature winner Orhan Pamuk, as well as ex President of Turkey Abdullah Gül, six Prime Ministers of Turkey, Grand Mufti for Bosnia and Herzegovina Mehmed Džemaludin Čaušević, including Suat Hayri Ürgüplü, Sadi Irmak, Nihat Erim, Refik Saydam, Naim Talu, and Yıldırım Akbulut. The alumni also include the longest-serving President of Israel Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, as well as David Ben-Gurion and Moshe Sharett, who both served as Prime Ministers of Israel.

History

The origins of Istanbul University date back to 1453, when it was founded by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II as a school of philosophy, medicine, law, mathematics and letters. Madrasah education continued to be given here until new educational buildings were built around the Fatih Mosque. Later, upon completion of the construction of the buildings, students and teachers moved to these new buildings. In the early stages, Istanbul University also functioned as a medrese, an Islamic theological school. Famous astronomer Ali Qushji took part in the establishment of higher education in the city and taught mathematics at the madrasah. This madrasa is regarded as the precursor to the Darülfünûn, a technical institute or university (lit. House of Natural Sciences), which evolved into Istanbul University in 1933. Education in various sciences and fields, including medicine, mathematics, astronomy, cartography, geography, history, philosophy, religion, literature, philology, and law, became available and, until the 19th century, played a key role in educating the ruling cadres of Ottoman society. However, when the medreses were no longer able to meet the needs of the time, a restructuring process began, leading to the establishment of Darülfünûn, the core of Istanbul University.alt=Faculty members of Istanbul University with School Director Kemal Bey and the teaching staff, circa 1915.|thumb|Faculty members of Istanbul University with Director Kemal Bey and the teaching staff, circa 1915.

thumb|The main entrance to Istanbul University, 1950s.thumb|Late [[Roman Empire|Roman and early Byzantine remains at the Istanbul University campus next to Beyazıt Tower.]]An institution of higher education named the Darülfünûn-u Osmanî (lit. the Ottoman Polytechnic Institute) was created in 1863, but suppressed in 1871.) began offering law classes in French, but was closed in 1881. On 1 August 1933, İstanbul Darülfünûnu was reorganized as İstanbul Üniversitesi (lit. Istanbul University) following the educational reforms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Classes officially began on 1 November 1933.

Before World War II, many German scientists, particularly those from fields such as medicine, natural sciences, and humanities, were forced to flee Germany due to pressure on anti-Nazi scholars and artists, many of whom were Jewish. A significant number of these emigrants found refuge at Istanbul University, where they contributed to the growth of academic programs and research, enhancing the university's intellectual environment and fostering scientific efforts in Turkey.

Campus

thumb|Main entrance gate of Istanbul University on [[Beyazıt Square, which was known as Forum Tauri (later Forum of Theodosius) in the late Roman period. Beyazıt Tower, located within the campus, is seen in the background, to the right of the flagpole.]]thumb|upright|Interior view of the main building of Istanbul University.thumb|The [[triumphal arch|arched monumental gate of Istanbul University on the reverse of the 500 lira banknote (1971–1984).]]The university comprises seventeen faculties spread across five campuses. The main campus being on Beyazıt Square, which was originally built by Constantine the Great as the Forum Tauri and was later enlarged by Theodosius the Great as the Forum of Theodosius during the Roman period. Some Roman and Byzantine ruins are still visible on the grounds.

The building stands on the site of the Old Palace, the first palace built by the Ottoman Turks in Istanbul. Following the establishment of the Republic in 1923, the Ministry of War, like other ministries, relocated to Ankara, and the building was handed over to Darülfünun, the first and only university of the Ottoman Empire.

The current main building, designed by French architect Bourgerois, was completed in 1865-1866. In 1879, it began serving as the Ottoman Empire's Ministry of War. The Blue Hall and Pink Hall, located on the building's second floor, are adorned in an orientalist decorative style, featuring ceiling and wall ornamentations that reflect the overall aesthetic of the structure. The room currently used as the Rector's Office was originally the office of the Minister of War during the Ottoman Empire. The office also contains the desk of Enver Pasha, who served as the Minister of War from 1914 to 1918. The "Kılıçlık Hall," which is used for academic meetings today, was originally the venue for sword-donning ceremonies for officers within the Ministry of War during the Ottoman Empire. Before holding meetings in the Kılıçlık Hall, officers would use the area on the right side of the hall to place their swords, hang their coats, and perform ablutions.

The building, which was damaged in an earthquake in 1894, was restored by Italian architect Raimondo D'Aronco.

The building housing the Rare Books Library, designed by Kemaleddin Bey in 1913, is home to a collection of approximately 93,000 volumes, including printed and manuscript books, journals, newspapers, maps, plans, and notes in Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Greek and Latin. The collection also includes 911 albums known as the Abdülhamid II Collection, which contain 36,585 photographs. Additionally, the library holds the collections of prominent figures in Turkish politics and intellectual history, such as Zakirbaşı Hüseyin Halis Efendi, Hasan Rıza Pasha, Grand Vizier İbrahim Hakkı Pasha, Sheikh-ul-Islam Pirizade Mehmet Sahip Molla, and İbnülemin Mahmut Kemal İnal. In 1925, the collection of the Yıldız Palace Library was transferred to the Rare Books Library.

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Istanbul University has established various collaboration and exchange agreements with universities around the world. These include partnerships with Yale University Wright Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Arizona in the United States; the University of Seoul, Dongguk University, and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea; and Qatar University in Qatar. In Japan, the university has agreements with Ryukoku University, Tokyo University of Marine Sciences and Technology, Kindai University, and Tsurumi University. Istanbul University also collaborates with Tilburg University in the Netherlands, as well as Technische Universität Berlin, RWTH Aachen University, University of Cologne, Ruhr University Bochum, and LMU Munich in Germany. Additional partnerships include Essex University in the United Kingdom and the University of Western Ontario in Canada. In Germany, the university partners with Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, Goethe University Frankfurt, University of Freiburg, University of Hamburg, Heidelberg University, University of Mainz, University of Marburg, University of Mannheim, LMU Munich, and University of Tübingen. In Austria, partnerships include University of Graz, University of Innsbruck, and University of Vienna. The university also has agreements with several Belgian institutions, including University of Antwerpen, Gent University, KU Leuven, and University of Liège, as well as University of Copenhagen in Denmark. In France, Istanbul University collaborates with Bordeaux Montaigne University, University of Caen Normandy, Lumière University Lyon 2, Aix-Marseille University, University of Orléans, Paris Nanterre University, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, and University of Strasbourg.

The Erasmus network extends to the Netherlands, with agreements with University of Amsterdam, University of Groningen, Leiden University, and Erasmus University Rotterdam, and to Ireland with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. In Spain, the university partners with University of Barcelona, Pompeu Fabra University, University of Granada, University of Salamanca, and University of Zaragoza, while in Sweden, it collaborates with Lund University and Uppsala University. Additionally, Istanbul University maintains Erasmus agreements with several Italian universities, including University of Bologna, University of Florence, University of Milano-Bicocca, University of Naples Federico II, University of Padua, and Sapienza University of Rome, as well as University of Luxembourg in Luxembourg, Eötvös Loránd University, Debrecen University, University of Pécs, and Szeged University in Hungary, University of Oslo in Norway, and University of Coimbra in Portugal.

The university actively participates in research and innovation programs supported by the European Commission and Horizon Europe, which provide funding for cutting-edge research across various fields. These partnerships enable Istanbul University to contribute to and benefit from large-scale research projects that foster scientific progress and innovation. Additionally, the university collaborates with NATO in research initiatives related to security, technology, and scientific advancement, benefiting from access to valuable resources and expertise in areas of mutual interest. Istanbul University is also an official member of the CMS Experiment at CERN, a collaboration that focuses on high-energy physics research and the study of fundamental particles.

Notable faculty

See also Academic staff of Istanbul University for a detailed list.<gallery mode="nolines" class="center">

File:Halide adivar.jpg|Halide Edib Adıvar, Turkish novelist and intellectual

File:Filozof Rıza Tevfik .jpg|Rıza Tevfik Bölükbaşı, Turkish philosopher and politician

File:Mehmet Fuat Köprülü.jpg|Mehmet Fuat Köprülü, Turkish historian and former Minister of Foreign Affairs

File:Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu (1) (cropped).jpg|Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Science history professor and diplomat

File:Halet Çambel.jpg|Halet Çambel, Turkish archaeologist and Olympic fencer

File:1923 Ahmet Ferit Tek.jpg|Ahmet Ferit Tek, Turkish military officer and historian

File:Zeynep Ergun 2.jpg|Zeynep Ergun, Turkish English literature scholar

</gallery>

Halide Edib Adıvar – Turkish novelist, English literature scholar and political activist
Asaf Savaş Akat – Turkish economist
Cahit Arf – Turkish mathematician
Süleyman Ateş – Turkish theologian, philosopher, and writer
Halet Çambel – Turkish archaeologist and fencer
Süheyl Batum – Turkish constitutional law scholar
Cemil Bilsel – Turkish lawyer and politician
Rıza Tevfik Bölükbaşı – Turkish poet and philosopher
Zeynep Ergun – English literature scholar
Semavi Eyice – Turkish art historian and archaeologist
Sabahattin Eyüboğlu – Turkish writer, essayist, translator and film producer
Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu – Turkish diplomat and former Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Mehmet Fuat Köprülü – Turkish politician and historian
Şebnem Korur Fincancı – Turkish medic and president of the Turkish Medical Association
Zeyyat Hatiboğlu – Turkish economist
Ayşe Işıl Karakaş – Former judge at the European Court of Human Rights
Şevket Aziz Kansu – Turkish physician and anthropology scholar
Numan Kurtulmuş – Turkish politician and academic who is currently the speaker of the Grand National Assembly
Burhan Kuzu – Turkish constitutional law scholar and politician
İbrahim Kafesoğlu – Turkish historian
Enver Ziya Karal – Turkish historian and former president of the Turkish Historical Society
Ayhan Ulubelen – Turkish analytical chemist
Bilge Umar – Turkish writer and jurist
Süleyman Yalçın – Turkish physician and academic
Hasan Âli Yücel – Turkish education reformer and former Minister of National Education
Levon Zekiyan – Armenologist, philosopher, Professor of Armenian Language and Literature at Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Muammer Aksoy – Turkish lawyer and politician
Ahmet Ferit Tek – Turkish military officer and historian

Notable expatriate faculty

File:Portrait of Richard von Mises (1883-1953), Mathematician and Engineer (2551839576) (cropped).jpg|Richard von Mises, Austrian scientist and mathematician

File:H Reichenbach.jpg|Hans Reichenbach, German philosopher

File:Wilhelm Röpke.jpg|Wilhelm Röpke, German economist and social critic

File:Alexander Rüstow.jpg|Alexander Rüstow, German sociologist and economist

File:Jacob Merkelbach, Afb B00000002151.jpg|C. H. E. Haspels, Dutch classical archaeologist

File:Leo Spitzer.jpg|Leo Spitzer, Austrian Romanist and Hispanist

</gallery>

Fritz Arndt (1885–1969) – German chemist (1915–1918)
Erich Auerbach (1892–1957) – German philologist (1936–1947)
Alexander Rüstow (1885–1963) – German sociologist and economist (1933–1949)
Helmuth Theodor Bossert (1889–1961) – German philologist and art historian and archaeologist (1934–1959)
Max Clara (1899–1966) – German anatomist
Georges Dumézil (1898–1986) – French philologist, religion historian (1923–1931)
Erwin Finlay-Freundlich (1885–1964) – German astronomer (1933–1937)
Albert Gabriel (1883–1972) – French art historian (1926–1930)
Hilda Geiringer (1893–1973) – Austrian mathematician (1934–1938)
C. W. M. Hart (1905–1976) – Australian anthropologist (1959–1969)
C. H. E. Haspels (1894–1980) – Dutch archaeologist
Felix Haurowitz (1896–1987) – Czech physician and biochemist (1939–1948)
Baymirza Hayit (1917–2006) – Uzbek historian and orientalist
Richard Honig 1890–1981) – German penologist (1934–1939)
Alfred Isaac (1888–1956) – German economist (1937–1950)
Günther Jacoby (1881–1969) – German theologian and philosopher (1915–1918)
Curt Kosswig (1903–1982) – German zoologist and geneticist (1937–1955)
Lotte Loewe (1900–Unknown) – German organic chemist (1934–1955)
Hans Marchand (1907–1978) – German linguist
Gerhard Kessler (1883–1963) – German social policy scholar
Richard von Mises (1883–1953) – Austrian mathematician
Fritz Neumark (1900–1991) – German economist (1934–1954)
Rudolph Nissen (1896–1981) – German surgeon (1933–1949)
William Prager (1904–1980) – German mathematician
Hans Reichenbach (1891–1953) – German philosopher (1938–1945)
Oskar Rescher (1884–1972) – German scholar in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish literature
Umberto Ricci (1879–1946) – Italian economist (1942–1945)
Hellmut Ritter (1892–1971) – German orientalist (1926–1949, 1956–1969)
Wilhelm Röpke (1899–1966) – German economist
Hans Oswald Rosenberg (1879–1940) – German astronomer (1938–1940)
Leo Spitzer (1887–1960) – Austrian Romanist and Hispanist, philologist (1925–1930)
Andreas Tietze (1914–2003) – Austrian scholar of Turkish lexicography and language (1938–1957)

Notable alumni

See also Istanbul University alumni and Darülfünun alumni for a detailed list.<gallery mode="nolines" class="center">

File:Abdullah Gül (cropped version).jpg|Abdullah Gül, 11th President of Turkey

File:Aziz Sancar 0060.jpg|Aziz Sancar, Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner molecular biologist 18x18px|Nobel prize

File:Orhan Pamuk 2009 Shankbone.jpg|Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize in Literature winner novelist 18x18px|Nobel prize

File:Arif Mardin (cropped).jpg|Arif Mardin, 11-times Grammy winner Turkish-American music producer

File:Candan Erçetin fyk (cropped).jpg|Candan Erçetin, Turkish singer-songwriter

File:David Ben-Gurion (D597-087).jpg|David Ben-Gurion, Founder of State of Israel

File:Reis-ul-Ulema Dzemaluddin eff. Causevic, c. 1915.jpg|Mehmed Džemaludin Čaušević, Grand Mufti for Bosnia and Herzegovina

</gallery>

Abdullah Gül – 11th President of Turkey (2007–2014)
David Ben-Gurion – Founder and first Prime Minister of Israel
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi – Longest-serving President of Israel (1952–1963)
Ferruh Bozbeyli – 10th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
Fuat Sirmen – Turkish legal expert and politician, Speaker of the Parliament (1961–1965)
Nihat Erim – Turkish Prime Minister (1971–1972)
Mehmed Džemaludin Čaušević, Grand Mufti for Bosnia and Herzegovina (1914-1930)
Refik Saydam – Prime Minister of Turkey (1939–1942)
Sadi Irmak – Prime Minister of Turkey (1974–1975)
Suad Hayri Ürgüplü – Prime Minister of Turkey (1965–1966)
Yıldırım Akbulut – Turkish Prime Minister (1989–1991)
Moshe Sharett – Prime Minister of Israel (1954–1955)
Cemil Çiçek – Former Turkish Minister of Justice and Speaker of the Parliament
Arif Demirer – Former Minister of Finance
Mehmet Ali Şahin – Former Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister
Ali Tanrıyar – Former Minister of Interior
Coşkun Kırca – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Erkan Mumcu – Former Minister of Culture and Tourism
Hayati Yazıcı – Former Minister of Customs and Trade
İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Kadir Topbaş – Former Mayor of Istanbul
Köksal Toptan – Former Speaker of the Parliament
Masud Sabri – Former Governor of Xinjiang Province, China
Meral Akşener – Leader of Good Party and former Minister of Interior
Murat Başesgioğlu – Former Minister of Labor and Social Security
Mustafa Bey Barmada – Former Governor General of Aleppo
Ramazan Özkepir — Current Turkish jurist
Naci Ağbal – Former Minister of Finance
Nimet Baş – Former Minister of National Education
Abdi İpekçi – Journalist and editor-in-chief of Milliyet
Ahmet Şık – Investigative journalist and author
Halit Kıvanç – Turkish journalist and sports broadcaster
Fatih Altaylı – Turkish columnist, TV host, and journalist
Hrant Dink – Armenian-Turkish journalist and editor
Metin Toker – Journalist and editor-in-charge of Akis
Murat Belge – Writer, journalist and academic
Nedim Şener – Investigative journalist and author
Uğur Dündar – Journalist and TV producer
Ahmet Mete Işıkara – Seismologist, advocate for earthquake preparedness
Alp Ikizler – Nephrologist, recognized for contributions to kidney disease research
Aykut Barka – Geologist specializing in fault lines in Turkey
Aziz Sancar – Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2015) 18x18px|Nobel prize
Cavit Orhan Tütengil – Social scientist and columnist
Engin Arık – Physicist known for work on high-energy physics
Fuat Sezgin – Renowned historian of science, expert on Islamic Golden Age
Hulusi Behçet – Dermatologist, first to describe Behçet's disease
Nazım Terzioğlu – Mathematician known for contributions to algebra and analysis
Muzafer Sherif – Turkish-American Social psychologist known for social conformity theories
Nüzhet Gökdoğan – First female professor of astronomy in Turkey
Paris Pişmiş – Armenian-Turkish astrophysicist
Serdar Bulun – Physician and scientist at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
Zeynel Mungan – Medical researcher at American Hospital Istanbul
Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar – Novelist, poet, and literary scholar and author of The Time Regulation Institute
Ali Kurumahmut – Legal expert in maritime law
Bahadır Kaleağası – International coordinator of TÜSİAD and author
Duygu Asena – Feminist writer and journalist
Mario Levi – Jewish-Turkish writer
Mıgırdiç Margosyan – Armenian-Turkish author
Nihal Atsız – Turkish author and poet
İlhan Selçuk – Journalist, author and editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet
Orhan Pamuk – Nobel Laureate in Literature (2006) 18x18px|Nobel prize
Reşat Nuri Güntekin – Novelist, author of Çalıkuşu
Attila İlhan – Poet and novelist
Onat Kutlar – Poet, writer, and co-founder of Turkish Cinema Archive
Orhan Veli – Turkish poet
Arif Mardin – Grammy-winning music producer
Bülent Ortaçgil – Turkish singer and songwriter
Candan Erçetin – Turkish singer and music educator
Ceza – Turkish rapper
Mercan Dede – Turkish Musician and DJ
Sadettin Kaynak – Classical Turkish music composer and performer
Sagopa Kajmer – Turkish rapper and hip-hop producer
Teoman – Turkish rock singer and songwriter
Burcu Esmersoy – Turkish model, TV personality and sports announcer

Gallery

File:BeyazıtMeydanı2.jpg|The Monumental Entrance Gate of the Istanbul University

File:Istanbul UniversityFaculty of Science and Faculty of Literature Buildings2.jpg|The Zeynep Hanım Mansion at Istanbul University Faculty of Literature

File:İstanbulUniversityPharmacyFaculty.jpg|Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacology

File:Entrance to Istanbul University - Sultanahmet District - Istanbul - Turkey (5719887758).jpg|Istanbul University Beyazıt Campus

File:Istanbul University 20220421 (1).jpg|Istanbul University Rectorate

File:Istanbul University Faculty of Political Sciences Gulhane.jpg|Istanbul University Faculty of Political Sciences Gülhane Building

File:İstanbul Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi - panoramio.jpg|Istanbul University Faculty of Science

File:Gardens of Istanbul University - Sulimaniyeh Mosque at Rear - Suleymaniye District - Istanbul - Turkey (5726369205).jpg|The Garden of Istanbul University, with the Süleymaniye Mosque

File:Süleymaniye Camii - İstanbul Üniversitesi - Aerial view.jpg|Aerial view of the Süleymaniye Mosque and Istanbul University

File:Istanbul university 47.jpg|The Courtyard of Istanbul University Faculty of Literature

File:Watchtower Istanbul University.jpg|Beyazıt Tower in Istanbul University Main Campus

File:Atatürk in Istanbul University Faculty of Law.jpg|Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Istanbul University Law School

File:Beyazıt uni..JPG|Istanbul University Beyazıt Campus

File:İstanbul Üniversitesi Rıdvan Çelikel Arkeoloji Müzesi.jpg|Istanbul University Rıdvan Çelikel Archaeological Museum

Istanbul University

History

Campus

Notable faculty

Notable expatriate faculty

Notable alumni

Gallery

See also

Notes

References

External links