Istanbul Bilgi University (Turkish: İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi), officially established in 1996, is a private university located in Istanbul, Turkey.
The university has 4 campuses centrally-located in Istanbul namely SantralIstanbul, Kuştepe, Dolapdere and Kozyatağı.[3]
As of 2020, Istanbul Bilgi University has near 20,000 students and 45,000 graduates; approximately 1,500 academicians; 7 faculties, 3 institutes, 4 schools, 3 vocational schools, and more than 150 programs that provide education to its associate, undergraduate and graduate students.[3]
History
Adopting the principle of 'Non scholae, sed vitae discimus' (learning not for school but for life), İstanbul Bilgi University was founded as Turkey's fourth foundation university in 1996. The university took its place within the Turkish higher education system as a civil corporation after the application made by the Bilgi Education and Culture Foundation on 7 June 1996 and the subsequent approval by the Turkish Grand National Assembly.[3]
Before its official foundation, a precursor to the university, İstanbul School of International Studies, started education in 1994 in partnership with Portsmouth University and the London School of Economics, offering courses in Business Administration, International Relations, Economics, and LSE Economics programs.
In 1997, Kuştepe Campus opened with 3 faculties, 2 institutes, and 12 programs with more than 1.000 students. The education in Dolapdere Campus started in 2000 and in the same year, the university officially graduated its first students.
Between 2006 and 2019, İstanbul Bilgi University got into a long-term partnership with Laureate Education and joined Laureate International Universities network, one of the largest international networks of universities in the world with more than 1,000,000 students enrolled at nearly 70 institutions in 5 continents.[3]
In 2007, santralistanbul Campus, the third campus of the university, opened at the site of the historic Silahtarağa Power Plant, the first urban-scale power plant of the Ottoman Empire after a renovation process.[4]
In 2015, Kozyatağı Campus was established at the Asian side of İstanbul.
In 2019, Can Holding joined Bilgi Education and Culture Foundation as a supporter.[5]
Education
İstanbul Bilgi University has 7 faculties, 3 institutes, 4 schools, 3 vocational schools, and more than 150 programs that provide education to its associate, undergraduate and graduate students.
santralistanbul Campus is the largest of the four University campuses, spreading over an area of 118,000 m2 (30 acres approx.). santralistanbul Campus, opened in 2007, is an arts and cultural complex located at the upper end of the Golden Horn in the Eyüp district of İstanbul, Turkey. The campus, consisting of the Energy Museum, an amphitheater, concert halls and a public library, is situated within the site of historic Silahtarağa Power Plant which was the first power plant of the Ottoman Empire.[6]
The Main Gallery building in santralistanbul Campus, a space for contemporary art exhibitions and cultural events, was granted the International Architecture Awards in 2010.[6]
The Energy Museum, Turkey's first industrial archeology museum, received “DASA Award” in 2012 from the European Museum Academy.[6]
The Boiler House Building, which was renovated by architect Nevzat Sayın and is currently being used by the Faculty of Architecture, was granted the International Architecture Award 2018 by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.[6]
Additionally, the santralistanbul Campus has an annex building offering more than 5,000 sq m space to around 3,000 students, that can be reached in four minutes from the main campus.[7]
Dolapdere
Dolapdere Campus is located very near to Taksim, Istanbul. The campus received "Structure and Life Architecture Award” in 2002 and the “European Award for Steel Structure” in 2005. The campus hosts the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, a fitness center and a short-course swimming pool.[7]
Kuştepe
Located in Şişli district in Istanbul, Kuştepe Campus is Istanbul Bilgi University's first campus offering 32,000 m2 space. The campus hosts Vocational School of Health Services, the programs of Vocational Schools, English Preparatory Program and an indoor sports facility.[7]
Campus life
Student Council
Students at Istanbul Bilgi University are represented by a Student Council elected by the students each year during the fall semester. The council has the right to interfere in various issues regarding the school. Academic representatives from each department, elected by the students in the fall semester, are also a part of the council.[8]
Student Clubs
At Istanbul Bilgi University, there are more than 100 student clubs bringing students together through same hobbies and interests. Student clubs play a crucial role in the university's social life.[9] As Bilgi University is considered as a relative liberal university, it was also Türkiye's first university to recognize an official student LGBT organization, named Gokkusagi, glossed as 'rainbow', in 2007.[10]
Accreditation
Istanbul Bilgi University is a private university in Istanbul, Turkey. It is accredited by the Turkish Higher Education Council (YÖK) and the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). The university also holds program-specific accreditations from various international organizations.
Research Centers
The university has several research centers, including the Center for International Law, the Center for Conflict Resolution Studies, and the Center for Social Policy and Gender Studies. These centers conduct research on various topics and provide opportunities for students and faculty members to participate in research activities.
International Programs
Istanbul Bilgi University offers a wide range of international programs, including exchange programs, summer schools, and joint degree programs. The university has partnerships with over 200 universities worldwide, which allows students to study abroad and participate in international internships and research projects.
Industry Partnerships
The university has partnerships with various industries, including media, technology, and finance. These partnerships provide students with opportunities to gain practical experience and build professional networks.
Entrepreneurship Center
Istanbul Bilgi University has an Entrepreneurship Center, which provides support and resources for students who want to start their own businesses. The center offers workshops, mentoring, and funding opportunities to help students turn their ideas into successful ventures.
Libraries and museums
Istanbul Bilgi University has three libraries, one in Dolapdere Campus, one in Kuştepe Campus, and one in santralistanbul Campus. İstanbul Bilgi University's Library offers an extensive system to support university degree programs, research and teaching. The library contains more than 180.000 printed books, 500.000 electronic books, 60.000 electronic journals, 129 databases and e-encyclopedias. Access to these resources is available over internet, on-campus and off-campus.[11]
santralistanbul Campus has the Energy Museum, Turkey's first industrial archaeology museum which came about with the conversion of the power plant's original turbine rooms and meticulous preservation of its contents.[6]
İstanbul Bilgi University Press was founded in 2000.[12]
Memberships and International Affiliations
Istanbul Bilgi University has become one of the leading international universities in Turkey with nearly 2,000 international students from over 90 countries. The university has partner agreements with more than 250 leading institutions in 40 countries within the scope of Erasmus +, Bilateral and Swiss Mobility programs.[13]
Istanbul Bilgi University is a member of the European University Association (EUA), The Magna Charta Observatory of Fundamental University Values and Rights, United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), OECD Higher Education Programme IMHE, and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).[14]
Rankings and awards
Istanbul Bilgi University has ranked among the top 130 universities in the “Top Universities in Emerging Europe and Central Asia” 2020 list of the reputable higher education quality surveyor QS.[15] According to the rankings, BİLGİ is among the top 4 foundation universities in Turkey.[16]
Additionally, Istanbul Bilgi University was awarded 4 stars by QS Stars in 2019. With this achievement, Bilgi has internationally proven its success in the fields of program design, research, international reputation, graduate employability, social responsibility, inclusiveness and facilities.[17]
In 2024, Istanbul Bilgi University was recognized in the QS Sustainability Ranking, where it was ranked as the fourth-best foundation university in Turkey. This ranking evaluates universities' efforts in addressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. Globally, Bilgi University was placed in the 1001-1050 range. Notably, it ranked third among Turkish foundation universities for 'environmental impact' and 'governance', and fourth in 'social impact'. Source
The 2019 results of “Turkey's University Satisfaction Survey (TÜMA)”, held by the University Assessment & Research Laboratory (ÜniAr), reveal that Istanbul Bilgi University ranks in the A group, which is known as the high satisfaction level.[18]
Istanbul Bilgi University ranked among the top 400 universities in the field of political sciences according to Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2019 report conducted by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy.[15]
According to The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey's (TÜBİTAK) “Entrepreneurial and Innovative Universities Index 2017”, Istanbul Bilgi University ranked among the top 40 universities.[19]
Istanbul Bilgi University ranked third on Bloomberg Businessweek's “Best Universities of Turkey 2018” survey.[20]
Additionally, Istanbul Bilgi University's English Preparatory Program has been awarded five-year accreditation from CEA (Commission on English Language Program Accreditation) in 2015.[16]
The Psychology Undergraduate Program at Istanbul Bilgi University was accredited by the Association of Turkish Psychologists (TPD), as one of the 12 accredited programs among 77 psychology undergraduate programs in Turkey and TRNC.[16]
The Couples and Family Therapy specialization within the Istanbul Bilgi University Clinical Psychology Graduate Program became, in 2015, the first and only program in Turkey to be accredited by the International Systemic Therapy Training Accreditation Committee of the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA).[16]
Five undergraduate programs of Istanbul Bilgi University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (Computer, Electrical and Electronics, Energy Systems, Industrial, Genetics and Bioengineering) have been accredited by MÜDEK until 30 September 2020. MÜDEK (Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of Engineering Programs) is an institution fully authorized to provide accreditation by the Council of Higher Education.
In addition, Bilgi University became the first higher education institution in Turkey to be accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), one of the most respected accreditation institutions in the world.[16]
People
Board of trustees
Since its foundation, Istanbul Bilgi University has been administered by the Board of Trustees, which has 11 members. Dr. Çağrı Bağcıoğlu is president.[21]
