Istanbul University

For the university formerly part of Istanbul University, see Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa.

Istanbul University
Turkish: İstanbul Üniversitesi
Former name
Sahn-ı Seman Medresesi
(1453–1846)
Dârülfünûn-ı Şâhâne
(1846–1912)
İstanbul Dârülfünûnu
(1912-1933)
MottoTurkish: Tarihten Geleceğe Bilim Köprüsü
Motto in English
Science Bridge from Past to the Future
TypePublic university
Research university
EstablishedMay 30, 1453; 571 years ago (1453-05-30)
Budget$411 million (2025)[1]
RectorProf. Dr. Osman Bülent Zülfikar
Academic staff
4,339[2]
Administrative staff
5,885[2]
Students58,809[2]
Undergraduates42,066[2]
Postgraduates16,268[2]
Location
Istanbul
,
Turkey

41°00′46.93″N 28°57′49.95″E / 41.0130361°N 28.9638750°E / 41.0130361; 28.9638750
CampusUrban
FounderMehmed II
Colors  Green   Yellow
AffiliationsCoimbra Group
EUA
UNIMED
AACSB
Websitewww.istanbul.edu.tr

Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (Turkish: İstanbul Üniversitesi), is a prominent public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks,[3] it was reformed as the first Ottoman higher education institution influenced by European approaches.[4][5] The successor institution, which has been operating under its current name since 1933, is the first university in modern Turkey.[6]

Istanbul University is consistently ranked first in Turkey and among the top 500 universities in the world according to the recently published Shanghai Ranking.[7] At present, there are 58,809 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students[8] studying in 112 academic units,[9] including faculties, institutes, colleges, and vocational schools at 9 campuses.[10] 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[11] and Nobel Prize in Literature winner Orhan Pamuk,[12] as well as President of Turkey Abdullah Gül, six Prime Ministers of Turkey, including Suat Hayri Ürgüplü, Sadi Irmak, Nihat Erim, Refik Saydam, Naim Talu, Yıldırım Akbulut, and the current mayor of Istanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu. 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.

  1. ^ "Üniversitelere 2025 yılı için 487 milyar liranın üzerinde ödenek ayrıldı". Anadolu Ajansı. 7 September 2024. Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Sayılarla İstanbul Üniversitesi". sayilarla.istanbul.edu.tr. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Britannica was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Günergun, Feza; Kadıoğlu, Sevtap (2006). "İSTANBUL ÜNİVERSİTESİ'NİN YERLEŞİM TARİHÇESİ ÜZERİNE NOTLAR". Osmanlı Bilimi Araştırmaları. 1 (8): 135–163. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  5. ^ "İstanbul Üniversitesi'nin kuruluşunun 86. yıl dönümü! İstanbul Üniversitesi tarihi". haberler.com (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Üniversitelerin kuruluş tarihleri". cnnturk.com (in Turkish). CNN Türk. 20 June 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Shanghai Ranking Universities". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Sayılarla İstanbul Üniversitesi". istanbul.edu.tr (in Turkish). Istanbul University. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Sayılarla İstanbul Üniversitesi". sayilarla.istanbul.edu.tr. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Yerleşim". istanbul.edu.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  11. ^ "The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2015". NobelPrize.org. Archived from the original on 21 May 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  12. ^ "The Nobel Prize in Literature 2006". NobelPrize.org. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2020.