Istinye University (ISU) held its 2024-2025 academic year opening ceremony on October 8. Speaking at the event, Rector Prof. Dr. Erkan İbiş stated, “We work with our qualified academics to produce knowledge, transfer it to stakeholders, and transform it into products. We establish collaborations and support national and international studies carried out in our academic units and research centers that will contribute to our country's economy, technology, and social welfare.”
The opening ceremony took place at the Topkapı Campus Congress Center and was attended by Rector Prof. Dr. Erkan İbiş, art history writer and critic Prof. Dr. Kıymet Giray, as well as academics and students.
“We Are Creating a Researcher-Producer-Innovator Change Strategy at Our University”
After a piano recital, Rector Prof. Dr. Erkan İbiş discussed the university's vision. He said, “In line with the vision of modernity articulated by the Founder of our Republic, the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and in light of the achievements of the Republic, we are striving to create and implement a researcher-producer-innovator change awareness and strategy at our university. We consider smart technologies, digitalization, collaborations, diversity, and sustainability as vital components of this strategy. As a comprehensive university, we emphasize not only science, education, research, and health, but also studies in the fields of science, engineering, social sciences, culture, and the arts. With our focus on institutionalization, belonging, respect, entrepreneurship, and qualification, we aim to strengthen the Istinye University brand and enhance our collaborations with public institutions, local governments, NGOs, companies, sector representatives, professional organizations, and other universities.”
“Research-Based Education and Training Models Will Be the Basis of Our Success”
Prof. Dr. İbiş emphasized their commitment to adopting research and project-based education that is technology-driven and output-oriented, stating:
“We advise our colleagues to avoid intensive theoretical courses that rely on rote memorization and repetition. Instead, they should focus on effective practices, simplify and update course content, prefer interactive education, provide consultancy through a mentoring approach, and demonstrate empathy. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of allowing individual study time for students, increasing the number of elective courses both within and outside the field, and fostering the development of sociocultural skills and intellectual capabilities. Research and project-based, technology-driven, and output-oriented educational training models will
undoubtedly form the foundation of our success. A system that combines the acquisition of professional skills with practical studies enhances students' connection to the sector and social life. Today and tomorrow, the preferred criteria include analytical thinking, a critical perspective, strong social intelligence, a sense of responsibility, communication skills, media literacy, project design ability, and openness to cognitive management and collaboration.”
“Our Technology Transfer Office Makes Significant Contributions to our Progress”
Rector Prof. Dr. İbiş, who also highlighted the university's success in international rankings and its efforts to become a research university, stated the following:
“In the URAP Foundation University rankings, our university was ranked 42nd in 2020, 38th in 2021, 19th in 2022, and 11th in 2023. When considering all state and foundation universities in our country, we were ranked 146th in both 2020 and 2021, 103rd in 2022, and 55th in 2023. In the URAP world rankings, we were positioned at 2761st in 2022 and 2104th in 2023. In the world rankings released by organizations such as Webometrics, US News World, and ARWU in 2024, our rank falls within the 1300-2700 range. Recently, the THE World Ranking placed us in the 1001-1200 band and 13th among universities in Türkiye. Our THE Impact Ranking is 801-1000”.
“The number of Q1, Q2, and Q3 publications per faculty member increased from 0.54 in 2021 to 1.21 in 2022 and 2.08 in 2023. We focus on knowledge production, stakeholder engagement, and transforming research into products through our qualified academics and collaborations. We support national and international collaborative studies conducted in our academic units and research centers, aiming to enhance our country's economy, technology, and social welfare. Our Technology Transfer Office plays a significant role in our advancement toward becoming a research university through its initiatives and efforts. According to our Technology Office records, we have 74 ongoing projects from outside the institution, of which we are executing 44. Among these projects, 9 are international, with our role being executive in 5 and participatory in 4. Our Entrepreneurship and Incubation Center, established with the Bilişim Vadisi Teknopark of our Ministry of Industry and Technology, collaborates with 70 companies, including 23 owned by academicians and 27 by students, to promote university-industry-sector cooperation. Additionally, 48 companies owned by our university students and academicians continue their activities in other technology development zones”.
“You Will Witness a Period”
Following the speeches, art history writer and critic Prof. Dr. Kıymet Giray delivered the opening lecture titled “The Artistic Ideal of the Founding Period of the Republic and the Style and Aesthetic Searches of the Artists of This Period.” Prof. Dr. Giray shared the following:
“Before I start my speech, I would like to tell you that you will witness a period. This witnessing is more important than reading history. As you know, art does not only depict the beautiful, the good, and the pleasant; it helps us realize what the period truly is. You can easily see what is happening in a country by observing its art. The events that unfold, the types of developments that
take place, and the areas in which they arise serve as valuable indicators. That is why we believe that everything we see as fine arts reflects the traces of human history. We will witness the cultural and artistic development of Türkiye starting from 1923. There is a sentence that Atatürk often repeated: “The foundation of the Republic of Türkiye is also dependent on culture and art.” During this period, which emphasized culture and art, artists provided us with significant clues. You may be surprised by some things and greatly appreciate others. As young people, especially students, I believe you should take their struggles as examples for your own journeys”.
Those Making Differences Awarded
In the Project “Istinyeli that Makes a Difference”, projects, initiatives or studies in different fields carried out by academic and administrative staff and students are awarded. Described as the place where life gains meaning, innovative ideas are generated, action is taken, and leadership is developed, Istinye University aims to be a space where academic and administrative members, as well as students, collaborate, support one another, and achieve great things together in classrooms, laboratories, studios, workshops, stages, fields, gardens, and the virtual world. Continuing its efforts to become the destination for those who want to accomplish extraordinary feats that impact life, Istinye University rewards those who contribute to this vision through the “Istinyeli That Makes a Difference” project. The opening program for the 2024-2025 academic year concluded with the presentation of awards to Istinye University members who made a significant difference at the “2023-2024 Academic Year Istinyeli That Makes a Difference Award Ceremony.”
