, image = Istanbul_University_logo.svg , image_size = 200px , latin_name = Universitas Istanbulensis , motto = tr, Tarihten Geleceğe Bilim Köprüsü , mottoeng = Science Bridge from Past to the Future , established = 1453
1846
1933 , type = Public university
Research university , rector = Prof. Dr. Mahmut Ak , students = 69,411 , undergrad = 51,714 , postgrad = 16,669 , academic_staff = 4,101 , city = Istanbul , country = Turkey , campus = Beyazıt Campus
Vezneciler Campus
Avcılar Campus
Çapa Campus
Kadıköy Campus , coor = , colors = Green Yellow , affiliations = Coimbra Group
EUA
UNIMED , website = , free_label = Founder , free =

Mehmed II Mehmed II ( ota, محمد ثانى, translit=Meḥmed-i s̱ānī; tr, II. Mehmed, ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror ( ota, ابو الفتح, Ebū'l-fetḥ, lit=the Father of Conquest, links=no; tr, Fâtih Su ...

Istanbul University ( tr, İstanbul Üniversitesi) is a prominent public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by

on May 30, 1453, a day after the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, it was reformed in 1846 as the first Ottoman higher education institution based on European traditions. The successor institution, which has been operating under its current name since 1933, is the first university in modern Turkey. Some pre-1930 Western sources refer to it as the University of Constantinople, after the previous name of the city, while one in French referred to it as the Université de Stamboul ("Stamboul" the name for the historic inner city). At present, there are 69,411 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students studying in 33 academic units, including faculties, institutes, colleges, and vocational schools at 10 campuses. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square in

Fatih Fatih () is a district of and a municipality (''belediye'') in Istanbul, Turkey, and home to almost all of the provincial authorities (including the governor's office, police headquarters, metropolitan municipality and tax office) but not the co ...

, the capital district of the province, on the European side of the city. The entrance to some of the faculties such as Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Law require scoring among the top 1% of over 2 million applicants at the national university entrance examination every year. Besides being a member of the Coimbra Group, the University took first place in Turkey and is placed in top 500 worldwide according to the

Academic Ranking of World Universities The ''Academic Ranking of World Universities'' (''ARWU''), also known as the Shanghai Ranking, is one of the annual publications of world university rankings. The league table was originally compiled and issued by Shanghai Jiao Tong University ...

published in 2022. Moreover, Istanbul University is ranked in the top 25 at the QS Universities In Emerging Europe And Central Asia 2021 Ranking. In 2020, the university's AACSB accredited Business School was ranked 2nd in Turkey, according to

Eduniversal Eduniversal is a university ranking business by the French consulting company and rating agency ''SMBG'' specialized in Higher Education. Founded in 1994, one of the main goals of Eduniversal is to provide a tool, for students all around the world, ...

. The Faculty of Transport and Logistics is accredited by the International Road and Transport Union. In addition, the Faculty of Natural Sciences represents Turkey in four major studies conducted by the European Organization for Nuclear Research.

Istanbul University alumni ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

include 2

Nobel laureates The Nobel Prizes ( sv, Nobelpriset, no, Nobelprisen) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make ou ...

Aziz Sancar Aziz Sancar (born 8September 1946) is a Turkish molecular biologist specializing in DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoints, and circadian clock. In 2015, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with Tomas Lindahl and Paul L. Modrich for t ...

(in Chemistry) and Orhan Pamuk (in Literature), the longest-serving President of Israel Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, two Prime Ministers of Israel ( David Ben-Gurion and Moshe Sharett), President of Turkey Abdullah Gül, six Prime Ministers of Turkey (

Suat Hayri Ürgüplü Ali Suat Hayri Ürgüplü (13 August 1903, Damascus, Ottoman Empire – 26 December 1981, Istanbul, Turkey) was a Turkish politician who served a brief term as Prime Minister of Turkey in 1965. He was also the last Prime Minister to be born ...

, Sadi Irmak, Nihat Erim,

Refik Saydam İbrahim Refik Saydam (8 September 1881 – 8 July 1942) was a Turkish physician, politician and the fourth Prime Minister of Turkey, serving from 25 January 1939 until his death on 8 July 1942.Naim Talu, Yıldırım Akbulut), and the current Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu.

History

Origins of Istanbul University go back to 1453, when it was founded by the Ottoman Sultan

"as a school of philosophy, medicine, law and letters". There was also the University of Constantinople, which was founded in 425 and rebranded as Phanar Greek Orthodox College after the

Fall of Constantinople The Fall of Constantinople, also known as the Conquest of Constantinople, was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Empire. The city fell on 29 May 1453 as part of the culmination of a 53-day siege which had begun o ...

. Istanbul University functioned as a '' Medrese'' (Islamic theological school) as well. This madrasa is regarded as the precursor to the ''Darülfünûn'', which evolved into Istanbul University in 1933.Rüegg, Walter: "European Universities and Similar Institutions in Existence between 1812 and the End of 1944: A Chronological List", in: Rüegg, Walter (ed.): '' A History of the University in Europe. Vol. 3: Universities in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries (1800–1945)'', Cambridge University Press, 2004, , p. 687 Education in a number of sciences and fields (such as medicine,

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

, astronomy, cartography, geography, history,

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

, religion, literature, philology, law, etc.) became available, and, until the 19th century, they were instrumental in educating the ruling cadres of the Ottoman society. However, when the medreses were no longer able to meet the needs of the modern world, a restructuring process began, and as a result, the institutions of higher education called ''Darülfünûn'', the core of Istanbul University, was established. An institution of higher education named the ''Darülfünûn-u Osmanî'' (دار الفنون عثماني) (Ottoman House of Sciences) was created in 1863, but suppressed in 1871. Its first rector was Hasan Tahsini, regarded as one of the most important Ottoman scholars of the 19th century. In 1874 the Imperial University (''Darülfünûn-u Sultanî'') (دار الفنون سلطاني) started classes in law in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, but was closed in 1881. The Imperial University, now known as ''Darülfünûn-u Şahâne'' (دار الفنون شهانه) was refounded in 1900, with the departments of theology, arts, mathematics, science and philology. In 1924, the faculties of law, medicine, arts and sciences were established in Istanbul University (''İstanbul Darülfünûnu''), as the university was now called. Islamic theology was added in 1925, but in 1933 the university was reorganized without the latter. BeyazıtMeydanı

The first modern Applied Physics courses were given at the ''Darülfünûn'' on 31 December 1863, which marked the beginning of a new period, and on 20 February 1870, the school was renamed as the ''Darülfünûn-u Osmanî'' (Ottoman House of Multiple Sciences) and reorganized to meet the needs of modern sciences and technologies. Starting from 1874, some classes of Literature, Law and Applied Sciences were given at the building of Galatasaray High School, which continued regularly until 1881. On 1 September 1900, the school was renamed and reorganized as the ''Darülfünûn-u Şahâne'' (Imperial House of Multiple Sciences) with courses on Mathematics, Literature and Theology. On 20 April 1912, the school was renamed as the ''İstanbul Darülfünûnu'' (Istanbul House of Multiple Sciences) while the number of courses were increased and the curricula were modernized with the establishment of the Schools of Medicine, Law, Applied Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics), Literature and Theology. On 21 April 1924, the

Republic of Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

recognized the ''İstanbul Darülfünûnu'' as a state school, and on 7 October 1925, the administrative autonomy of ''İstanbul Darülfünûnu'' was recognized while the ''Schools'' (within the old Medrese system) became modern ''Faculties''. The ''Darülfünûnu'' counted with five faculties: medicine, law, letters, theology and science. The professors of the ''Darülfünûnu'' had academic freedom as mentioned in Article 2 of Law 493 On 1 August 1933, ''İstanbul Darülfünûnu'' was reorganized as ''İstanbul Üniversitesi'' (Istanbul University) following the educational reforms of

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or Mustafa Kemal Pasha until 1921, and Ghazi Mustafa Kemal from 1921 Surname Law (Turkey), until 1934 ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish Mareşal (Turkey), field marshal, Turkish National Movement, re ...

. Classes officially began on 1 November 1933.

Campus

University Istanbul main building interior March 2008pano

The university has seventeen faculties on five campuses; the main campus being on Beyazıt Square, which was originally built by

Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...

as the ''Forum Tauri'' and was later enlarged by Theodosius the Great as the '' Forum of Theodosius'' during the Roman period. The main campus building with its landmark gate was previously used as the headquarters of the ''Harbiye Nezareti'' (Ministry of War) by the Ottoman government. Located on the grounds is the

Beyazıt Tower Beyazıt Tower, also named Seraskier Tower, from the name of the Ottoman ministry of War, is an fire-watch tower located in the courtyard of Istanbul University's main campus (formerly Ottoman Ministry of War) on Beyazıt Square (known as the ...

, an tall fire-watch tower. The grounds were previously the location of the Ottoman era '' Eski Saray'' (Old Palace). Some Roman and Byzantine ruins are still visible on the grounds. The university has a teaching staff of 2,000 professors and associates and 4,000 assistants and younger staff. More than 60,000 undergraduate and 8,000 postgraduate students follow the courses offered by Istanbul University every year. The main gate was depicted on the reverse of the Turkish 500

lira Lira is the name of several currency units. It is the current currency of Turkey and also the local name of the currencies of Lebanon and of Syria. It is also the name of several former currencies, including those of Italy, Malta and Israe ...

banknotes of 1971–1984.

Faculties

* Faculty of Medicine * Faculty of Law * Faculty of Literature * Faculty of Science * Faculty of Economics * Faculty of Pharmacy * Faculty of Dentistry * Faculty of Management * Faculty of Political Sciences * Faculty of Communication * Faculty of Aquatic Sciences * Faculty of Theology * Faculty of Transportation and Logistics * Faculty of Nursing * Faculty of Architecture * Faculty of Open and Distance Education

International perspective and rankings

Istanbul University School of Business is the only AACSB-Accredited Business School among the public universities in Turkey. In the QS World University Rankings 2022, Istanbul University is ranked at 801–1000th globally. In the broad subject areas, it is ranked 293rd in "Life Sciences and Medicine", 342nd in "Arts and Humanities", and 401-450th in "Social Sciences and Management". In the specific subject areas, it is ranked at 251-300th in "Law and Legal Studies", 251-300th in "Modern Languages", 251-300th in "Agriculture & Forestry", 251-300th in "Pharmacy & Pharmacology", 301–350th in "Medicine", 401-450th in "Biological Sciences", 401-450th in "Business & Management Studies", 551-600th in "Computer Science and Information Systems", and 601-630th in "Chemistry". In the

2019, Istanbul University is ranked at 401–500th worldwide (1st in Turkey). It is also ranked at 251–300th in "Veterinary Sciences", 401–500th in "Clinical Medicine", 101–150th in "Dentistry & Oral Sciences", 201–300th in "Nursing", and 301–400th in "Medical Technology". In 2020, Times Higher Education ranked the university top 1000 in the world, 301–400th in "Clinical, pre-clinical and health", 401–500th in "Education", 501–600th in "Social Sciences", and 601–800th in "Life Sciences". The Best Global Universities Ranking 2021 of the '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranks Istanbul University 714th in the world, 225th in "Surgery", 243rd in "Clinical Medicine", 195th in "Endocrinology and Metabolism", 255th in "Neuroscience and Behavior", 383rd in "Molecular Biology and Genetics", 442nd in "Plant and Animal Science", 446th in "Biology and Biochemistry", and 593rd in "Physics". By CWTS Leiden Ranking 2019, Istanbul University is ranked 335th (overall), 196th in "Biomedical and Health Sciences", 374th in "Life and Earth Sciences", 669th in "Mathematics and Computer Science", 544th in "Physical Sciences and Engineering", and 570th in "Social Sciences and Humanities". By Round University Ranking 2019, Istanbul University is ranked 529th in the world, 490th in "Humanities", 496th in "Life Sciences", 329th in "Medical Sciences", 556th in "Natural Sciences", 506th in "Social Sciences" and 600th in "Technical Sciences". IstanbulUniversityObservatory03

Notable faculty

Please see the page

Istanbul University faculty ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_in ...

Notable alumni

''See also''

''for a detailed list.'' ;Turkish Presidents * Abdullah Gül ;Foreign Presidents * David Ben-Gurion, Founder and the First Prime Minister of Israel * Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, the Longest-Serving President of Israel ;Speakers of the Turkish parliament * Ferruh Bozbeyli * Fuat Sirmen ;Turkish Prime Ministers ;Foreign Prime Ministers * David Ben-Gurion, Founder and the First Prime Minister of Israel * Moshe Sharett, Prime Minister of Israel ;Turkish Ministers *

Cemil Çiçek Cemil Çiçek (; born 15 November 1946) is a Turkish politician who was the Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey between 4 July 2011 and 7 June 2015. Previously he was Minister of Justice from 2002 to 2007 and Deputy Prime Minister from 2007 to ...

Mehmet Ali Şahin Mehmet Ali Şahin (born 16 September 1950) is a Turkish politician. He was the Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey from 2009 to 2011. He was a member of the parliament for three terms from Istanbul Province and from Antalya Province of the ru ...

;Politicians * Ali Tanrıyar – Former Minister of Interior *

– Former Speaker of the Parliament * Coşkun Kırca – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs * Ekrem İmamoğlu – Current Mayor of Istanbul *

Erkan Mumcu Erkan Mumcu (b. May 1, 1963 Isparta, Turkey) is a Turkish politician and the sixth leader of the Motherland Party (Anavatan Partisi, ANAP). Biography Mumcu was born in the western Anatolian town of Yalvaç in Isparta Province. His father was ...

– Former Minister of Culture and Tourism / Minister of Education / Minister of Tourism *

Ertuğrul Mat Ertuğrul Mat (1934, Istanbul) Turkic peoples, Turkish lawyer, author and Grand National Assembly of Turkey 14. Term Bursa Deputy. Life and career He was born in 1934 in Istanbul. He graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Law. He foun ...

– Former Bursa deputy *

Hayati Yazıcı Hayati Yazıcı (b. 23 May 1952, Çayeli, Rize) is a Turkish lawyer and politician. He served as Turkey's Minister of Customs and Trade. Biography Hayati Yazıcı graduated in 1975 from the School of Law at Istanbul University. Starting of ...

– 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 – Pharmacist and former Governor of Xinjiang province in China * Meral Akşener – Leader of Good Party * Murat Başesgioğlu – Former Minister of Labor and Social Security *

Mustafa Bey Barmada Mustafa Bey Barmada ( ar, مصطفى برمدا; 1883 – April 2, 1953) was a Syrian statesman, politician and judge; served as the Governor General of the State of Aleppo between 1923 and 1924 and headed the Judiciary of Syria between 1930s an ...

– Former Governor General of the State of Aleppo * Naci Ağbal – Former Minister of Finance * Nimet Bas – Former Minister of Education ;Journalists ;Scientists ;Writers ;Poets *

Attila İlhan Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in March 453. He was also the leader of a tribal empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Bulgars, among others, in Central and Ea ...

* Onat Kutlar * Orhan Veli ;Musicians ;Other

Gallery

File:BeyazıtMeydanı2.jpg, Main Gate File:Istanbul UniversityFaculty of Science and Faculty of Literature Buildings2.jpg, Faculty of Literature File:İstanbulUniversityPharmacyFaculty.jpg, Faculty of Pharmacology File:Entrance to Istanbul University - Sultanahmet District - Istanbul - Turkey (5719887758).jpg, Beyazit Campus File:Istanbul University Faculty of Economics Library.jpg, Istanbul University Faculty of Economics Library. File:Istanbul university - 1453 - panoramio - nikola pu.jpg, Beyazit Campus File:Istanbul University Faculty of Political Sciences Gulhane.jpg, Faculty of Political Sciences Gulhane Building File:Istanbul Tip Fakultesi 03.jpg, Faculty of Medicine File:İstanbul Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi - panoramio.jpg, Faculty of Science File:Gardens of Istanbul University - Sulimaniyeh Mosque at Rear - Suleymaniye District - Istanbul - Turkey (5726369205).jpg, Garden of Istanbul University - Süleymaniye Mosque at Rear File:Süleymaniye Camii - İstanbul Üniversitesi - Aerial view.jpg, Süleymaniye Mosque - Istanbul University - Aerial view File:Istanbul University aerial view.png, Istanbul University aerial view with Golden Horn. File:İstanbul Üniversitesi.JPG, Main Entrance and

Beyazit Tower Bayezid (also spelled Beyazıt, Beyazid, Bayazid, Bajazet, Beyazit, Bejazid or Bayazit), an Arabic, Persian, and Turkish name, from the Arabic , meaning "a devoted saint", may refer to: People * Bayezid I (1360–1403), Sultan of the Ottoman Empir ...

File:Istanbul university 47.jpg, Courtyard of the Faculty of Literature File:Watchtower Istanbul University.jpg,

in Main Campus File:Atatürk in Istanbul University Faculty of Law.jpg,

in Faculty of Law File:Beyazıt uni..JPG, Beyazit Campus File:İstanbul Üniversitesi Rıdvan Çelikel Arkeoloji Müzesi.jpg, Istanbul University Rıdvan Çelikel Archaeological Museum File:Ordu Cd - tram - P1030801.JPG, Main Library

References

External links

Istanbul University website

History of Istanbul University (Turkish)
{{Authority control 1874 establishments in the Ottoman Empire 1933 establishments in Turkey Ottoman architecture in Istanbul Universities established in the 20th century Fatih Avcılar, Istanbul 1453 establishments in the Ottoman Empire Educational institutions established in the 15th century