Established in 1995, Işık University is a private foundation university located in Istanbul. The university has three faculties, offering 22 undergraduate and 58 graduate programmes. It has two campuses, one in Şile, in the Anatolian side, and one in Maslak, in the European side of Istanbul.
Işık University has a highly international atmosphere; out of its approximately 8.000 students, over 1.000 are from outside Turkey. In the university, the languages of instruction are both English and Turkish. Işık University has more than 100 partnerships with international institutions and is a part of the Erasmus Exchange Program.
Key Facts
- University Type: Private / Foundation (Non-profit)
- Established: 1995
- Location: Istanbul, Turkey (Şile Campus on the Anatolian side, Maslak Campus on the European side)
- International Students: ~1,000 from over 40 countries
- Specialisation: Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Economics & Administrative Sciences, Fine Arts
- Campuses: 2 (Şile and Maslak, Istanbul)
History & Foundation
Işık University has an educational foundation that is more deep-rooted than it seems. The university is a part of Feyziye Schools Foundation's Işık Schools, which was established in 1885 in Thessaloniki, when it was still named Salonica, in the Ottoman Empire. Şemsi Efendi Primary School, which was attended by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, is also a part of the Feyziye Schools Foundation.
In the 1910s, Feyziye Schools Foundation moved to Istanbul. On the occasion of the foundation's 50th anniversary in 1935, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk granted his approval for the name to be changed from "Feyziye" to "Işık," meaning "light" in Turkish.
Işık University, established in 1995 within the scope of Işık Schools, welcomed its first students in the 1996/1997 academic year.
Education & Research
Işık University offers 22 undergraduate, 58 graduate, and 6 doctoral programmes in three faculties. Over 12% of the students are international, coming from 68 countries.
The university aims to educate academically capable individuals who are aware of their responsibilities towards society.
The university has two campuses both in the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus, but its main campus is the one in Şile, a resort town of Istanbul located on the Black Sea Coast. With its 490.000 square-meter area, the Şile campus includes a rich library, 7/24 health service, fully equipped accommodation options with both forest and sea views, over 55 student clubs, and a social centre. Both campuses are vast, highly equipped, environmentally friendly and intertwined with nature. The total area of the two campuses is the size of 115 football fields.
Işık University aims to integrate education with research, and be an exemplary research institution that prioritises knowledge transfer, teamwork, and multidisciplinary studies. The university has conducted 107 original research projects in a variety of areas, and has released nearly 200 publications.
Student Life & Global Opportunities
Işık University has a Career-Alumni Office, to help students in every step of their academic and career journey. The office provides guidance and support in all kinds of career-related issues, from helping determine which vocations are suitable for the individual, to training in LinkedIn usage and CV preparation. Furthermore, Işık University Alumni have a Mentor-Mentee programme, where students get individually assigned a graduate to benefit from their experiences and create lasting connections.
Additionally, Işık University has a Technology Transfer Office, aiming to contribute to the transformation of scientific and technological knowledge into social benefit and economic value. Here, the goal is to establish effective university-industry collaborations, and provide support in property rights, commercialisation, and entrepreneurial activities.
Contact Information
Visitor Address:
Işık Üniversitesi, Meşrutiyet Köyü, Üniversite Sokak No:2
34980 Şile / Istanbul, Turkey
Phone: +90 (216) 712 14 60
Fax: +90 (216) 712 14 61
Email: info@isikun.edu.tr
Website: www.isikun.edu.tr
