Founder of Kültür Educational Institutions & Honorary Chairperson of the Board of Trustees M. Sc. Civil Engineer Fahamettin Akıngüç will be 100 years old on January 8, 2026. Ful Akıngüç, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Kültür Educational Institutions & Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, explained to Cumhuriyet the educational understanding of our Honorary President Fahamettin Akıngüç, who put everything about life into the system while structuring the Kültür Schools he founded in 1960 and never neglected art and free thought in education and training, the different teacher and student profile from then to now, and the role of the teacher in the education system.

What was the understanding of teaching in the days when Mr. Fahamettin founded Kültür Schools?

The establishment year of Kültür Schools is 1960. The understanding of teaching in Türkiye on those years can be interpreted from different perspectives. There is a generation that understands the place and philosophy of education in human life very well and knows that independence can be protected through education. Imagine that the family of a 30-year-old teacher witnessed the establishment of the Republic and the Ottoman Empire. Naturally, there was a dominant teacher profile that saw education as a way out for the protection, maintenance and development of Republican policies. In addition, we are talking about a generation that has internalized the tradition of the Village Institute. Kültür Schools were established only four months after the May 1960 revolution. After the revolution, every teacher in Türkiye was positioned as a soldier of the national education mobilization. In the teaching understanding of that day, service to the society and the country was much more than the individual.

Ful Akıngüç, Chairperson of the Board of Istanbul Kültür Educational Institutions, discussed Kültür’s 65-years long journey and its future investments in an interview with “Ekonomist” Magazine Editor Sibel Dalkılıç.

Click to watch the interview...

The special program for Teachers' Day on November 24, organized by the Faculty of Education at Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) and supported under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), was held with high attendance and a warm atmosphere.

The program, held at the Küçükçekmece Campus Conference Hall, began with an opening speech by our Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Dr. Alim Kaya. In his speech, Prof. Dr. Kaya emphasized the impact of teaching on social transformation and offered prospective teachers both a professional and human perspective.

Following the opening speech, our Dean of the Faculty of Science and Letters, Prof. Dr. Ömür Ceylan, continued the program with a conference titled "The Art of Creating a Dream from Reality: Being a Teacher." Prof. Dr. Ceylan stated that teaching is not only about transferring knowledge but also a creative process that opens new portals in the lives of students and turns dreams into realities.

After the conference, the Teacher Academy Foundation (ÖRAV) gave an informative presentation introducing the services and activities it carries out for teacher candidates.

The play "RAN – Severmişim Meğer" organized by Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) Fine Arts Application and Research Center (GSUAM) was staged on Thursday, November 27, 2025, at 19:30 in the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center in the Ataköy building on the Bakırköy Campus. Inspired by Nazım Hikmet's life, his inner monologues, and his emotional ups and downs, the play was directed by and starred Yurdaer Okur. Okur's impressive performance was highly acclaimed by the audience.

"RAN – Severmişim Meğer" offered a heartfelt glimpse into Nazım Hikmet's life, interwoven with both personal and social struggles. Every sentence spoken on stage offered the audience a deeply moving journey about love, exile, freedom, and the reckoning one has with one's own heart. From the moment the play began, the audience was drawn into an atmosphere that was at times melancholic, at times hopeful, intertwined with Nazım's inner voice.

Yurdaer Okur's masterful interpretation of this one-man performance brought the poet's poetic language, fragility, and resilient stance back to life on stage. The lighting design, music, and stage layout created a cohesive whole that enhanced the emotional intensity of the narrative. Each line resonated in the minds and hearts of the audience, allowing them to feel the depths of Nazım's world.

"RAN – Severmişim Meğer" offered art lovers not just a biographical narrative, but also a special stage experience that reminded them of the complexity of being human, the burden of love, and the power of hope.

At the end of the show, the audience gave Yurdaer Okur a standing ovation, expressing their appreciation for this meaningful performance.

The fact that Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of approximately 1.5 billion Catholics around the world and the President of the Vatican City State, chose Türkiye on Thursday, November 27 for his first foreign visit after taking office, is considered an extremely important development for our country with diplomatic, cultural and theological dimensions. The official travels of the popes are "apostolic visits" as they are considered the successors of Jesus' apostles, and in these respects, they contain spiritual content that goes beyond traditional diplomatic contacts.

This visit also has a special meaning on the historical plane. This period, which corresponds to the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which is considered the first ecumenical council of the Christian world and is a turning point in the history of the universal church, has been defined as the year of the "pilgrimage" by the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV's visit to Türkiye is therefore not only a diplomatic contact, but also a symbolic reference to an important reference point in the history of Christianity.

Since the 1960s, Türkiye has regularly taken part in the international visit routes of popes, and as a geography where different cultures and beliefs have lived together in a long historical process, it has acquired a special position that contributes to the strengthening of interfaith dialogue. According to the records of the Catholic Church, approximately 33 thousand Catholics live in our country today. In this context, Pope Leo XIV's visit will once again make Türkiye's cultural diversity, tolerance and social structure compatible with calls for peace visible in the international arena.

First Place Logo Design: Academic and Symbolic Background

In the "Logo Design Competition" organized on the occasion of this important visit; it has been a great source of pride for our university that Melani Nalcı, a graduate of IKU Department of Architecture (2022) and Department of Industrial Engineering (Double Major-2023), won first place with her work. The design interprets both the historical, theological and cultural dimensions of the visit within an academic framework, creating a comprehensive symbolic narrative.

The logo aims to translate Pope Leo XIV's motto "In Illo Uno Unum" (In the One, we are one) into a visual language. This statement is not only the emphasis of Christian theology on unity; it also reflects a universal call for the peaceful coexistence of diverse faiths, cultures, and traditions. The basic intellectual basis of the design is to symbolically express the meeting of East and West within the framework of a harmonious unity and mutual understanding within the cosmopolitan structure of Turkish society, which is predominantly Muslim.

The crown around the logo represents the divine mission and self-sacrificing duty of Jesus, who is considered the Son of God and the Messiah in the Christian faith. This symbol also contains an indirect reference to the apostolic responsibility of the Pope. The dove at the center of the design is used as a symbol of universal peace, hope and purification; the silhouettes of Istanbul on the left wing and Ankara on the right wing of the pigeon were included, emphasizing the unification of our country's historical and political identity on the axis of peace.

The city plan of Iznik, found on the tail of the pigeon, strengthens the historical reference dimension of the study. The 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea adds significant depth to the academic content of the design, as it is a critical turning point in the history of Christianity where fundamental dogmas were shaped.

The design, which was awarded first place in the competition process, was revised with a more minimal approach in line with the request of the organization and in this process, the valuable contributions and criticisms of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gamze Alptekin, Hilal Iavarone and Lütfü Doğan Özgökçe contributed greatly to the maturation of the studies.

Şahan Samet Bodur, one of our Department of Civil Engineering students, became European runner-up at the European Muaythai Championship held in Greece. Competing in the "Elite Men" category at 86 kg, our student made our country proud by winning the silver medal. We congratulate our student and wish him continued success.

Istanbul Kültür University Design Factory hosted a delightful music-filled event on November 27, 2025. The Sertab Erener Tribute Concert, organized as part of the "IKU Factory Acoustic Concerts," was met with great interest and enthusiastic participation from students.

The concert, featuring talented members of the IKU Orchestra, reinterpreted beloved songs by Sertab Erener, the powerful voice of Turkish pop music, with acoustic arrangements. The performances created an unforgettable atmosphere at the Design Factory, offering listeners both nostalgic and energetic moments.

Throughout the event, students experienced the unifying power of music, and the unique environment offered by the Design Factory as a creative production space came to the fore once again. This special concert, where art, design, and music came together, was highly appreciated by the participants.

The Design Factory will continue its year-round events supporting creative disciplines, hosting students' artistic and cultural productions.

The Programs of Public Relations and Publicity, Computer Programming, Banking and Insurance, and Flight Operations Management of the Istanbul Kültür University Vocational School have successfully completed the MEDEK (Vocational Education Evaluation and Accreditation Association) accreditation process.

In cooperation with the Department of Public Relations and Advertising and the Effective Communication Club, the "Visual World of the Future" event was held on Wednesday, November 19. MCG Advertising Agency Strategy Director Atahan Gürel and MCG Advertising Agency Creative Team Director Hitay Öztürk, who participated as speakers in the event held in the 4th floor multi-purpose hall in the Ataköy building of Bakırköy Campus, shared with the students of the Department of Public Relations and Advertising the innovations brought by artificial intelligence applications to the sector and which competencies will gain importance in the future.

“IFS on Campus”, organized in collaboration with Istanbul Film Station and Cineshort, was hosted by the Faculty of Art and Design, Department of Communication and Design on Monday, November 24, 2025. Following the screening of the “BerlinAle Carte”, a four-film selection composed of short films featured at Berlinale, one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, the participants met with the Istanbul Film Station team for a Q&A session. Discussions were held on topics such as short film production and direction, participation in international festivals, and film funding.

In collaboration with the Department of Public Relations and Advertising and the IKU Creative Club, an event titled "Creative Talks-3" was held on Wednesday, November 19. The event, held at the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall in the Ataköy building on the Bakırköy Campus, featured Fülay Yaşa Keskin, Founding Partner of FM Communication Consultancy Agency, and Funda Baykal Çelik, Marketing and Communication Director of Avicenna Health Group & Chery Brand Ambassador, as speakers. Our guests, who explained the dynamics of the public relations and advertising industry based on their work and experiences, shared the importance of communication today with the students of the Department of Public Relations and Advertising.

The eleventh session of the “GameTalks” series, organized by the Department of Digital Game Design, was held on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, with the participation of Zeynep Burcu Kaya Alpan (Arcade Coordinator) and Meral Didar Ağlaç (Program Coordinator) from Games for Change Türkiye.

Our guest speakers detailed the work carried out by the Games for Change initiative both globally and in Türkiye, illustrating how games can unlock their potential for creating social impact. In this context, they presented notable examples demonstrating how games have become powerful tools in fields such as education, awareness-raising, sustainability, and social transformation.

In the first part of the event, Meral Didar Ağlaç outlined the structure, fields of activity, and international projects of Games for Change, enabling students to grasp the organization’s vision. Following her, Zeynep Burcu Kaya Alpan focused on meaningful game design and offered practical insights into developing games with a social impact perspective. Drawing from both large-scale international projects and initiatives carried out in Türkiye, she provided valuable tips that students could apply to their own design processes.

Students participating in the event engaged in an interactive discussion by directing questions to the speakers regarding Games for Change projects, social impact-oriented game design, and global collaborations.

Assoc. Prof. Selda Salman, Head of the Department of Common Courses, participated in the 5th International Conference on Applied Ethics held at Middle East Technical University between November 19-21, 2025, with her paper titled “Reframing Interactionist Reason: Introducing Kantian Ethics into the Debate”. In her presentation, she highlighted the importance of human interaction in public spheres for discerning the right course of action, brought ethical discussions to the forefront within the “interactionist reason” approach, which has been widely debated in recent years in the field of cognitive sciences, and offered an assessment from the perspective of Kantian ethics.

Assoc. Prof. Selda Salman also took part in the forum component of the TÜBİTAK project titled “Ethics Network in Higher Education”, introduced during the conference, and exchanged views with academics from various universities and departments.

The Program of Opticianry of IKU Vocational School took its place at the Silmo Istanbul Optics Fair on November 21, 2025.

Our students, who explored the latest technologies, innovative products, and the latest trends in the optical world, broadened their vision and strengthened their motivation for the profession by putting the knowledge they gained in class into practice in the field.

Our students, who communicated directly with many local and foreign companies at the fair, met with industry professionals and made important connections that will guide their future career goals.

Istanbul Kültür University IKUANTS TEKMER took part in the “E-Commerce Week” held on November 21-22, 2025, at the Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar Convention Center.

During the event which brought together leading representatives of the e-commerce ecosystem, startups, and technology-focused solution providers, participants received information on:

- The support offered by IKUANTS TEKMER to entrepreneurs,
- Our R&D and innovation infrastructure,
- Our technology development and commercialization processes.

As part of the "Short Film Production" course offered in the Department of Radio, Television, and Cinema, Director & Academic Assist. Prof. Semih Ellialtı met with our students on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. As part of the course, the director's short film "Galaksinin Tezenesi," which had its world premiere at the Izmir International Short Film Festival this year, was screened.

Following the screening, the director shared detailed information on a wide range of topics, from the film's creative process to budget management, location selection, and set experiences. Students had the opportunity to learn about the film's production process and gained valuable insights into independent short film production.

The Q&A session of the event covered topics such as festival related strategies, short film production within genre cinema, technical crew management, and career planning. The event, which was conducted with the active participation of students, reinforced the practical nature of the course while also providing an inspiring environment for sharing industrial experiences.

A talk titled "A Journey Story: From Clerk to Lawyer" was held by the Program of Court and Office Services on Wednesday, November 26 at 12:00 in the basement amphitheater of the Faculty of Law building on the Bahçelievler Campus. Lawyer Hatice Çatladı, Officer Clerk of the Provincial Enforcement and Execution Bureau of the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, who participated in the event as a speaker, conveyed the stages of the clerk profession and the issue of promotion in the profession to the students.

Res. Assist. Ezgi Yıldırım Arslan, one of our faculty members in the Department of Industrial Engineering, successfully presented her paper titled "From REPowerEU to SDG 7: Renewable Energy, Energy Poverty, and Infrastructure Challenges in Europe (SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy).

In collaboration with the Department of Public Relations and Advertising and the IKU Creative Club, a visit was made to Başka İşler, one of the leading agencies in the industry, on Thursday, November 13, 2025.

During the tour, students had the opportunity to closely examine the agency's creative processes. The Başka İşler team explained the entire creative flow in detail, from the idea development stages of advertising campaigns to production processes, customer relations, and digital strategies. Students also gained important insights into the industry by asking questions about agency culture, teamwork, and current advertising trends.

The educational and inspiring technical tour broadened the professional vision of the new media students while also offering them the opportunity to observe the agency environment firsthand.

The Department of Industrial Engineering held an information meeting on Tuesday, November 25, for senior students who will start their graduation project in the Spring Semester of the 2025-2026 Academic Year. At the meeting, the advisor faculty members guided the students by introducing their research areas and the projects they carried out in previous years.

Students will develop projects for the current needs of the companies they will work with within the scope of industry collaborations throughout the semester. It is aimed for them to produce innovative solutions to these needs by using the methods and techniques they have acquired during their four-year education.

The "Alumni Panel" organized by the Department of Radio, Television, and Cinema on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, provided an opportunity for our graduates to share their experiences with students.

During the panel, our alumni shared their personal experiences ranging from their experiences entering the industry to their career development. Discussions were held on current industry dynamics, working models, and establishing professional connections that recent graduates may encounter.

The panel, which progressed in an interactive environment with a question-and-answer session, shed light on students' post-graduation career planning.

The Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) First Aid Training Center successfully passed the inspection carried out by the Bahçelievler District Health Directorate on November 26, 2025. The Center met all evaluation criteria throughout the inspection process, once again demonstrating its competence in maintaining its activities.

The Program of E-Commerce and Marketing participated in “Türkiye E-Commerce Week”, Türkiye’s most comprehensive e-commerce event, on Friday, November 21, 2025. Organized by the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, the event provided our students with the opportunity to observe the latest trends in e-commerce firsthand and to experience in the field the knowledge they have gained in their courses. By engaging with sector professionals, our students both broadened their vision and established important connections that will guide their future career goals.

A technical trip was organized by the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences to Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center on Tuesday, November 25. The visit, organized by Project and Sectoral Cooperation Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meri Taksi Deveciyan, started with a comprehensive technical tour where various units of the hotel were introduced, and continued with the treats given to our students by Hilton Bomonti Istanbul Hotel. Within the scope of the trip, Hilton Bomonti Hotel Human Resources Unit Training and Development Manager Aylin İlbay made an informative presentation on operational planning, human resources management, interdepartmental coordination and internship opportunities.

The Department of Industrial Engineering met with 10 students selected from different class levels on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, within the framework of its governance objectives to discuss student participation in the department’s continuous improvement and decision-making processes. During the meeting, shaped by the views and suggestions of our students, concrete steps were identified to diversify industrial collaborations, enhance departmental events and the curriculum, and ensure more active students’ involvement in decision-making processes.

Our Women's and Men's Volleyball teams, who continue their practices for the Turkish University Sports Federation (TÜSF) 1st League Volleyball matches, hosted Boğaziçi University at the Kültür Koleji Sports Hall. In the highly competitive matches, our Women's Volleyball Team lost 3-2, and our Men's Volleyball Team lost 3-1. We wish our students success in their efforts.

In cooperation with the Human Resources Club, Program of E-Commerce and Marketing, Program of Foreign Trade and Program of Business Management, a talk titled "HR Talks-1" was held on Thursday, November 27, 2025. Albayrak Holding Senior Recruitment Specialist Fatma Nur Güneş, who participated in the event as a speaker, shared her career steps and experiences with our students.

Hosted by the Department of Public Relations and Advertising, an alumni panel titled "On Advertising with our Graduates" was held on Wednesday, November 26. The event featured our 2023 graduates Selen Şengünüç, Social Media Specialist & Freelance Designer at Marduk Digital, and Mustafa Arıcan, Graphic Design Specialist at Beşiktaş Sports Club, as guests.

During the panel, our graduates shared their post-university career journeys, experiences gained in the industry, and transition processes into professional life with the students. Department students had the opportunity to gain valuable insights on positioning themselves in the advertising world, standing out in digital media, and shaping their career goals.

IKUANTS TEKMER will be the "Academic Entrepreneurship Category Sponsor" at the Startup Investment Summit 2025, which will be held on December 1, 2025, with the aim of supporting university-based entrepreneurship and making academic entrepreneurship more visible in the national ecosystem.

Bringing together startups, investors, and corporate stakeholders, the "Startup Investment Summit" serves as an important platform for collaboration, investment opportunities, and ecosystem interactions. This sponsorship aims to:

- Ensure academic entrepreneurship is more strongly represented in the ecosystem,
- Highlight our university's vision for R&D, innovation, and commercialization,
- Contributing to the meeting of technology and research-based startups with investors,
- Strengthening IKUANTS TEKMER's corporate position in the field of entrepreneurship.

The "ANTS JAM" event will be held by IKU Design Factory with the support of our student clubs on December 1-2, 2025 at the Design Factory in the Ataköy building of Bakırköy Campus. Participants, who will compete as a team, will create their games by expressing their creativity within 36 hours around a determined theme.

In cooperation with the School of Foreign Languages and the Career Club, the "Meet 2 Talk" event will be held on Monday, December 1 at 14.00 at the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus in order to bring together native English-speaking instructors and those who want to improve their English.

The Dean of Students Office - Kültür Point will organize "Turkish Sign Language Training" in order to support healthy communication with hearing-impaired individuals, to increase social awareness and to raise social responsibility awareness among our students. The training, which will be given by trainer Ahmet Tombul, will be held online on the CATS platform on December 1-2, 2025, between 17.00-20.00.

In cooperation with the Department of New Media and Communication and the New Media and Communication Club, the "New Media and Career Management-5: Alumni Panel" event will be organized in order for our graduates to share their experiences with our students. The event, where our graduates Yiğit Arpacı, Yaprak Kordu and Dilan Taş will be speakers, will be held on Tuesday, December 2 at 11:00 in the AK-5B0810 classroom in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus.

The Dean of Students Office - Kültür Point will organize “3DS MAX Introductory Training” to enable participants to gain professional skills in three-dimensional modelling, architectural visualization, animation, and rendering techniques. The training will be delivered by Interior Architect & 3DS Max Instructor Vasfiye Çelik and will be held online via Microsoft Teams on December 2 and 5, 2025, at 20.00.

Organized in collaboration with the Department of New Media and Communication and the New Media and Communication Club, the event titled “Social Media Content Factory: From Idea to Brand Collaboration” aims to enable participants to experience the creative content production process from end to end. The event, featuring Fırat Baydilek (Social Media Specialist at BAF Digital) as the guest speaker, will take place on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 11.00 in the Design Factory at the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

Within the scope of the “Housekeeping Management” course offered by the Program of Tourism and Hotel Management, an applied training session will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, between 12.00-17.00 at the Le Meridien Hotel.

In collaboration with the Psychology Club and AIESEC, the “First Step into 2026: Vision Board Workshop” will be held on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 14.00 in the multi-purpose hall on the second floor of the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics will organize a conference titled “Biosimilar Product Manufacturing, Testing, and Regulatory Framework” to provide a comprehensive roadmap for researchers and professionals seeking to understand the safety-efficacy profile of biosimilars and to keep pace with evolving industry standards. The event, featuring Aykut Demirkıran from Abdi İbrahim Pharmaceutical Industry and Trade Inc. as speaker will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 15.00 in the Atilla Özalpan Semianar Hall.

Organized by the English Language Teaching Club to enhance students’ English-speaking skills, the “Speaking Club” event will be held on December 3-4, 2025, at 17.00 in the multi-purpose hall on the first floor of the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

The Nursing Club will organize the “Diabetes Week Event” to raise awareness of diabetes among students. The event, featuring Dr. Sultan Yurtsever Çelik (Diabetes Nurse at Bağcılar Training and Research Hospital) as speaker, will take place on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 13.00 in the C Block B1 Auditorium at the Bahçelievler Campus.

Istanbul Kültür University will host the theater play "Dear Shameless Death Dirmit," adapted from Latife Tekin's novel and performed solo by Nezaket Erden. The play, which has attracted intense interest since its opening, will be staged on Thursday, December 4, at 19:30 at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center in the Ataköy building. Tickets for the event, organized by the IKU Fine Arts Application and Research Center (GSUAM), can be purchased at a 25% discount with the code "IKUAILEM".

In collaboration with IKU Vocational School (MYO) and the Civil Aviation Club, the "Aviation Summit-7" event will be held to support our students in their career planning processes. The event, featuring speakers from key stakeholders in the aviation field, will be held on Friday, December 5, at 11:00 at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Arts Center in the Ataköy building on the Bakırköy Campus.

Organized by IKU Women's Solidarity Club, the "Women's Struggle and Solidarity Workshop" will be held as part of "December 5 Women's Rights Day" to highlight the historical importance of Turkish women gaining the right to vote and be elected, draw attention to the centuries-long struggle for women's rights, and convey why strong solidarity is still needed. The event, featuring Ezgi Şener, President of the Women's Voice Association, as a speaker, will be held at the Design Factory on Friday, December 5, at 14:00.