Istanbul University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Istanbul University

Turkish: İstanbul Üniversitesi Ottoman Turkish: دار الفنون استانبول
Latin: Universitas Istanbulensis
Motto	Turkish: Tarihten Geleceğe Bilim Köprüsü
Motto in English	Science Bridge from Past to the Future
Type	Public university Research university
Established	1453 (Medâris-i Semâniye ve Fâtih Dârüşşifâsı) 1846 (Darülfünûn) 1933 (University)
Rector	Prof. Dr. Mahmut Ak
Academic staff	4,260
Administrative staff	6,049
Students	64,032
Undergraduates	45,449
Postgraduates	18,583
Location	Istanbul , Turkey 41°00′46.93″N 28°57′49.95″E / 41.0130361°N 28.9638750°E / 41.0130361; 28.9638750
Campus	Beyazıt Campus Vezneciler Campus Avcılar Campus Çapa Campus Kadıköy Campus
Founder	Mehmed II
Colors	Green      Yellow
Affiliations	Coimbra Group EUA UNIMED

Istanbul University is a very old and important public university in Istanbul, Turkey. It is also known as the University of Istanbul.

The university was started by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453. This was just one day after the city of Constantinople was conquered. In 1846, it was changed to be like European universities. The university we know today has been called Istanbul University since 1933. It is the first modern university in Turkey.

Istanbul University is usually ranked as the best university in Turkey. It is also among the top 500 universities in the world. More than 64,000 students study here. They are in different programs like undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral studies. The university has 33 academic units across 10 campuses. Its main campus is next to Beyazıt Square in the European part of Istanbul.

Many famous people have studied at Istanbul University. This includes two Nobel laureates: Aziz Sancar (for Chemistry) and Orhan Pamuk (for Literature). Also, two Prime Ministers of Israel and a President of Turkey studied here. Many Turkish Prime Ministers and the current Mayor of Istanbul are also alumni.

History of Istanbul University

The main entrance to Istanbul University in the 1950s.

The story of Istanbul University began in 1453. The Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II founded it as a school. It taught subjects like philosophy, medicine, law, and literature. This early school was called a Medrese, which was an Islamic school.

Over time, this Medrese grew and changed. It became the Darülfünûn, which means "House of Natural Sciences." This was a technical institute or university. It offered education in many areas. These included medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and history. These schools were very important for training leaders in the Ottoman Empire.

However, the Medreses needed to change for the modern world. So, in 1863, a new higher education institution was created. It was called the Darülfünûn-u Osmanî. Later, in 1900, it was re-established as the Darülfünûn-u Şahâne (Royal Polytechnic Institute). It had departments for theology, arts, and sciences.

In 1924, new departments were added. These included law, medicine, arts, and sciences. The university was then called İstanbul Darülfünûnu.

A big change happened on August 1, 1933. The İstanbul Darülfünûnu was reorganized. It became İstanbul Üniversitesi (Istanbul University). This was part of the educational reforms by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Classes officially started on November 1, 1933.

University Campus

The main entrance gate of Istanbul University on Beyazıt Square. The Beyazıt Tower is seen in the background.

Inside the main building of Istanbul University.

Istanbul University has seventeen faculties. These are spread across five different campuses. The main campus is located on Beyazıt Square. This square has a long history. It was once a large public square built by Constantine the Great in the Roman Empire.

The main building of the university has a famous gate. This building used to be the headquarters for the Ministry of War in the Ottoman Empire. On the campus grounds, you can also find the Beyazıt Tower. This tower is 85 meters (279 feet) tall. It was used to watch for fires. The area where the campus is now was once the site of the Ottoman Eski Saray (Old Palace). You can still see some old Roman and Byzantine ruins there.

The university has a large teaching staff. There are about 2,000 professors and 4,000 assistants. Each year, more than 60,000 undergraduate students attend classes. Also, over 8,000 postgraduate students study here.

The famous main gate of the university was even shown on the back of Turkish 500 lira banknotes from 1971 to 1984.

Global Recognition and Rankings

Istanbul University is well-known around the world. Its School of Business is the only public university business school in Turkey to have AACSB-Accreditation. This is a special recognition for business schools.

In the QS World University Rankings for 2024, Istanbul University was ranked among the top 711-720 universities globally. It also ranked high in specific subjects:

• 281st in "Arts and Humanities"
• 309th in "Life Sciences and Medicine"
• 353rd in "Social Sciences and Management"
• 451-500th in "Natural Sciences"
• 451-500th in "Engineering & Technology"

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) in 2019 placed Istanbul University among the top 401-500 universities worldwide. It was the 1st in Turkey. It also ranked well in specific fields like Veterinary Sciences and Dentistry.

In 2020, Times Higher Education ranked the university among the top 1000 globally. It also received good rankings in specific areas. For example, it was ranked 301–400th in "Clinical, pre-clinical and health."

The U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking for 2021 placed Istanbul University 714th in the world. It also had strong rankings in medical fields like Surgery and Clinical Medicine.

Famous Alumni

Many well-known people have graduated from Istanbul University.

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

Turkish Prime Ministers

Foreign Prime Ministers

• David Ben-Gurion, Founder and the First Prime Minister of Israel
• Moshe Sharett, Prime Minister of Israel

Politicians

• Cemil Çiçek – Former Speaker of the Parliament
• Ekrem İmamoğlu – Current Mayor of Istanbul
• Meral Akşener – Leader of Good Party

Scientists

Writers

Journalists

Musicians

Other Notable Alumni

Images for kids

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  Main Gate

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  Faculty of Literature

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  Faculty of Pharmacology

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  Beyazit Campus

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  Istanbul University Faculty of Economics Library.

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  Rectorate

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  Faculty of Political Sciences Gulhane Building

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  Faculty of Science

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  Garden of Istanbul University - Süleymaniye Mosque at Rear

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  Süleymaniye Mosque - Istanbul University - Aerial view

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  Courtyard of the Faculty of Literature

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  Beyazit Tower in Main Campus

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  Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Faculty of Law

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  Beyazit Campus

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  Istanbul University Rıdvan Çelikel Archaeological Museum

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  Istanbul University Observatory

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  Late Roman and early Byzantine remains at the Istanbul University campus next to Beyazıt Tower.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Estambul para niños

• Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa
• Beyazıt Tower
• Education in the Ottoman Empire