İstanbul Kültür University

The 2026 meeting of the Balkan Universities Association was held in Montenegro, hosted by University of Montenegro and our Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Burcu Yavuz Tiftikçigil attended the meeting.

As Istanbul Kültür University, we are pleased to have officially signed our membership within this important platform, following the approval of our membership last year.

We look forward to the continued growth of strong, sustainable, and multi-stakeholder collaborations across our region.
 

Istanbul Kultur University has become a signatory to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), an initiative established by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations Global Compact (UN Global Compact).

On 21 January 2026, a broadly attended sharing and briefing meeting was held at the Design Factory in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus between our University and Pearson Türkiye to evaluate potential solutions in alignment with the academic objectives outlined in our 2023–2027 Strategic Plan.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bora Bayraktar, a journalist and faculty member of our International Relations Department, was this month's guest at the traditional leadership and vision meetings held at the Design Factory in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bayraktar answered questions on the topic of Strategic Management and Crisis Communication Management.

The "Global Food Systems & SDGs Report 2025" published under the auspices of the United Nations and to which Prof. Dr. Burcu Yavuz Tiftikçigil, Coordinator of the Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) Sustainable Development Center (SÜRKAM) and Vice Rector, contributed as an author, has been presented to the international public.

The Akıngüç 2025 Awards, organized under the theme "Tools of the Future in Education: Artificial Intelligence and Beyond", were presented at a ceremony held in honor of the 100th birthday of Civil Engineer Fahamettin Akıngüç, Honorary President of Kültür College, Kültür College Foundation, and Istanbul Kültür Education Institutions.

İstanbul Kültür University (IKU) Faculty of Economics and Administration Department of International Trade and Finance and UCIM - Saadet Teacher Child Abuse Prevention Association have launched a branded course titled “Freedom and Welfare with UCIM” as part of their collaboration. The course will be delivered by Assoc. Prof. Meri Taksi Deveciyan, a faculty member of the Department of International Trade and Finance, with UCIM experts contributing as guest lecturers throughout the semester.

Istanbul Kültür University (IKU); The Faculty of Education hosted the "School Climate Summit Sensitive to Freedom from Addiction" organized in cooperation with Bakırköy District Directorate of National Education and Yeşilay.

The summit, held on December 23, 2025, at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus, brought together academic and practical solutions in the fight against addiction.

Protocol Participation and Opening

We would like to thank all researchers and scholars who applied for the Akıngüç 2025 Award on the topic of "Tools for the Future of Education: Artificial Intelligence and Beyond."

It was very valuable for our Selection Committee to review all the works prepared with hard work and dedication. 

The New Year’s Party, organized by the Dean of Students Office - Kültür Point on Friday, December 19, 2025, hosted pleasant and energetic moments on the campus. While the DJ Club and Orchestra IKU performed on stage, creating moments filled with music and entertainment, the students shook off the fatigue of the year together.