Opening Ceremony of the 2025–2026 Academic Year Held at the Presidential Complex
The Opening Ceremony of the 2025–2026 Higher Education Academic Year was held at the Presidential Complex with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. During the ceremony, which brought together university representatives from across Türkiye, the importance of the internationalization of the higher education system, the capacity for scientific production, and the qualified human resources being trained in the defense industry were emphasized.
At the ceremony, which was attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Prof. Erol Özvar, ministers, state officials, ambassadors, academics, and students, İstanbul Gelisim University (IGU) was represented by Rector Prof. Bahri Şahin, Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Serdar Egeli, and Director of the Graduate Education Institute Prof. İzzet Gümüş.

Internationalization on the Agenda
In his speech, YÖK President Prof. Erol Özvar emphasized that the progress made by universities in Türkiye in line with their internationalization vision clearly demonstrates the level that the higher education system has reached.
“Turkish universities have made remarkable progress in recent years in terms of international visibility and reputation. This development, which is also reflected in international rankings, indicates that our universities will achieve even greater success in the future.”
IGU Begins the New Academic Year with International Achievements
The internationalization goals highlighted in the speeches at the ceremony align with İstanbul Gelişim University’s recent achievements. Maintaining its position in the 1001–1200 band in the
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, IGU ranked 9th among foundation universities and 16th overall in Türkiye. The university also achieved 2nd place in Türkiye for research quality and 6th place in international visibility, marking a strong global start to the new academic year.
İstanbul Gelişim University will continue its commitment to enhancing research capacity, strengthening international visibility, and contributing to Türkiye’s higher education vision throughout the 2025–2026 academic year.
Created Date: : Monday, October 13, 2025