Our "Spectroscopy@IKU" project, under the European Horizon Framework Program (HORIZON), has received support in the ERA CHAIRS call. As of Wednesday, October 2, 2024, our Vice Rector and ERA Chair Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız, completed the e-signature process for the contract, along with ERA Chairperson Prof. Dr. Rui Fausto, and our TTO Manager & Project Manager, Cüneyt Genç.

The next phase of the project, a 5-year implementation process starting on January 1, 2025, has already been begun.

Our Head of the Department of International Relations, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Çağla Gül Yesevi, commented on the balances in the Middle East and Türkiye's position in the process to Demirören News Agency (DHA). Prof. Dr. Yesevi said, “The cyberattacks of September 18 were taken seriously by Hezbollah, but it should be noted that many of its members have been wounded and killed since then. The destruction of older technology devices used by Hezbollah to protect its members was interpreted as a cyberattack or an act of terrorism. Scenarios such as cyber infiltration, placing bombs in devices, or remote detonation of devices with software were mentioned. The supply chain of these devices was tried to be understood, but even the responsibility of suppliers and manufacturers could not be fully clarified. Many different countries and companies have been named in the supply chain, but no one has taken responsibility or provided a reasonable explanation.”

“Israel's Image on October 7 Has Changed”

Prof. Dr. Yesevi evaluated the effect of the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an attack by the Israeli Air Force on September 27 on Israel's image of the country with the following words:

“It resulted in a change in the image of the Israeli intelligence and security services, which were accused of failure on October 7, 2023. In this sense, Israel has been successful not only in technological and signalling intelligence but also in human intelligence. In a certain sense, this has resulted in a change in the image of the Israeli intelligence and security services, which were accused of failing on October 7. The unknowns surrounding the cyberattacks in Lebanon have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. The successes of Israel's intelligence and security agencies were reinforced, strengthening the image of Israel as a state.” 

“The Last Thing the Lebanese People Wanted Was a New War”

Noting that the assassination was interpreted as a serious intelligence weakness within Hezbollah, our professor summarised the predictions about the future of the Hezbollah structure as follows:

“‘Civilians are being killed in Lebanon right now. Hundreds of Lebanese have been killed in air strikes. Hezbollah is both a political movement and a military force. It was also an organisation that provided services to the population in Lebanon, where political and economic instability had been going on for a long time. However, Hezbollah, which has been hitting Israel with rockets for a long time, is not supported by all sections of the population. Lebanon is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-sectarian country. The Lebanese people were struggling with economic problems, and the last thing they wanted was another war. After that, certain segments of the people may continue to support Hezbollah, or a new leader may come. However, it should be noted that it has suffered a very serious blow and has been defeated at this stage.”

Prof. Dr. Çağla Gül Yesevi explained the possible effects of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's statements, in which he described the Lebanon attacks as a condition on the way to the goal, as a payback, on the Middle East as follows: “It seems that the Middle East will become more complicated. The most important issue is the killing of civilians. According to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, 1 million Lebanese have been displaced. One hundred thousand Lebanese were forced to flee to Syria in one week. Half of the population is experiencing food shortages. Lebanese have fled their homes, taking refuge in schools and on beaches. Israeli government officials say that Israelis will return to their homes in the north of the country, which they were forced to evacuate. Israel sees Iran as the main threat. It is in a new war with Lebanon, as it was in 1978, 1982, and 2006. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that ‘the next phase in the war against Hezbollah will begin soon’. It is stated that Israel will start a land war in Lebanon. Iran attacked Israel with one hundred and eighty ballistic missiles in response to the recent assassinations. Iran stated that the attacks were reasonable, legal, and legitimate.”

“Türkiye Must Play an Active Role in Peaceful Solutions”

Our professor who also touched upon Türkiye’s position in the ongoing Middle Eastern crisis, emphasized the importance of Türkiye’s active working for the settlement of disputes through peaceful means and adhering to the principle of sobriety in foreign policy by these statements: “Türkiye has sent humanitarian aid to Lebanon. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on the United Nations Security Council and other relevant organizations to take action. He also stated that the Islamic world must take a firmer stance in the face of these attacks. Türkiye has announced that it will continue to stand by the people and government of Lebanon at this stage. The two maps displayed by Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly highlight the division in the Middle East. Netanyahu considers Iran to be the main enemy and speaks of the liberation of Iran. This statement implies that steps will be taken to change the Iranian regime. ‘There is no place in the Middle East that Israel cannot reach,” Netanyahu stated. It is understood that the war will spread in the region. Türkiye’s responsibility is to actively work for the settlement of disputes through peaceful means and to act according to the principles of a sober foreign policy.”

An event titled “TÜBİTAK-2209: The First Step on the Research Journey” was hosted by Istanbul Kültür University on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. During the event, important information on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was shared, along with details about the TÜBİTAK 2209-A and 2209-B projects.

Dear Researchers,

We would like to share with you that we have published the 3rd issue of the Journal of Education for Life 2024-38.

We invite you to share this new issue, where you will find research focusing on the field of educational sciences, with researchers, educational scientists, and teachers.

Istanbul Kültür University Design Factory organized an event titled “Edutalks” on Tuesday, October 1, from 10:00 to 14:30. In the event, where there was intense participation, four speakers, who are experts in their fields, shared their knowledge and experiences.

Branding Türkiye Founder Mürsel Ferhat Sağlam, 1Fikir1Marka Agency Founder Ercan Ulusoy, Dvina Software Founder Muhammet Gider, IKU IST Software Development and Innovation Manager & Design Factory Manager Ahmet Gökhan Uluçay, and officials from Aleaza, one of the valuable initiatives of Design Factory, delivered inspiring talks on branding and digitalization.

In the networking session held after the event, participants had the chance to connect with each other and explore collaboration opportunities. Through events like these, Design Factory continues to be an essential platform for both students and industry professionals.

Res. Assist. Buğra Mert Alkayalar, a lecturer of our Department of Radio, Television and Cinema, was invited to the 20th Children's Film Festival, organized by the TÜRSAK Foundation, as a trainer-director to lead a Directing Workshop. The festival took place in Gaziantep from September 18 to 20, 2024, as part of the Gaziantep Culture Road Festival, with the support of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The workshop was held on Friday, September 20, 2024, at the Şahinbey Congress and Art Center.

During the workshop, in which film and television production processes were explained, young participants gained insight into the creative processes behind the scenes of the cinema world and were inspired by the art of directing.

The orientation event for the first-year students of the Program of Guidance and Psychological Counseling was held on Monday, September 23 at 14.00 in the classroom numbered Z-05 on the Küçükçekmece campus.

Res. Assist. Enes Bal and Res. Assist. Buse Özden from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MOBIGEN), along with their teammate Seher Elif Mekik from Istanbul University, presented their joint work titled “Sedimentary Ancient DNA: Cutting-edge Techniques and Their Applications in Biotechnology” at the 3rd International Aquatic Biotechnology Symposium, organized by Istanbul University Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, on September 26, 2024.

Prof. Dr. Ayhan Usta, a faculty member of the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, gave a presentation titled “Aphorisms on Design” within the scope of “İÇM0511-0612 Interior Design Studio 5-6” course on Friday, September 27, at 12:00, in Seminar Hall 2 of the Bakırköy Campus Ataköy Building.

Mehmet Küçük, a student from the Department of Architecture, who won an award in the “Murat Artu and the Passion for Architecture Student Competition” in 2023 with his classmates, served as a student jury member in the competition organized for the second time in 2024. As the representative of the student jury members, Küçük participated in the final evaluation process in Bodrum Architecture Library with the other jury members, and made a speech at the award ceremony held in Ankara, where he shared his experiences and reflections on the process.

The New Media and Communication Club organised an orientation program for the first-year students of the Department of New Media and Communication on Wednesday, September 24 at 11:00 am in the ZD-2 lecture theatre in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy campus.

At the event, where information about the department was shared, Yiğit Arpacı, a 4th-year student in the Department of New Media and Communication and President of the New Media and Communication Club, shared his work, internship, and networking experiences in the sector with the students. With effective CV preparation and LinkedIn #101 trainings, students were provided with important information and acquisitions about preparing for professional life.

The Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design organized an orientation and acquaintance meeting on Tuesday, September 24, in MTS 4 at the Ataköy Building of the Bakırköy Campus. The meeting was held at 11:00 for the English Program and at 15:00 for the Turkish Program.

Assist. Prof. Gamze Akbaş, our faculty member of the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, gave a presentation titled “Fair Stand Design” as part of “İÇM0311-0412 Interior Design Studio 3-4” course on Friday, September 27, at 10.00 in the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall.

The Debate Club organized an “Exhibition Match and Meet-and-Greet Event” to introduce debate in practice and help members get to know each other. The event was held on September 23, at the Bahçelievler Campus, and on September 26, at the Bakırköy Campus, Ataköy Building.

The New Media and Communication Club organized a meet-and-greet event at Ataköy Saray Muhallebicisi, on Thursday, September 26th to help members get to know each other. During the event, which strengthened the social ties among the members, information about club activities and the launch of new projects was provided.

Within the scope of the “İÇM5051 - Measured Drawing” course, led by Lecturer Elif Gelmez from the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, a technical trip to the Historical Peninsula was organized on Friday, September 27.

Within the scope of Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) 2024-2025 Academic Year General Orientation Program, “Department of Foreign Languages Orientation Program” will be held on Monday, October 7th. The program will consist of two sessions: “School of Foreign Languages Orientation” from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and “International Students Department Orientation” from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., both to be held at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center, at the Ataköy Building of the Bakırköy Campus.

IKU Department of Physics will hold an orientation program for both the registered and newly enrolled postgraduate students in the 2024-2025 Academic Year. The event will feature the Head of the Department of Physics Dr. Dursun Koçer as the speaker and will take place on Monday, October 7th, at 2.30 p.m. in the reading room on the 3rd floor of the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus.

At the “Faculty Opening Panel” which will be organized by Istanbul Kültür University Faculty of Architecture, a panel discussion titled “Possibilities” will be held with the participation of IKU Department of Architecture graduates Master Architect Caner Bilgin and Architect Begüm Yılmaz Bilgin. The panel will be moderated by Assist. Prof. M. Emre Arslan and will take place on Monday, October 7th, at 3.00 p.m. in the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall at the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus.

With the collaboration of the Istanbul Kültür University Vocational School and Civil Aviation Club, the event titled “Aviation Talks-2" will be organized with the aim of supporting the students in their career planning and strengthening university-industry collaborations. The event will feature Mehmet Tevfik Nane, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Pegasus Airlines, as the speaker, and will be held on Tuesday, October 8th, at 11.00 a.m. in the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall at the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus.

The Department of Digital Game Design will host an interactive talk titled “Art and Narrative in Digital Games” with a focus on the theme of storytelling in games. The event will feature Lecturer Özgür Bulut Gümrükçü from Nişantaşı University as the speaker, and will take place on Tuesday, October 8th, at 11.30 a.m. in classroom 1C 07-09 at the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus.

The Department of Library and Documentation will hold a training session to inform the academic staff and students of the Faculty of Health Sciences about the Elsevier ClinicalKey and ClinicalKey Student Nursing databases, which our university is a member of. The training will be led by Lecturers Gökhan Baykal and Bülent Karacan, and will take place on Wednesday, October 9th, at 2.00 p.m. in the CB B2 Seminar Hall of the Bahçelievler Campus.

In collaboration with Women’s Health Nursing Association, the Department of Nursing of İstanbul Kültür University will host a “Reproductive Health and Endocrine Disruptors Education” on October 10-11 from 9. a.m. to 5. p.m. as part of the TÜBİTAK 2237-A project. The education will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams and is open to graduate and doctoral students in the departments of nursing and midwifery.

The Office of Dean of Students - Kültür Point Professional Career Development Coordination Unit will organize a series of “Life Development Training” sessions aimed at helping individuals recognize their personal shortcomings and gain new knowledge. Psychologist Dr. Serap Duygulu will lead a session on “Motivation and Self-Confidence,” which will take place on Thursday, October 10th, from 4.00 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall at the Ataköy building of Bakırköy Campus.

In cooperation with the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design and the Interior Architecture and Design Club, a “Hello” event will be held on Friday, October 11, at 12:00, on the Bakırköy Campus Ataköy building B1 Winter Garden to strengthen the communication between students and academicians.