Istanbul Kültür University’s (IKU) application for membership in the European University Association (EUA) has been accepted. EUA operates in a wide range of areas, from policy development in higher education to collaborations in research and education. IKU's EUA membership will not only further improve the quality of education but also provide students with more opportunities and experience in a globalising world.

Our membership in EUA, which represents more than 850 universities in more than 40 countries in Europe, will contribute to the expansion of our university's academic networks in the international arena, increase cooperation in research projects, and carry out student and faculty exchange programs on a wider platform.

Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) Turkish Classical Music Choir gave the audience an unforgettable evening of classical music at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center on Thursday, December 26, 2024, at 20:00. Cengiz Mumcu was the host of the evening where different works of Turkish classical music were performed. The choir, under the direction of conductor Tarkan Öngen, brought the audience together with the unique melodies of Turkish classical music. At the night, works such as “Şarkılar Seni Söyler” and “Rüya Gibi Her Hatıra” were performed. The melodies reaching from heart to heart received great appreciation from the audience.

Our Head of the Department of Radio, Television, and Cinema, Assoc. Prof. Perihan Taş Öz was selected to take part as a jury member in the “Step by Step Short Film Journey” project.

The project, which is produced by WOW Studios, with the technical support of ORION and the publishing partnership of GAIN, is designed for short film directors and screenwriters, and will offer support for 7 short film scripts to be selected for the filming and publishing process. The project will be open to short film scripts with the theme “How Do We Shine in Difficult Times?”.

The other jury members will include Actor Çağdaş Onur Öztürk, Director and Screenwriter Çiğdem Vitrinel, GAIN Drama and Production Director Gizem Elgün, and Founder and CEO of the WOW Studios Sahib Rahman.

We congratulate our academician Assoc. Prof. Perihan Taş Öz and wish her continued success.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), the IBB On Campus Solution Unit, the Social Adaptation Support Center (UDEM), Istanbul Kültür University and Istanbul Beykent University organized a seminar on “Fighting Addiction and Rehabilitation” on Thursday, December 26, 2024 at Dr. Enver Ören Cultural Center. The seminar, which aimed to raise awareness on addiction, was attended by Doğa Kurtyiğit, Kültüt Point Unit Officer of Istanbul Kültür University Dean of Students Office, and Career Specialist Ecem Uçar.

Speaking at the seminar, Clinical Psychologist Bilal Kalender from the Addiction Prevention and Rehabilitation Branch Directorate provided important information to the participants, especially on virtual gambling and screen addiction.

The seminar, which raised awareness about the effects of addictions on individuals and society, created a valuable sharing platform for solutions and rehabilitation processes.

The short films, directed and scripted by Res. Assist. Buğra Mert from our Department of Radio, Television and Cinema, met with the audience at an event held on Thursday, December 19, 2024, in the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall at the Bakırköy Campus Ataköy Building.

The screening featured the short films Passengers (2023), And We've Called Them (2024), and At the Mountains of Madness (2024), all of which have been screened at numerous national and international festivals, including Morbido Fest, Kaş Film Festival, TRT GİY, MotelX, and VGIK.

Following the screening, the conversation, moderated by Assist. Prof. Gizem Şimşek Kaya, focused on the dynamics and diversity within the production process of each short film.

Among the short films screened, “Passengers” was a budgeted work supported by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism, “And We've Called Them” was shot with a phone camera, and “At the Mountains of Madness” was an innovative micro-budgeted work produced entirely with artificial intelligence tools, providing a platform for discussion on how creative boundaries can be pushed.

In the context of these works, Res. Assist. Alkayalar shared insights into his film production processes, the challenges he faced and his experiences with the participants.

The event continued with an interactive conversation about the post-production process in short films. The session, which offered an inspiring atmosphere to the participants, ended with the presentation of a commemorative plate to Res. Assist. Alkayalar.

Within the scope of the “#GameTalks” activities, the Department of Digital Game Design organized a talk titled “The Role of Audio Elements in Game Design: Crafting Atmosphere, Emotion, and Interaction” on Thursday, December 19, with the participation of Game Developer and Sound Designer Can Karakuzulu as the guest speaker.

After Karakuzulu’s presentation on game design and the critical role of sound design in games, students had the opportunity to discuss how sound elements are used in game design, their effects on gameplay and their importance in the creative process.

In cooperation with the Program of Court and Office Services and the Vocational School of Justice, an event titled "Power in Management and Executive Assistantship" was organized on Monday, December 16, 2024. Author and Lecturer Gülbin Göral participated in the event as a speaker.

Istanbul Kültür University Vocational School organized an event titled “Ethics and Law in Health Management: Two Case Studies and Process Analysis on Disciplinary Investigations”. Dr. Tuğba Sönal, Disciplinary Unit Officer of Ataşehir District Health Directorate, participated as the guest speaker in the event held on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 14.00 at the 1A01 lecture hall in the İncirli building of the Bakırköy Campus.

Students of the Program of Opticianry visited Istanbul Glasses Industry Domestic and Foreign Trade Ltd. Co. on Monday, December 23, 2024, accompanied by Assist. Prof. Gözde Yılmaz and Lecturer Neslihan Gezer. As part of the technical trip, all stages of frame production were conveyed to our students in detail. Our students, who had the opportunity to receive information from experts at every step of the production process, observed many important issues on-site, from frame design to material selection, from production techniques to quality control processes. Our students, who had one-on-one communication with industry professionals, gained valuable experience by combining their theoretical knowledge with practice.

At the end of the trip, Istanbul Glasses Industry presented our students with frames. This meaningful gift was a beautiful memory that strengthened our students’ connection with the industry. The importance Istanbul Kültür University places on technical trips and the values ​​Istanbul Glasses Industry brings to the industry continue to shed light on our students’ future career goals. These events are a concrete example of the strong collaboration between the industry and the academic world.

Electrical Engineers F. Kemal Özoğuz and Erkan Solmaz were the guests of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering within the scope of “Seminars on Preparation for Engineering.” The event, held on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, in the 4th-floor multi-purpose seminar hall of the Bakırköy Campus Ataköy Building, provided our students with valuable information on topics including “Introduction to TMMOB-EMO,” “Free Engineering Consultancy Authorization,” and “Engineering Business Areas and Professional Practices.”

The Philosophy Club organized a talk titled “We Talk About Freedom” in order to create an environment for philosophical discussion about freedom, to exchange ideas and to increase general philosophical knowledge. In the event, which was held on December 18, 2024, in the 2nd floor multi-purpose hall in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus, our Head of the Department of Common Courses, Assoc. Prof. Selda Salman Sakızlı participated as the guest speaker.

The Department of Digital Game Design wrapped up the semester in a fun way with an event called "Board Game Day," held at Goblin Game Club in Kadıköy on Friday, December 20. Accompanied by Assoc. Prof. Zeynep Koçer and Assist. Prof. Orhan Göztepe, our students had the chance to play and experience a variety of board games. Our students learned how to play these games from the experts at Goblin and also had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the board game culture by discovering new games.

Dr. Doğan Hasan participated as a speaker in the seminar held on Monday, December 23rd, as part of the “IE5403-Facilities Design and Planning” course given in the Department of Industrial Engineering.

The Effective Communication Club organized an event titled "New Generation Digital Marketing" on Thursday, December 12th in the second-floor multipurpose hall of the Ataköy building in the Bakırköy campus. Creatixdigitalco Founder Mehmet Safa Yalçıntaş, who participated in the event as a speaker, conveyed to the students how to look at the digitalized marketing world from a manager's perspective and what can be done in the sector.