Istanbul Bilgi University

Istanbul Bilgi University (Turkish: İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi) is a private university in Istanbul, Turkey. According to the university webpage, The Bilgi Education and Culture Foundation was founded on 31 October 1994 in Istanbul in accordance with the following provision of the Turkish Civil Law: “To found and operate educational institutions and foundation based higher education institutions of every degree and quality and provide teaching in foreign languages, social sciences, sciences, and technology, to conduct scientific and cultural research, to found and operate museums that aim to protect the country’s cultural heritage, to conduct seminars, briefings, conferences, and similar gatherings to develop the country’s cultural position, and to provide aid or financial aid to people and corporations that conduct cultural activities.” In 1994, a precursor to the University was the Istanbul School of International Studies, operated in partnership with Portsmouth University and the London School of Economics offering courses in Business Administration, International Relations, Economics, and LSE Economics programs. Istanbul Bilgi University opened in earnest in 1996. The university is recognized as a pioneer in providing a liberal arts-oriented curriculum in Turkey. Istanbul Bilgi University joined Laureate International Universities in 2006 and is one of the largest private universities in the country.