İstanbul Atlas University

Istanbul Atlas University was founded in 2018 on the initiative of the Türk Balkan Eğitim Kültür ve Sağlık Vakfı (Turkish Balkan Foundation for Education, Culture and Health) — an organisation whose long-standing work in education and healthcare laid a solid foundation for creating a new world-class academic institution. The university enrolled its first students in the 2020–2021 academic year, immediately offering Turkish- and English-medium programmes in medicine, dentistry, engineering and the humanities. The Vadi campus, located in the Kağıthane district on a site of more than 110,000 square metres, became the heart of the university: 26 high-tech laboratories were set up here, including the unique IRIS Lab for biotechnological drug research, a 2,500 m² library, a 600-seat conference hall with simultaneous-interpretation booths, and a wellness centre and sports complex spanning over 1,000 m². A key advantage was the university's own teaching hospital, occupying 75,000 m² with 400 beds, 19 operating theatres, 100 intensive-care rooms and a staff of more than 120 physicians and 1,300 employees. In parallel, the Dental Hospital opened, serving as the teaching and research base of the Faculty of Dentistry. In less than five years, Atlas University rose to become one of the fastest-growing universities in Türkiye: it ranked second among Turkish universities for growth in Scopus publication activity, was admitted to the European University Association (EUA) and became Türkiye's representative in the Planetary Health Alliance at Johns Hopkins University. Today the university comprises six faculties — Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Art, Design and Architecture — together with a School of Foreign Languages, a Vocational School and an Institute of Graduate Studies. Five specialised research centres operate at the university, including the Brain Research and Artificial Intelligence Centre, the Technology Transfer Office and the Dental Research Centre. Participation in Erasmus+, with more than 18 active projects, alongside bilateral agreements with universities worldwide, gives students opportunities for international exchange and academic mobility. The story of Atlas University is one of rapid growth — from an ambitious vision to an internationally recognised academic hub where clinical traditions meet digital technologies and scientific innovation.

Atlas University's mission, expressed through its 'Butterfly Effect' concept, rests on the conviction that every specialist the university trains can set off a chain of positive change in society — from small innovations to large-scale transformations in healthcare, technology and culture. The university aims not merely to transfer academic knowledge, but to shape a new generation of professionals with critical thinking, interdisciplinary competence and a deep grasp of ethical principles. At the core of its educational process is the integration of theory and practice: medical students complete clinical training in the university's own 400-bed hospital and Dental Hospital; engineers work in 26 high-tech laboratories; and aspiring researchers take part in projects at the Brain Research and Artificial Intelligence Centre and the Technology Transfer Office. Atlas University is committed to building an inclusive, multicultural academic environment where more than 2,000 international students from dozens of countries study alongside their Turkish peers, exchanging experience and perspectives. Membership in the European University Association (EUA), active participation in Erasmus+ and representation in the Planetary Health Alliance at Johns Hopkins University reflect the university's commitment to global standards of educational quality. Atlas also gives particular attention to social responsibility — international research publications, public-health programmes and partnerships with hospitals and industry are aimed at delivering tangible benefit to society. The ultimate goal is to nurture graduates who not only command top-tier professional skills but also recognise their responsibility for shaping a fairer, healthier and more technologically advanced world.