İstanbul Bahçeşehir University (BAU)

Bahçeşehir University (BAU) was founded on January 18, 1998 in Istanbul by the Bahçeşehir-Uğur Education Foundation, established by the prominent Turkish entrepreneur and educator Enver Yücel. Born in 1957 in Giresun, Enver Yücel began his journey in education back in 1974, opening a private learning institution with three classrooms in Istanbul's Laleli district. Over the decades he built Turkey's largest private education group — Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institutions — including the Bahçeşehir College school network (since 1994), Uğur schools, 13 science and technology high schools, and 15 science museums across the country.

Already in February 1998, just one month after BAU was founded, a strategic cooperation agreement was signed with San Diego State University in California, setting the international vector of its development. The first cohort of students was enrolled in the 1999–2000 academic year. In 2007, BAU was awarded the title of "Superbrand of Turkey" — a recognition that confirmed the brand's outstanding reputation in the country. In 2008, the university launched its unique CO-OP cooperative education model, integrating the academic process with real work experience at partner companies (today — more than 2,300 partner brands). In 2013 the BAU International University Berlin campus opened, in 2014 — BAU International University in Washington and the Faculty of Medicine in Istanbul, and in 2015 — BAU International Batumi in Georgia.

In 2017, BAU International University Cyprus joined the global network. Today, BAU Global brings together 5 universities, 3 language schools, 4 academic centers, and the Fulford Academy boarding school in Canada, operating in 8 countries around the world. The global network spans Istanbul, Berlin, Washington, Batumi, Northern Cyprus, Silicon Valley, Toronto, Boston, Rome and Hong Kong, allowing students to study on different continents without transferring. The university has 6 campuses in Istanbul, the main one located in the prestigious Beşiktaş district on the Bosphorus shore. Today BAU comprises 9 faculties, an Institute of Applied Sciences, a Conservatory, a School of Foreign Languages, a Vocational School and an Institute of Graduate Studies, offering more than 100 undergraduate programs and over 200 master's and doctoral programs.

Engineering faculty programs are accredited by MÜDEK and ABET; psychology programs — by TPD, communications — by İLEDAK, educational sciences — by EPDAD, English language — by CEA, and architecture — by MİAK. The university is placed in the 801–1000 range of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and holds 9th place among Turkish universities. In the THE Young University Rankings, BAU is in the 251–300 group. Founder Enver Yücel was awarded "Excellence in Education" by the International American Association of Educators (PDK) in 2012, and in 2014 he became the first Turk to receive the "Contribution to Global Education" award at the UNCA Awards ceremony, held under the auspices of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

In 2017 and 2018, BAU was named champion two years in a row in the "Education Export" category at the awards for Turkey's 500 largest exporters.

Bahçeşehir University's mission is to provide world-class education that shapes intellectually mature, critically thinking and socially responsible professionals ready to work in the conditions of global competition. The university strives to connect fundamental science with practice through the innovative CO-OP cooperative learning model, in which students complete long-term internships at leading companies — from Siemens and Microsoft to SAP — gaining real professional experience even before graduation. BAU sees its goal as building a global educational ecosystem in which every student can study, conduct research and intern on different continents thanks to the BAU Global network, which encompasses more than 160 academic programs and partnerships with more than 200 universities worldwide.

The university is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and inclusivity, advancing the idea that quality education should be accessible regardless of geography or background. Particular attention is given to interdisciplinary research, innovation and entrepreneurship: BAU research centers work on projects in artificial intelligence, biomedicine, energy, digital media and the social sciences. The university's philosophy is captured in the conviction of its founder Enver Yücel: "Education will save humanity, not victories in wars" — and every program, every campus and every BAU partnership serves to bring this idea to life.