Istanbul Aydın University

Istanbul Aydın University is one of Turkey's largest private universities, founded on 18 May 2007 by the Anatolia Education and Culture Foundation (AKEV), which was established in 1995 by Dr. Mustafa Aydın together with a group of academics and businesspeople. The university grew out of the Anadolu BIL Vocational School, founded on 26 September 2003 — Turkey's first foundation-type vocational school, established by decision of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). By the time it gained university status in 2007, in accordance with Article 73 of Law No. 5656, the institution already had a developed educational infrastructure and a reputation as a high-quality school. Today the university comprises 14 faculties, including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, law, fine arts, communications and architecture, as well as higher schools, vocational schools and an Institute of Postgraduate Studies. The Halit Aydın campus is located in the Küçükçekmece (Sefaköy) district on the European side of Istanbul and covers an area of more than 50,000 m². The university has been awarded prestigious European quality marks — the ECTS Label and the Diploma Supplement Label — granted by the European Commission for the correct implementation of the European Credit Transfer System at all levels of study. In international rankings, IAU is ranked 767th in the world by Round University Ranking (RUR) and is among the top 5 Turkish universities according to U.S. News & World Reports. The university is also recognized in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. With more than 50,000 students, including over 8,500 international students from 125 countries, IAU is one of the most international universities in Turkey.

The mission of Istanbul Aydın University is to prepare globally competitive professionals who can integrate practical skills, critical thinking and academic knowledge to solve the real-world challenges of today. The university strives to ensure that every student has access to high-quality international education regardless of background or financial situation, offering flexible payment terms and scholarship programs. Through Erasmus+ partnership agreements with more than 266 universities in 49 countries — including 28 European ones — IAU creates a unique multicultural environment in which students gain intercultural competencies and broaden their academic horizons. The university operates 36 research centers and 165 teaching laboratories, including the technology center named after Professor Aziz Sancar, an incubation center supporting student startups, and one of the country's largest medical simulation complexes. IAU emphasizes practice-oriented teaching, close cooperation with industry and the continuous improvement of educational standards so that every graduate enters the job market fully prepared for professional challenges.