Üsküdar University

Üsküdar University was founded in 2011 as the first thematic foundation university in Turkey, dedicated to behavioral sciences, health sciences, psychology and neurosciences. Its founder is Professor Nevzat Tarhan — a distinguished psychiatrist, neuroscientist and author of more than 100 books — through the Foundation for Human Values and Mental Health (TARHAN-IDER). Professor Tarhan transferred all of his personal assets to the creation of the university without resorting to state funding — an act of philanthropic vision unmatched in Turkish higher education. The roots of the university go back to the 2006 opening of NP Istanbul Brain Hospital — Turkey's first private neuropsychiatric clinic, which became the clinical and scientific foundation of the future institution. When the law establishing the university was published in the Official Gazette on 3 March 2011, Üsküdar University opened its doors as a pioneering project that combined clinical psychiatry, brain research and higher education into a single ecosystem. The first students were admitted in the 2012–2013 academic year, and the first graduation took place in June 2014. The growth was rapid and purposeful: by the mid-2010s the university had expanded to five campuses on the Asian side of Istanbul — the main Altunizade campus, the South Altunizade campus, the Üsküdar Çarşı campus, the NP Health campus and the NP Faculty of Medicine campus — each designed around specific academic clusters. In parallel, the university built an outstanding research infrastructure: more than 125 applied research centers and over 50 specialized laboratories, several of which are unique in Turkey, including a deep brain stimulation lab, a brain-cell bioengineering lab, brain mapping (QEEG), neurobiofeedback and neuroimaging labs, and pharmacogenetics and Phase 1 neuropsychopharmacology (NPF) labs. The NP Feneryolu and NP Etiler medical centers were integrated into the university structure from October 2011 as the Neuropsychiatric Health, Application and Research Center (NPSUAM), giving students direct access to clinical training from the first year. Today the university comprises 6 faculties, 1 Higher School of Health Services and 5 institutes offering associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs. It hosts around 23,000 students, including approximately 4,000 international students from more than 70 countries. Üsküdar University is accredited by FEDEK in engineering, natural and social sciences, by Pearson for foreign-language teaching, and holds an ISO 9001 quality-management certificate. The university has signed more than 412 Erasmus+ and bilateral agreements with universities worldwide, and its graduates receive the European Blue Diploma. Under the leadership of Professor Tarhan — founding rector and chairman of the Board of Trustees — Üsküdar University has firmly established itself as a leading center of advanced research in neurosciences, mental health and interdisciplinary health sciences both in Turkey and internationally.

The mission of Üsküdar University is to train empathetic, scientifically competent professionals who view the human being as a whole — in the interrelation of mind, body and social context — and to advance interdisciplinary research at the intersection of health sciences, psychology, neurosciences and technology. The university is guided by the principle that mental health and brain sciences should stand at the heart of contemporary medical education and aims to produce specialists who can bridge the gap between clinical practice and scientific discovery. Through a unique ecosystem linking academic faculties to NP Istanbul Brain Hospital and affiliated clinical centers, the university provides every student with hands-on experience in real clinical settings from the earliest stages of study. Üsküdar University is deeply committed to advancing innovation through BrainPark — a technology-transfer office and incubation center that supports student and faculty entrepreneurship in medical technology, AI applications in medicine and neurotechnology. The university cultivates an atmosphere of positive psychology and personal growth, believing that a healthy educational environment is the key to producing professionals capable of contributing meaningfully to society. With more than 412 international partnership agreements and active participation in Erasmus+ and other global exchange initiatives, the university promotes intercultural understanding and international cooperation in research. Ultimately, Üsküdar University aims to become a global benchmark in neurosciences and behavioral sciences, nurturing a new generation of leaders who combine scientific excellence with empathy, ethical responsibility and a deep commitment to improving human well-being across cultures and communities.