Boğaziçi University

Boğaziçi University (Turkish: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi), also known as Bosphorus University, is a major research university in Istanbul, Turkey. Its main campus is located on the European side of the Bosphorus strait. It has six faculties and two schools offering undergraduate degrees, and six institutes offering graduate degrees. Traditionally, the language of instruction is English.[6]

Boğaziçi University
Boğaziçi Üniversitesi
Former names
Robert College (1863–1971)
TypePublic
Established1863 (1863)
Academic affiliation
RectorMehmet Naci İnci[2]
Academic staff
915[3]
Administrative staff
811[3]
Students16,706[4]
Undergraduates9,786[4]
Postgraduates3,773[4]
1,076[4]
Location
Istanbul
,
Turkey
Campus6 campuses: total 1,816 square kilometres (448,743 acres)[4]
Language
  • English[5]
  • Turkish
ColoursLight blue and dark blue   
Websiteboun.edu.tr

Founded in 1863, as Robert College, it was the first American higher education institution founded outside the United States. Though under Turkish administration today, the university still maintains strong ties to the American educational system.

Boğaziçi University consistently ranks as Turkey's top university and has the greatest number of applicants via the Turkish university entrance examinations, making it the most selective university in Turkey.[7]

History
Boğaziçi University main campus
Boğaziçi University Economics and Administrative Sciences Faculty building

In 1863, Robert College was founded in Bebek by Christopher Robert, a wealthy American philanthropist, and Cyrus Hamlin, a Congregational missionary devoted to education.[8][9] Six years after its foundation, the first campus (the current-day Boğaziçi South Campus) was built on the ridge near Rumeli Hisarı (the Rumelian Castle) with the permission of Sultan Abdulaziz.[8]

According to a college catalogue compiled for the 1878–1879 academic year, "the object of the College is to give to its students, without distinction of race or religion, a thorough education equal in all respects to that obtained at a first-class American college and based upon the same general principles."[10]

After Cyrus Hamlin, the college was administered by George Washburn (1877–1903) and Caleb Gates (1903–1932).[8] The college, which was established as an institution of higher learning independent of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) yet holding a significant number of missionaries among its faculty in its earlier years, adopted an entirely secular and non-denominational educational model in 1923 in compliance with the new republican principles of Turkey.[11]

Before 1971, Robert College, had junior high school, high school, and university sections under the names Robert Academy, Robert College, and Robert College Yüksek ('Yüksek" meaning "high" in Turkish). In 1971, the Bebek campus and academic staff of Robert College were turned over to the Republic of Turkey to be transformed into a public university named Boğaziçi University, the renamed continuation of Robert College's university section (i.e. Robert College Yüksek). The rest of Robert College moved into the Arnavutköy campus of the American College for Girls; despite continuing to call itself a college it became merely a high school."[12]

In the fall of 1971, Boğaziçi University started its first academic year with former faculty and students of Robert College Yüksek as well as a new cohort of freshman students.[8] Aptullah Kuran, the former vice-president of Robert College Yüksek, was the founding rector of the university.[13] Since then, the university has gradually transformed from a small liberal arts college into a major research university.

Robert College 1880

In early 2021, the university received a lot of media attention, after the Turkish government appointed a new rector, a post traditionally filled after a democratic election within the university.[14][15][16] Students protested against the curtailment of academic freedom.[17][18] More than 150 students were detained.[19] The new rector dismissed the earlier faculty deans to appoint himself or candidates from outside the university to their positions.[20]

Campus
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Boğaziçi University South Campus Washburn Hall

Boğaziçi University operates on six campuses in Istanbul. Four of these campuses (South Campus, North Campus, Hisar Campus, and Uçaksavar Campus) are within walking distance to each other on a hill above the affluent district of Bebek on the European side of Istanbul, overlooking the Bosphorus (hence the name).

The South Campus is considered to be the most popular Boğaziçi University Campus. It houses various historic buildings of Robert College, including Hamlin, Washburn, Theodorus, Dodge, Albert Long and Anderson Halls as well as the Kennedy Lodge, named after John F. Kennedy, and currently serving as a welcoming facility for visiting professors and staff.[21]

The North Campus is home to Aptullah Kuran Library, which contains more than 740,000 printed books, 800,000 e-books, 55,000 e-journals as well as an extensive collection of Braille books, and a collection of rare books and manuscripts.[22][23]

The Kandilli Campus is on the opposite side of the Bosphorus in Çengelköy, and hosts the historic Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI).[24]

The newest campus is in Kilyos on the Black Sea coast, and is home to a private beach. The Kilyos Campus is the first self-sufficient university campus in the world, meeting all of its electricity demands from its own wind power plant.[25]

South Campus Rectorate Building

Dormitories
Washburn Hall at Boğaziçi University Main

The university has ten dormitories on its different campuses. Boğaziçi's First Men's and Women's Dorms are housed in some of the oldest buildings in the historic South Campus and offer students the chance to participated in the university's active social life.

There are also four dormitories on Boğaziçi's North Campus. The First and Second North Campus Dormitories were opened in 198, the former for female students, the latter for males. They have similar 1980s modernist architectural designs. The Third North Campus Dorm was opened for female students in 2010. The Fourth Dormitory of the North Campus has been in service since 2011, and mainly accepts graduate students.

The Kilyos Campus Dormitories are approximately one hour's drive away from Boğaziçi South and North campuses. The First Kilyos Dormitory serves female students while the Second Kilyos Dormitory is for males.

The Superdorm and Kandilli Dorms also provide accommodation to Boğaziçi University students. The Kandilli Dormitory for female students opened in 2017 on the Kandilli Campus. The waste water collected from the bathrooms at the Kandilli Dorm is reused in the toilet reservoirs after treatment.[26]

International rankings
University rankings
Global – Overall
CWUR World[27]645 (2020–21)
CWTS World[28]1074 (2020)
QS World[29]651-700 (2021)
THE World[30]601–800 (2021)
USNWR Global[31]=197 (2021)
Regional – Overall
QS Emerging Europe and Central Asia[32]13 (2022)

Boğaziçi University ranks first in Turkey and 197th internationally according to U.S. News & World Report 2021 Best Global Universities Rankings,[33] and shares the fifth rank among Turkish universities according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2021 (internationally: 601 – 800).[34]

Music and sports festivals
Taşoda Festivali

Taşoda Music Festival is organized by Boğaziçi University Music Club every spring. It is the most important amateur music festival held in Turkey and takes its name from Music Club's studio at the South Campus.[35]

Every May the Boğaziçi Sports Festival is held at the South Campus and other university venues. Usually, some 300 to 800 students from all over the world come to compete in various events.[36]

Departments offering bachelor's degrees

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Boğaziçi University

Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Faculty of Education

Faculty of Engineering

School of Applied Disciplines

School of Foreign Languages

  • Advanced English
  • English Preparatory Division
  • Modern Languages Unit

Institutes offering graduate programs

Institute for Graduate Studies in Sciences and Engineering

Atatürk Institute for Modern Turkish History

  • Modern Turkish History (M.A., PhD)

Institute of Biomedical Engineering

Institute of Environmental Sciences

Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute

Institute for Graduate Studies in Social Sciences

Vocational School of Hotel Management

  • Tourism Administration Program (secondary education)

Other Units

Independent centers
  • Asian Studies Center
  • Boğaziçi University Center for European Studies
  • Boğaziçi University Center for Psychological Research and Services
  • Byzantine Studies Research Center
  • Center for Economics and Econometrics
  • Istanbul Center for Mathematical Sciences (IMBM)
  • Mithat Alam Film Center
  • Nafi Baba Sufism, History, and Cultural Heritage Research Center
  • Nazım Hikmet Culture and Arts Research Center
  • Peace Education and Research Center
  • Polymer Research Center
  • Sustainable Development and Cleaner Production Center (SDCPC)

Student clubs

Notable alumni

Notable faculty

Rectors

Current political events

The 1980 military coup gave the Turkish presidents the authority to appoint rector candidates who came second in the university rector elections, ensuring that the government has the ultimate control over higher educational institutions in the country. But Boğaziçi University during this process developed the tradition that once the rector elections are held within the campus, all of the candidates, except the front-runner, withdraw from candidacy to ensure the appointment of the democratically elected rector by the president. But in 2021 an external candidate Melih Bulu, who had direct ties to the ruling party was appointed rector of the university by the order of the President of Turkey. This decision has triggered huge protests among both students, faculty, and alumni. After a period of internal struggle, Melih Bulu who do not have strong academic ties with the university, was fired from the office by Erdoğan. Following this, Naci İnci, another government backed contender, is appointed to the office. Again, mass protests are held against this decision. Since the latter appointment, many prominent faculty members as well as administrative personnel of the university are removed from their positions.

See also

References
  1. "Our founding universities". The European University of Brain and Technology. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  2. "Boğaziçi Üniversitesi'nin yeni rektörü Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci oldu". 21 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  3. "About BU - Facts and Figures". Boğaziçi University Website. Archived from the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  4. Sayılarla Boğaziçi Universitesi 2019 Archived 16 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine Boğaziçi University
  5. "The University". boun.edu.tr. Boğaziçi University. Archived from the original on 18 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017. The language of instruction at BU is English
  6. "Adaylar | Boğaziçi Üniversitesi". adaylar.boun.edu.tr. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  7. https://tanitim.boun.edu.tr/2019-taban-puanlari Archived 15 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine 2019 YKS SONUÇLARINA GÖRE BOĞAZİÇİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ BÖLÜMLERİNİN TAVAN-TABAN PUANLARI VE SIRALAMALARI
  8. "History of Boğaziçi University". Boğaziçi University Website. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  9. Freely, John (2012). A Bridge of Culture: Robert College-Boğaziçi University. Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınevi.
  10. "Robert Kolej, Amerikan Kız Koleji, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Arşivi". Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Arşiv ve Dokümantasyon Merkezi. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  11. Freely, John (2012). A Bridge of Culture: Robert College-Boğaziçi University. Istanbul: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınevi.
  12. "About Robert College". Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  13. "Who is Aptullah Kuran?". Boğaziçi University Archives and Documentation Center. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  14. "Students and faculty at top Turkish university battle Erdogan's attempt at control". The Washington Post. No. February 2021. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  15. "The High Stakes of Turkey's University Protests". No. 9 February 2021. Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  16. "Istanbul university students clash with police over rector appointment". The Guardian. No. 6 January 2021. Archived from the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  17. "Prestigious Istanbul University Fights Erdogan's Reach". The New York Times. No. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 23 February 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  18. "Student protests grow as Turkey's young people turn against Erdoğan". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  19. "Protests at top Turkish university trigger more than 150 arrests". The Irish Times. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  20. SCF (2 February 2022). "Boğaziçi University rector appoints himself as faculty dean in controversial move". Stockholm Center for Freedom. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  21. "Boğaziçi University – South Campus". Boğaziçi University Web. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  22. "About the Library". Boğaziçi University Library Website. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  23. "Library". Boğaziçi University Website. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  24. "Kandilli Observatory – History". Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute Website. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  25. "First clean energy, self-sufficient campus in the world". No. 14 January 2015. Daily Sabah. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  26. "Dormitories". Boğaziçi University Website. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
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  35. "BÜMK Caz Orkestrası" (in Turkish). boun.edu.tr. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  36. "Boğaziçi University Sports Fest". Boğaziçi University Sports Fest Website. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  37. "Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Bilişim Kulübü – Compec". compec.org. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  38. "BUMATEK". bumatek.boun.edu.tr. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  39. "Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Spor Kurulu". Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Spor Kurulu. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  40. "Guinness World Records – First solo circumnavigation of the globe using human power". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
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Further reading
  • Ata, Ranan. 2006. Boğaziçi Üniversitesi'nde Sonbahar. Istanbul: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınları.
  • Çıracıoğlu, Vecdi and Mustafa Baykan. 2013. Bilim Yolunda 100 Yıl: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi. Istanbul: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınları.
  • Freely, John. 2012. A Bridge of Culture: Robert College-Bogazici University: How An American College in Istanbul Became A Turkish University. Istanbul: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınları.
  • Freely, John. 2009. A History of Robert College. Istanbul: YKY.
  • Hamlin Cyrus, 2014. Among The Turks – My Life and Times. Istanbul: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınları (Originally published separately by Robert Carter & Brothers, New York, 1878; and Congregational School and Publishing Society, Boston and Chicago, 1893).
  • Kuran, Aptullah, 2013, Bir Kurucu Rektörün Anıları: Robert Kolej Yüksekokulu'ndan Boğaziçi Üniversitesi'ne. Istanbul: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınları.
  • Washburn, George. 2012. Fifty Years in Constantinople and Recollections of Robert College. Istanbul: Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınları (Originally published by Houghton Mufflin Company, Boston and New York, 1909).
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