Organized by the Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) Alumni Relations Unit, the "IKU Alumni Day 2026 & Back to Kültür" event took place on Sunday, October 11, 2026, from 13:00 to 19:00, in the backyard of the Ataköy building at the Bakırköy Campus. Bringing our alumni back together after many years, the event turned into a delightful reunion where old friendships were rekindled, memories were shared, and new connections were forged.

Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) is making a multidisciplinary contribution to the fight against the climate crisis with 11 projects approved as part of COP31. The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences (3 projects), the Design Factory (2 projects), the Center for Sustainable Development (SÜRKAM), the Faculty of Architecture, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Education, and the IKÜANTS Technology Development Center (TEKMER) are each preparing to present one project at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), to be held in Antalya from November 9–20, 2026.

Through our work ranging from climate finance to artificial intelligence, from the circular economy to green job skills, from the risk of algal blooms in the Sea of Marmara to climate education, and from digital art to sustainable entrepreneurship we are bringing together scientific knowledge with innovative solutions and social benefit. We are contributing to climate action through science, technology, and collaboration for a sustainable future.

The second workshop in the “Corporate Sustainability and Sectoral Transformation Meetings” series, organized by the Istanbul Kültür University Center for Sustainable Development (SÜRKAM) in collaboration with SEGM, was held in Istanbul on May 15, 2026, in partnership with the Kolejli İş İnsanları Association (KİD). The “SWOT Analysis Workshop Findings Report,” documenting the outcomes of the workshop, was completed as of June 2026.

The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats exercise, conducted across four tables by KİD members representing different sectors, identified sustainability awareness, existing practices, and development needs through a collaborative approach. The report presents the workshop findings at two distinct levels: a sector-based analysis of corporate sustainability maturity and gaps, and an overall maturity assessment treating KİD as a single organization.

Key findings of the report include:

- Sustainability awareness is clearly established among members of the Kolejli İş İnsanları Association. This awareness has translated into tangible practices in areas such as solar energy investments, recycling and waste management, digitalization, and strong stakeholder relations.
- These practices, however, largely remain at the project or investment level and have not yet been integrated into a systematic structure for governance, measurement, and performance management.
- The most significant areas for development are measurement, data and performance management, and supply chain sustainability. In governance, the gap between stated commitments and organizational structures stands out as a key issue.
- The environmental dimension was one of the most prominent topics of the workshop and one for which the greatest number of concrete examples were shared.

Based on these findings, the report identifies seven priority areas for development and proposes approaches for each in the short, medium, and long term. Recommendations include establishing a core set of indicators and data infrastructure; defining sustainability governance and senior management ownership; conducting risk and opportunity analyses using a double materiality approach; developing a basic carbon and resource inventory; extending the social dimension to the supply chain; establishing an evidence-based communication framework; and creating a shared learning platform at the KİD level.

The study is not intended as a performance audit, rating, or scoring exercise. Rather, it aims to provide an overview of members’ current status, identify shared areas for improvement, and outline realistic next steps on their sustainability journey.

In the foreword, Prof. Dr. Burcu Yavuz Tiftikçigil, Director of SÜRKAM and Vice Rector of Istanbul Kültür University, emphasizes that sustainability is a multi-stakeholder process that generates knowledge, brings stakeholders together, and develops practical solutions. She states that one of SÜRKAM’s priorities is to serve as a science-based support mechanism that bridges academia and industry in the green transition. KİD Board Chair Mehmet Ali Ertuğrul and SEGM Deputy Board Chair Alev Zafer also express in their forewords their belief that the report will guide members through their corporate sustainability transformation.

The Istanbul Kültür University Center for Sustainable Development will continue to contribute to the practical application of scientific knowledge and its transformation into tangible impact through initiatives that strengthen collaboration among academia, industry, and civil society.

Prof. Dr. Zekiye Antakyalıoğlu Er, Head of the Department of English Language and Literature, and Assoc. Assoc. Prof. Selda Salman Sakızlı, Head of the Department of Common Courses, served as moderators for the literature and philosophy panels held as part of the “Liberist’26 Summit,” organized by the Liber Culture and Arts Association. 

The summit, organized for the second time by the Liber Culture and Arts Association, with whom we maintain a cooperation protocol through our Department of English Language and Literature, brought together prominent figures from the worlds of culture, art, science, and thought under the theme of “Rethinking.” Hosted by the İş Sanat Culture Center, the event opened with a keynote address by Adnan Bali, General Manager of İşbank. Throughout the summit, academics, authors, publishers, and thinkers from various disciplines examined contemporary issues from multifaceted perspectives. 

The panel titled “Rethinking Literature,” held as part of the event, was moderated by Prof. Dr. Zekiye Antakyalıoğlu Er. The panel featured Cem Alpan, a literature editor at Yapı Kredi Publications, and author and digital publisher Yalın Alpay as speakers. Discussions focused on the transformation of literature in the twenty-first century, the shifting themes addressed by contemporary authors, the rise of autofiction as a novelistic genre, and the current status of literature. 

In the philosophy panel, academic Prof. Dr. Kaan Ökten, along with Prof. Dr. Emre Şan and philosopher-publisher Pelin Dilara Çolak participated as speakers. The panel, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selda Salman Sakızlı, centered on the theme of rethinking technology and humanity. Discussions explored, within a philosophical framework, the relationship technology establishes with humanity and nature, the impact of technical transformations on our modes of thinking and experiencing, and the new possibilities for spiritual experience that have emerged in the digital age. 

The summit, which fosters cultural and academic exchange, also enabled hundreds of high school and university students to attend, thanks to a "suspended ticket" (pay-it-forward) initiative. Students from Istanbul Kültür University took part in the event, gaining the opportunity to connect with experts in the field, engage with contemporary debates, and explore interdisciplinary thinking.

Organized in collaboration with the Program of Flight Operations Management and the Civil Aviation Club, a talk titled "Setting the Course – On Aviation, Leadership, and the Future with Mehmet T. Nane" was held on Thursday, October 8, at 15:00, at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center located in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus. 

During the event, which featured Pegasus Airlines Chairperson of the Board Mehmet T. Nane as the guest speaker, our students had the opportunity to hear insights and recommendations from a seasoned industry expert on a wide range of topics, including the dynamics of the aviation sector, leadership vision, future professions, and career planning strategies.

Graduates of the Istanbul Kültür University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MOBİGEN) came together for an “Alumni Day” event held on Sunday, October 11, at the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus. 

The event, which was attended by department faculty members and alumni from various graduating classes, included a presentation of “10th Anniversary Graduation Certificates” to Zeynep Begüm Durdu and Gözde Şükür, who were celebrating the 10th anniversary of their graduation.

A book titled "Great Turkish-Islamic Figures Who Shaped History" edited by Prof. Dr. Ali Duman has been published. The work includes a contribution by Lecturer Dr. Ceren Çilek, a faculty member in the Department of Common Courses, titled "A Pioneer in Turkish Nursing from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic: Safiye Hüseyin Elbi and Her Activities at the Red Crescent Women’s Center."

An article titled “Photographic Literacy: From Seeing to Understanding” by Lecturer Selin Okumuş, Chair of the Graphic Design Program, was published on October 13, 2026, on the publication platform of the Federation of Turkish Photographic Art.

The article examines photographic literacy as a fundamental visual thinking skill that enables individuals to question the source and context of an image, as well as the ways in which it produces meaning.

A conference titled “Law Days’26: The Anatomy of Criminal Law” will be organized by the Cultural Values Protection Club to inform students about criminal law. The event, featuring experts in their respective fields, Atty. Oktay Doğan, Prof. Dr. Ali Kemal Yıldız, Atty. Ersan Barkın, Prof. Dr. Murat Volkan Dülger, and Atty. Ata Aydın as speakers, will be held on Saturday, October 17, from 10:00 to 17:00 at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center in the Ataköy Building of the Bakırköy Campus.

Orkestra IKU will perform a concert on Saturday, October 17, from 19:00 to 21:00, at the Hayal Kahvesi Emaar stage.

The Department of Industrial Engineering will organize a workshop titled “COP31 Simulation: The Sustainable Future of Air Transportation in Türkiye” to explore how the air transportation sector in Türkiye can reduce its climate impact while increasing its contribution to sustainable development. The event will take place on Monday, October 19, from 10:30 to 12:00 in Classroom 4-B-04/06, Ataköy building at the Bakırköy Campus.

The Center for Fine Arts Application and Research (GSUAM) will organize an event titled “The Unseen Side of Art: Organization, Communication, and Creativity” to introduce participants to the preparation stages of art events, the importance of corporate communication, and the relationship between creativity and organization. The event will feature curator and art director Yeşer Yelmez and will take place on Tuesday, October 20, at 13:00 in Classroom 1C-16, Ataköy Building, Bakırköy Campus. Dr. Bilgen Kuzu, Lecturer, will moderate the event.

The event will address organizational processes in art institutions, the role of communication in event management, the implementation of creative ideas, and the methods used to bring art events to their target audiences. As part of the program, participants will also visit the Atilla Ekşinozlugil 16th- and 17th-Century Ottoman Textile Collection exhibition at the IKU Art Gallery.

The Faculty of Engineering will organize “Faculty of Engineering Day 2026” to celebrate students’ academic, athletic, social, and cultural achievements. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 20, from 13:30 to 16:30 on the terrace on the ground floor of the Ataköy building at the Bakırköy Campus.

The Construction Club will organize an event titled “My Hard Hat’26” to introduce the Club, present hard hats to support new members in adapting to the profession, and provide an opportunity for experience sharing. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 21, from 09:00 to 17:00 at INNSide, Ataköy building at the Bakırköy Campus.

The IKU Technology Transfer Office (TTO) will organize an “Information Seminar on TÜBİTAK 2209-A and 2209-B Support Programs” on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 10:00 to 12:00 at the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall, Ataköy building at the Bakırköy Campus.

An event titled “From Design to Sales: E-Commerce with Print on Demand” will be organized by the E-Commerce and Marketing Program to support students in their career planning processes. The event, featuring Emre Özduygun, Türkiye Country Manager at Podbul, as the speaker, will be held on Wednesday, October 21, at 10:30 in Classroom 2A01 in the İncirli Building of the Bakırköy Campus.

The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences is organizing an “Applied Project Writing Training for TÜBİTAK 2209-A and 2209-B” for our students. The training, which will be conducted by Rasim Keskin, a TTO Specialist at Marmara Technopark, will take place on Wednesday, October 21, from 11:00 to 12:30, in classroom B502 at the Küçükçekmece Campus.

The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences is organizing an "Applied Project Writing Training for TÜBİTAK 1001 and 1002" for faculty members. The training, which will be conducted by Ömer Tarık Yıldırım, a Corporate Communications Specialist at Marmara Technopark, will take place on Wednesday, October 21, from 13:00 to 15:00, in classroom B502 at the Küçükçekmece Campus.

The Library and Documentation Department will screen the film “Interstellar” on Wednesday, October 21, at 14:00 at the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall, Ataköy building at the Bakırköy Campus.

The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MOBİGEN) will organize “Occupational Health and Safety Training in the Laboratory” to raise students’ awareness of occupational health and safety and familiarize them with safe working principles. The training will be delivered by our Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, Cumhur Gültekin, and Dr. Sinan Meriç, Assistant Professor from MOBİGEN. It will take place on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 15:00 to 16:00 at the Prof. Dr. Atilla Özalpan Seminar Hall, Ataköy building at the Bakırköy Campus.

The Faculty of Law will organize a conference titled “Legal Practice in Condominium Law: Dispute Resolution and Legal Consultancy” to provide students with information about potential career paths after graduation. The event, featuring Attorney Dr. Yasin Telli as the speaker, will be held online via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday, October 21, from 19:00 to 20:00.

The Program of E-Commerce and Marketing is organizing a talk titled “Advertising Strategies in Digital Marketing Communication.” The event aims to help students grasp the role of advertising within digital marketing communication, learn how to develop advertising strategies tailored to specific target audiences and campaign objectives, and gain a strategic perspective through practical examples. The session will feature Bünyamin Yıldırım, a Growth Consultant at the agency ROI Crafts, as the guest speaker. It will take place on Thursday, October 22, from 10:00 to 11:30, in classroom 5B09 at the İncirli building of the Bakırköy Campus.

The IKU Creative Club is organizing a talk titled “CREATIVETALKS VII” to inform students about branding processes. The event will feature Paul Kenzie, Yusuf Demir (founder of Social Codemode), and Ezgi Özsan (a contributor to *Kafka Okur*) as guest speakers. It will take place on Thursday, October 22, from 14:00 to 17:00, at the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall, located in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus.