Istanbul Kültür University has achieved another patent registration success with its scientific research and innovation-oriented studies. The patent application titled "Resonance Cavity Biosensor Operating in the Visible Region and Containing Photonic Crystal" with application number 2023/019235, of which our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Martins Ribeiro da Silva Lourenço is among the inventors, has been registered by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.

We congratulate our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Martins Ribeiro da Silva Lourenço on this important patent registration and wish her continued success in her academic and scientific studies.

The "ANTSPARK MasterClass" organized by IKUANTS TEKMER on Monday, December 15, brought together important stakeholders of the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.

The program started with a networking session where entrepreneurs, students, academics and ecosystem stakeholders came together and exchanged ideas. In this section, participants had the opportunity to develop new collaborations, share experiences and get direct information about the work carried out under the umbrella of ANTSPARK.

The opening of the program was made by our Vice Rector & Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Directors of IKUANTS TEKMER Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız. In the opening speech, the importance of university-based entrepreneurship ecosystems, the commercialization processes of innovative ideas and the support mechanisms offered to young entrepreneurs were discussed.

After the opening, Ufuk Batum, one of the doyens of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, met with the participants with the "MasterClass" session titled "Ecosystem and Its Heroes". In the session; the dynamics of the entrepreneurial journey, the roles of ecosystem actors, critical thresholds for sustainable success, and experience-based insights were shared. Participants experienced a wealth of content, with both inspiring examples and practical perspectives.

ANTSPARK MasterClass was successfully completed as a qualified meeting that contributed to the strengthening of the university-oriented entrepreneurship ecosystem and focused on information sharing and interaction.

In memory of the late Batu Varlık, one of the instructors of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, a panel titled “The Past and Present of the Electronics Industry in Türkiye” was held on Saturday, December 6, 2025, between 13.00-16.00, at the Önder Öztunalı Seminar Hall in the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

During the panel, important evaluations were made regarding the historical development and current state of the electronics industry in Türkiye. The speakers included Assoc. Prof. Esra Saatçı, Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Burak Daşdemir, Chairman of the Board of EMO Istanbul Branch, Ahmet Tarık Uzunkaya, Founder of Entes Elektronik, and Electronics Engineer Selçuk Esen.

Organized by Istanbul Kültür University (İKÜ) Fine Arts Application and Research Center (GSUAM), the "Cemalyon & İbragim Orazov New Year's Concert" brought music lovers together on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center located in the Ataköy building on the Bakırköy Campus. Known for their concerts in public spaces and attracting great interest, the duo offered a musical feast with many important series, films, and memorable songs. Cemalyon and İbragim Orazov's stage energy and powerful interpretations provided the audience with a pleasant and exciting New Year atmosphere. The concert, supported by our university, which has always been committed to the arts, was a meaningful gathering for music lovers who wanted to start the new year with music and inspiration. At the end of the concert, the artists received a great deal of love and applause.

The Istanbul Kültür University Alumni and Members Association (IKUMED) held a "New Year's Dinner" at Litera Restaurant on Wednesday, December 17. This special evening, organized to strengthen solidarity among Istanbul Kültür University alumni, reinforce their sense of belonging, and bring our alumni together on common ground, featured an exchange of ideas on networking activities where our alumni could share their professional experiences and strengthen their professional ties. With graduates from different sectors and departments coming together, projects that will support sustainable collaborations and a culture of solidarity under the IKUMED umbrella were discussed.

At the dinner, which was also attended by our Rector Prof. Dr. Fadime Üney Yüksektepe, important messages were shared regarding strengthening the bond between the academy and its graduates. This meeting, which keeps the bond between our graduates and our university alive, once again demonstrated how strong and dynamic the IKU alumni family is.

The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MOBIGEN) organized an event titled “The Dark Side of the Genome: Codes from the Laboratory to the Field, the Clinic, and Life” on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. The event, featuring Prof. Dr. Sevgi Maraklı, a faculty member of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Yıldız Technical University, as the speaker, was attended by our undergraduate and graduate students. During the event, information was shared on the discovery of DNA structure, the Human Genome Project, and advances in genomic technologies, as well as Prof. Dr. Maraklı’s field of research and the current studies conducted by her research team.

Organized by the Vocational School, a talk titled “New Addictions” was held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 15.00 at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center in the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus. The speaker of the event, Prof. Dr. Mansur Beyazyürek, a faculty member at Beykoz University, explained digital addictions, behavioural habits, and the transformation of the concept of addiction in the modern age through examples.

Organized by the Mathematics and Computer Science Club, the seminar titled “Mathematica and Wolfram Alpha in Wolfram Technologies” was held on Friday, December 12, 2025, at 15.00 at the Design Factory in the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus. Technical Sales Engineer Ömer Köksel, who participated in the event as the speaker began his presentation with an overview of Wolfram technologies and the Wolfram ecosystem. He explained the application areas and advantages of Mathematica and Wolfram Alpha through presentations and hands-on examples, conducting sample studies from various fields such as mathematics, physics, and data analysis. The event concluded with a Q&A session.

The first guest of the "Academic TALKS Seminar Series" organized by the Department of Industrial Engineering was our Head of Department, Assist. Prof. Duygun Fatih Demirel.

At the event held on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 15.00 in the 2nd floor multi-purpose hall of the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus, our professor made a presentation titled "Thinking with System Dynamics: A Holistic View of Complex Problems".

System dynamics is a modeling and simulation approach that examines the behavior of complex systems over time through feedback loops, stock-flow structures, and delays. In the seminar; what system dynamics is, its historical development, what kind of problems it is suitable for and in what ways it differs from other simulation methods were discussed. The strengths and weaknesses of the approach were discussed with examples from different application areas such as health, environment, economy, public policies and industrial engineering. The presentation also briefly touched upon the basic methodological steps of system dynamics projects, model validation and validity approaches, and scenario and policy analysis processes.  In the second part of the seminar, it was shown how system dynamics can be applied to real-world decision-making and planning problems through selected examples from the studies carried out by our professor.

The Design Factory organized the "I Have a Home in My Body - Somatic Awareness" event on Monday, December 15. The event, where neurobiologist Dilara Gürgüç Ateş was the speaker, offered participants a safe and mindful space where they could reconnect with their bodies. In the event, where studies focused on noticing the emotions carried by the body, softening the breath and returning to the inner center; through breathing, sensation and awareness practices, the opportunity to experience physical and emotional balance was seized.

The meeting, which attracted great interest from the participants, was completed with sharing and insights on body awareness.

In collaboration with the New Media and Communication Club and the Department of New Media and Communication, a talk titled “Brand Management and Social Media Dynamics” was held on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. Featuring Elif Saatcı, Account Manager at Campfire Istanbul, as the speaker, the event examined the relationship between brand management and social media dynamics, focusing on communication strategies brands use to engage with their target audiences on digital platforms. Participants were also informed about current practices in the field.

Hamza Başoğlu, Co-Founder of Biotech Gameworks, participated as a speaker in the fourth meeting of the "Dev Meets" events organized by the Department of Digital Game Design. At the event held on Wednesday, December 17, Başoğlu shared his experiences in the process of establishing a company in the gaming industry, touching on both the creative and operational aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. He shared the founding story of Biotech Gameworks, offering important insights on many topics, from the idea development stage to team building, project building processes, and the formation of company culture.

Başoğlu discussed the dynamics of company life in the gaming industry, evaluating the work structure, responsibility sharing, and sustainable production processes in small and medium-sized studios. He then explained the challenges young developers may face when starting their own companies, common mistakes made, and points to consider during this process, using concrete examples. Başoğlu also emphasized the role of internal communication, motivation, and long-term vision in the success of a game studio.

Students attending the event had the opportunity to engage in an interactive discussion by asking questions about the process of establishing a game studio, ways to enter the industry, team management, and entrepreneurship experiences.

In collaboration with the Department of Nursing and the Turkish Family Health and Planning Foundation, a seminar titled “Safe Sexual Health” was held on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. Participating as the speaker, Nurse & Sexual Health Educator Nurşen Kanbur shared up to date, scientifically based information on safe sexual health, preventive approaches, and increasing individual awareness. The seminar made a significant contribution to the development of students’ professional knowledge and awareness.

The ANTSPARK Pre-Incubation Program, carried out by IKUANTS TEKMER, operating within Istanbul Kültür University, continues, with determination, to provide entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills they need in their journey from the idea stage to commercialization.

Within the scope of the program, training and mentoring sessions covering the critical topics of the entrepreneurship ecosystem were successfully held this week. On Monday, December 15, 2025, a training titled "Intellectual Property Rights" was held for entrepreneurs. In the face-to-face session held by Hüseyin Demir, who works as a Patent Attorney at Adres Patent; the importance of intellectual property rights for startups, protection and registration processes were discussed with practical examples.

On Tuesday, December 16, 2025, entrepreneurs came together in a comprehensive training titled "Idea Evaluation Techniques". In the face-to-face session held by Ufuk Batum, Founder of Ventures & Mentors League; it was explained how to test ideas and make feasibility analyses through tools such as problem-verification methods and market fit tests, and SWOT and PESTEL analysis.

In the third mentoring session of the program, held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, entrepreneurs had the opportunity to receive one-on-one meetings with experienced mentors in their fields, receive feedback specific to their projects and clarify their roadmaps.

The week concluded with the training titled "The Path from Idea to Product: The First 90 Days at a Startup" held on Thursday, December 18, 2025. In the session held in hybrid format by Hezarfen LLC Co-Founder and CTO Çağrı Temel; MVP development processes, product maturation with user feedback, and critical steps of the first 90 days in early-stage startups were discussed in practice.

With the ANTSPARK Pre-Incubation Program, İKUANTS TEKMER aims to not only provide technical information to entrepreneurs but also to gain the basic competencies of the entrepreneurial journey such as market-oriented thinking, strategic decision-making, intellectual property awareness and sustainable business model development. The program will continue to support entrepreneurs with its strong content focused on training and mentoring in the coming weeks.

For announcements and developments about the program, IKUANTS TEKMER can be followed on its social media accounts (@ikuantstekmer).

The "MÜDEK Information Seminar" was organized by Assoc. Prof. Esra SAATÇI, Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Istanbul Kültür University on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.

In the seminar held in the amphitheater B1-6 in the Ataköy building of Bakırköy Campus, detailed information was given to our academic staff and students about the MÜDEK (Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of Engineering Programs) process, quality standards and accreditation preparations.

In the seminar, the sustainability of education quality and compliance with accreditation criteria were discussed and the roadmap for the process was shared.

In collaboration with the Department of New Media and Communication and the New Media and Communication Club, a talk titled “Social Media Content Factory: From Idea to Brand Collaboration” was held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 11.00 at the Design Factory in the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus. The event featured Fırat Baydilek, Social Media Specialist at BAF Digital, as the speaker, who evaluated idea development, brand alignment, communication strategies, and collaboration processes through practical examples.

Organized by the New Media and Communication Club, the online event titled “The Power of Storytelling: How Do Brands Leave a Lasting Impression?” was held via Microsoft Teams on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 19.00. The guest speaker, Ali Rıza Tunçer, discussed the role of storytelling in brand communication. He also examined how brands use narrative techniques to build emotional connections with their target audiences and provided participants with insights into creating effective brand stories.

The IKU Vocational School administration met with Bakırköy Social Services Director Behiye Kurt on Thursday, December 18, 2025. The meeting discussed social responsibility initiatives planned to be organized by the Program of Optician.

Lecturer Ceren Çilek, one of the Vice Heads of the Department of Common Courses, met with students before the final exams within the scope of the “Atatürk’s Principles and History of Turkish Revolution I Course Meetings.” Providing a general review of the topics prior to the exam, our instructor also shared information about the National Struggle Period.

Organized by the Department of Public Relations and Advertising, the “Occupational Health and Safety” seminar was held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. At the event, Cumhur Gültekin, Occupational Health and Safety Specialist at Istanbul Kültür University, participated as the speaker and shared with students the occupational health and safety measures to be taken against possible disasters and accidents at the workplace and at home, as well as actions to be taken during emergencies such as fires and earthquakes.

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science organized an "Alumni Panel" on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, to bring our students and alumni together and enable our alumni to share their professional experiences.

Apphic Limited & Founding Partner Yavuz Erdem, Front-End Software Engineer & Product Designer Veysel Demirel, and Project Manager Damla Osmanoğlu participated in the event as speakers. During the event, our graduates shared the knowledge and experience they gained throughout their educational lives and professional careers with the students.

In collaboration with the Department of New Media and Communication and the New Media and Communication Club, the event titled “New Media and Career Management-5: Alumni Panel” was held on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. Alumni Yiğit Arpacı, Yaprak Kordu, and Dilan Taş participated in the event as speakers and discussed career development, multidimensional competencies, digital skills, and sectoral expectations through examples.

In collaboration with the Department of Public Relations and Advertising and the IKU Creative Club, an event titled "Creative Talks 5" was held on Wednesday, December 17. The event featured Uygar Yabar, Founder of AdPorn, one of the leading sharing and blogging pages in the world of advertising and marketing, Hazer Baycan, Co-Founder & Executive Producer of Kala Film, and Buse Hamamcıoğlu, Producer at Kala Film. Important information was shared about the creativity factor in advertising and the advertising film production process.

Speaking in the first session of the event, Özgür Yabar emphasized the importance of creativity, positioning, and visibility in advertising with examples of advertising films. In the second session, Hazer Baycan and Buse Hamamcıoğlu shared all the details of the production process of an advertising film, from the preparation stage to post-production, using an example advertising campaign. The event, attended by students from the Department of Public Relations and Advertising as well as participants from other departments, featured valuable tips for establishing oneself in the advertisement industry.

Academics and students from the Department of Special Education visited Bakırköy Dostev Down Art Cafe on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, within the scope of “December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities.”

Within the scope of the “IE0411 - Logistics Systems” course offered by the Department of Industrial Engineering, a seminar was held on Monday, December 15, 2025, with Can Deniz Yavaşoğlu, a 2021 graduate, participating as the speaker.

Our men's soccer, men's basketball, and women's volleyball teams have started competing in the Turkish University Sports Federation (TÜSF) 1st League.

Our men's soccer team won 3-0 by default on December 8, 2025, against Haliç University because the opposing team did not show up.

Our Men's Basketball team faced Piri Reis University at Yeditepe University Sports Hall on December 16, 2025. Our team put up a great fight but left the court defeated 81-71.

Our Women's Volleyball team faced Yeditepe University on December 17, 2025. Playing away, our team won the first set but lost the match 3-1.

Our Handball team lost their friendly match against Yıldız Technical University.

As part of the "IE5403 Facilities Design and Planning" and "IE0411 Logistics Systems" courses offered by the Department of Industrial Engineering, a technical tour was organized to the Ekol Logistics Lotus Facility on Thursday, December 18, to provide our students with the opportunity to observe warehouse processes firsthand. During the tour, students gained valuable insights into warehouse operations, operational efficiency practices, and the impact of warehouse design on process performance.

The musical children's theater of Charles Dickens' immortal work Oliver Twist, organized by IKU Fine Arts Application and Research Center (GSUAM), meets our young audience on Saturday, December 20 at 14.00 at Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center. Will evil people be able to stop Oliver in Oliver Twist's adventure? Will he be able to get rid of the people who are trying to drag him into evil? Don't forget to buy your ticket for the answers to all these questions!

The play "Tristram Shandy" will be staged by the English Literature Society Club on Saturday, December 20, between 18.00-20.00 at INNSide in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy Campus.

In collaboration with the Department of Common Courses and the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, a talk titled “Fallacies and People’s Tendencies to Believe” will be organized to develop students’ critical thinking skills. The event, featuring Researcher & Author Dr. Tevfik Uyar as the speaker, will take place on Monday, December 22, 2025, at 13.00 at the Design Factory in the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) Faculty of Education will host the "From Addiction to Freedom: Embracing a Responsive School Environment Summit" on Tuesday, December 23, from 9:30 to 15:45, at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center in the Ataköy building on the Bakırköy Campus. The summit, featuring renowned experts and academics as speakers, aims to develop the knowledge and skills of school counselors and students and raise awareness about addiction in schools.

As part of the courses "Special Education and Mental Disability" and "Education of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder" offered in the Department of Special Education, a technical tour to the Küçükçekmece Guidance and Research Center will be organized on Tuesday, December 23, at 10:00 to inform students about the diagnosis, assessment, and placement processes of children with special needs.

As part of the "ARC0311 New Design In Historical Environments" course offered by the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, a study tour to Hasanpaşa Gasworks will be organized on Tuesday, December 23, between 14:00 and 16:00.

IKU Faculty of Science and Letters continues to organize "Coffee is Just an Excuse Meetings" to share important research and studies in the field of Basic Science and Social Sciences. The seminar titled "Psychological Resilience," featuring Dr. Fatma Çam Kahraman from the Department of Psychology as the speaker, will be held on Wednesday, December 24, at 15:00 in the Erdal İnönü Seminar Hall in the Ataköy building on the Bakırköy Campus.

As part of the "Orthotics Rehabilitation" course offered by the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, a seminar titled "Hand & Wrist Rehabilitation and Orthotic Principles" will be held to inform students about orthotic methods applied to the hand and wrist. The event, featuring specialist physiotherapist Beray Keleşoğlu Işın as the speaker, will take place on Wednesday, December 24, at 14:00 in classroom CB 01-01 on the Bahçelievler Campus.

The IKU Student Clubs will organize a New Year's event titled "WinterFest 2025" on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, at 19:00 at a venue known as Fakülte Teras in Beyoğlu.