Istanbul Bilgi University (BILGI) was founded in 1996 and is a Foundation university. The university is recognized as a pioneer in providing a liberal arts-oriented curriculum in Turkey. All instruction is in English. Istanbul Bilgi University joined Laureate International Universities in 2006 and is one of the largest private universities in the country. Istanbul Bilgi University has three campuses in the heart of the city that offer a vibrant university life with several hundred social and cultural activities every year.
The university’s Web site can be found at www.bilgi.edu.tr.
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More than 11,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Communication, Economics and Administrative, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, and Vocational Studies. Bilgi’s programs in Law, Communications, Visual Arts, and Visual Communication Design are among its strongest.
BILGI offers the first dual-degree program approved by the London School of Economics and the first and only dual-degree programs with the University of Liverpool in Turkey.
BILGI's e-MBA program in English and Turkish is the first online program accredited by the Turkish Council of Higher Education.
The university maintains several research centers, including the Center for Applied Research in Arts, Culture, and Museology; Human Rights Law Research Center; Marine Law Research Center; IT Law Research Center; Social, Economic, and Political Research Center; Center for Migration Research Center; intellectual property law research; and online M.B.A. programs.
Bilgi functions under the aegis of the Turkish Higher Education Council and is a participant in the Bologna Process. Its English Preparatory School is accredited by EQUALS.
Istanbul Bilgi University ranks third among private foundation universities in Turkey for its undergraduate placement according to the 2011 National Student Selection and Placement Center (National Exam Center) and is ranked among the top 10 institutions of higher education in Turkey, according to Webometrics. Its law school is ranked one of the nation’s top three. Bilgi faculty and alumni have been honored with World Bank and OECD Global Development Learning Network recognition, American Academy of Achievement Award, Cannes Lions Young Entrepreneurs Award, and Restfest Film and Digital Arts Festival Award.
BILGI's Dolapdere campus received the 2002 "Structure and Life Architecture Award" and the 2005 "European Award for Steel Structure."