Koç University

Istanbul, Türkiye

Founded in 1993, Koç University has quickly become one of the most prestigious universities in Türkiye with over 9062 students.

9077

students

15840900

inhabitants

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The University

Koç University was established in 1993 as a non-profit private university in Istanbul, Türkiye. In a very short time, Koç University has become one of the leading universities in Türkiye, distinguished by notable contributions to the elevation of education, knowledge and service both domestically and beyond. English is the language of instruction across its various colleges and faculties.

Since its establishment, Koç University has emerged as a center of global excellence in science and education and is uniquely positioned to explore the overlaps of Medicine, Engineering, Science, Social Sciences and Administrative Sciences to further pursue basic and applied research and attract the best students and faculty members.

Koç University students are trained to be leaders in their disciplines, to have the intellectual courage to inquire and question, the critical, constructive and creative thinking to analyze and create knowledge and to formulate new results and applications, and the curiosity and drive for lifelong learning, while being the custodians of democratic values and freedom of thought.

Attracts students from various ethnic, religious, social, cultural and economic backgrounds; preferred by Türkiye’s ethnic and religious minorities, due to its universal values. Koç University’s international student body is 10% of the total student body and represents more than 40 nationalities.

As one of the leading research universities in Türkiye, integrating internationalization in its education, research, services, student life and staff opportunities has always been a key component of Koç University’s internationalization efforts. Koç University includes academic personnel from diverse backgrounds as well as attracting students from different countries around the world.

Koç University’s commitment to excellence and its well-resourced programs attract world-class academicians. The university’s faculty consists of Türkiye’s most established senior researchers and PhD’s from elite research institutions worldwide. Most of our full-time faculty members have doctoral degrees from top-tier universities in the world.

The City

Istanbul has traditionally been a popular study abroad destination. As of 2021, there are 58 universities in Istanbul and 13.000+ international students in the city. With over 15 million inhabitants, hip, fast-paced Istanbul is one of the world’s largest cities and the only one to span two continents.

A cosmopolitan city with a long-standing history of immigration and emigration, Istanbul has undergone rapid transformations as its economic has shifted from manufacturing to become service and tourism based.

Istanbul is literally a bridge between the East and the West as its landmass straddles both Europe and Asia. It is a cultural melting pot where people of all cultures and faiths can feel at home. Indeed, more than 30,000 international students come to İstanbul to study, with growing numbers coming from continental Europe, Africa, the United States, and Asia.

The growth and economic transition of Istanbul has brought many urban challenges in housing, employment, pollution, urban infrastructure, transportation, environmental preservation, and city administration.

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Koç University and UNIC

Koç University is well-aligned to cooperate as an active member of the UNIC University, as the principle mission of Koç University is to cultivate competent graduates, who are internationally qualified; who can think creatively, independently and objectively; and who are confident leaders.


An open-minded vision, with a clear focus on international cooperation with universities in Europe is a core value of the university. UNIC offers an excellent opportunity to broaden our vision, to learn from other like-minded universities and to contribute to the education and research of a European University with our own knowledge, expertise and traditions. Concurrently, research conducted at Koç University contributes to scientific development on an international scale and bolsters technological, economic and social development. Koç University consistently strives to advance knowledge through its efforts and to serve Türkiye, Europe and humanity as a model of institutional excellence. 


Aims and Activities

Koç University’s key aims and activities are centered around Koç’s various research forums and centers. 

Among those, the ones that are directly relevant to this project are the following: Migration Research Centre at Koç University (MiReKoc); Koç University Social Impact Forum (KUSIF); Vehbi Koç and Ankara Research Centre (VEKAM); Centre for Research on Globalization, Peace, and Democratic Governance (GLODEM); Koç University Gender Studies Centre (KOÇ-KAM); and Koç University Social Policy Application and Research Centre (KU-SPM). Research and education from these forums and centers are used in the CityLabs and the Superdiversity Academy in order to guarantee the best outcomes and results that will contribute to UNIC’s sustainable in Türkiye and Europe.

Koç University plays a vital role in the connection and cooperation between UNIC and its members and the Mediterranean Basin, the MENA region, and West Asia. As such, Koç University is an important partner for the further development and sustainability of bottom-up networks of universities across and outside the EU which will enable students to obtain a degree by combining studies in several EU countries and contribute to the international competitiveness of European universities.

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