Foundation History

The Hüsnü M. Özyeğin Foundation began its efforts to establish Özyeğin University in the fall of 2005. The foundation for Özyeğin University entailed comprehensive surveys conducted with more than 500 subjects including businessmen, faculty members, and university and high school students, in addition to a study on "Developing Sectors and Professions in Turkey and in the World". Based on the results of these studies, ARAMA Consulting began the designing process. The University’s fundamental values and vision were discussed and identified in collaboration with all of the stakeholders. Özyeğin University shaped its vision through a series of workshops. More than 300 participants attended these workshops, including businessmen, faculty members, university students, and new graduates.

In line with its collectively-shaped vision, Özyeğin University was officially established on May 18, 2007 to serve as a unique university that would contribute to social development through its modern education system, innovative structure integrated with life, academic approach intertwined with sectors, and academic programs tailored accordingly.

Özyeğin University welcomed its first students on its Altunizade Campus in September 2008, and opened the doors of its Çekmeköy Campus in September 2011.

Çekmeköy Campus

The Özyeğin University Çekmeköy Campus is a quiet, peaceful, and tranquil university campus. Created by a leading architecture firm, which also designed the buildings of the University of Cambridge and Princeton University, the OzU Çekmeköy Campus is Turkey’s first LEED-certified campus. Situated on 283,000 square meters of land, the campus offers all the amenities and facilities necessary to foster students’ academic development, and their exposure to social, sportive, and cultural events, through its quiet and comfortable study rooms, modern classrooms, and laboratories, 15,000 square meter Athletic Center, 2,825 square meter library, and its two auditoriums with a 350- and 372-person capacity, respectively.

OzU aims to prepare high-impact graduates who make a difference

Since its founding, Özyeğin University has embraced the mission of third generation universities led by top notch universities such as MIT and Cambridge. With this mission, Özyeğin University opened its doors as an “entrepreneurial research university”. Today, Özyeğin University is forging ahead with unwavering commitment to “developing value-added projects at the service of society.” To achieve this goal, the OzU faculty has been relentlessly developing new projects that have a potential for commercialization, in addition to rigorously conducting research studies and publishing articles in international journals.

Özyeğin University was established with the mission of serving society as an entrepreneurial and research-focused learning center, which is integrated with modern life. In line with this mission, Özyeğin University offers an innovative education model that adds value to students to prepare them as entrepreneurial and resourceful graduates vested with an in-depth knowledge about the rising professions, a good command of at least one foreign language, highly developed skills in information and communication technologies, and a sheer talent in putting their knowledge into practice. Özyeğin University endeavors to instill in students the passion and dedication to make a difference both for their employers and their community by capitalizing on the skills, competencies, and experiences they acquire both in academia and in the real world. OzU cultivates not only “professionals” but also “entrepreneurs”.

Özyeğin University believes that all students, no matter what their circumstances might be, must have access to high quality education. 90.4 percent of all of the undergraduate students at Özyeğin University hold scholarships. The University currently has 7 faculties, 3 graduate schools, and 1 vocational schools, offering a total of 23 undergraduate, 18 master’s degree, and 10 doctoral degree programs. Özyeğin University prepares its students for life on its Çekmeköy Campus spanning 283 thousand sqm area of land.

Özyeğin University's 10th Anniversary Website (2008 - 2018)