ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Guide for ERASMUS Exchange Students 2012-2013 Istanbul University School of Business ERASMUS Committee
Dear ERASMUS Students, Welcome to Istanbul University School of Business Administration. We all wish you will have a good academic semester/year here, while you could meet a different perspective on Turkey and Istanbul. With a very long history, Istanbul University has built itself a very strong culture of education. School of Business Administration also has a very unique and inspiring Business studying culture and école for every department. By the year 2012, Istanbul University School of Business had received The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business Accreditation AACSB as the first State University Business School in Turkey. Exchange programs are usually a very good opportunity for people to widen their horizons, to learn other cultures and places and more importantly to get to know themselves. We all hope your experience would give you your expectations and even more. We wish you a pleasant stay in Istanbul! Istanbul University School of Business Administration ERASMUS Committee
Istanbul University History One of the main characteristics of Istanbul University is its leadership in higher education for centuries. It has played a guiding and influential role in the social and cultural life of our country. We can clearly see this when we trace the line of historical development of the University. Istanbul University, as one of the oldest educational institutions, not only of Turkey, but also of the world, was founded when Mehmet the Conqueror conquered Istanbul. Education began to be available in theological schools ("medrese/madrasah" as they were then called), until the end of the 16th century, these schools were instrumental in educating the ruling cadres of the Ottoman society. However, when the "madrasahs" were no longer able to meet the needs of the modern world, a restructuring process began, and as a result, the institutions of higher education called "Dar ül fünun," (meaning house of the sciences) the core of Istanbul University, were established. Through the educational reforms, introduced by the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the "madrasahs" were abolished in 1924. As a first step in modernization, the Istanbul Dar ül fünun was established, comprising the departments of medicine, law, literature, theology, and science. The institution was renamed Istanbul University in accordance with Ataturk's University Reform, and higher education was restructured in Turkey to meet the demands of contemporary society. During these early years, Istanbul University welcomed foreign academics who fled Germany as teaching staff. When the Turkish Republic was founded, Istanbul University was the only institution of higher education. That is the reason why it is the provider of teaching staff for all the universities in Turkey today. Many academics educated here have initiated the establishment of the other higher education institutions. Thus, Istanbul University has always been instrumental in the training and strengthening of our country's scientific cadres. In addition to its scientific impact, Istanbul University has also been a leader in the movement towards enlightenment and modernization that began with the Republic by acting as a bridge between science and life. It is aware of its role in the perpetuation of Atatürk's principles and reforms. Istanbul University will protect in line with this in all issues pertaining to public life with no concessions from its decisive stand. Istanbul University functions as a reflection of Turkey's history of science and independence. As was the case in its history, Istanbul University is still in the vanguard of scientific success. Our alumni figure in all strata of society and serve their country through the important positions they hold. (http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/english/introduction.php)
Location Istanbul University consists of 17 faculties, 5 departments, 13 schools, 15 institutes and 26 centers situated in many districts of Istanbul. In the firts years of its existence, the university was based in Beyazıt the historic area in the environs, but with the passage of time, it expanded to locations in many regions of Istanbul. Today, the Rectorate, the administrative units attached to the Rectorate, and a number of faculties and colleges are situated in Beyazıt, Lalaeli, Saraçhane and Vezneciler. The university, which has two large caculties of Medicine in Cerrahpaşa and Çapa, also possesses campuses in other districts of Istanbul., such as Bakırköy, Şişli and Kadıköy. The two larger campuses of the university are in Avcılar and Bahçeköy, approximately 25km. from the city centre. The university has additional support units for education and research in may regions of Turkey, such as Silivri, Sapanca, Gökçeada, Van and Antalya. The students of a university possessing such an extended site in a big city like Istanbul naturally gain access to the historical assets of the city and to the numerous cultural activities on offer. School of Business Istanbul University was established in 1453. Richard Honig, a German law historian, who claims that Byzantine and Ottoman traditions could be analyzed together, expressed that the history of Istanbul University can be traced back to March, 1st, 1321. The university which was first established in today's main building, and which was equivalent to Roman universities consisting of schools of medicine, law, philosophy and letters, is considered to be the pioneer of university education is Istanbul. On the other hand, according to Turkish researchers, the root of Istanbul University dates back to 1453 when Istanbul was conquered by Mehmet II. In fact scientific meetings held on May 30th 1453 - the following day of the conquest, in Zeyrek and Hagia Sofia are assumed to be the birthday of Turkish- Ottoman academic life and it was followed by the foundation of a Külliye. As a matter of fact, Sıddık Sami Onar states that Turks were not able to find a university to reflect their culture in a city where they wanted to dwell, so they established a brand new one. Cemil Birsel emphasizes that the starting point of Istanbul University including the schools of law, medicine, science and letters was Fatih Külliyesi established in 1470. Soviet medical scientist Danişevski indicates that School of Medicine at Istanbul University is the oldest one in the world.
Istanbul University was restructured in 20.06.1973 accordingly with the legislation on New Universities numbered 1750 on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. The above mentioned legislation which changed the legislation numbered 4936 completely, gave the duty of providing the newly founded universities and Higher Education Council with certified staff to old and well-established universities. In accordance with that legislation, Istanbul University has been able to provide highly qualified staff for those developing universities to a great extend. Today Istanbul University is subject to the law numbered 2547 dated on 06.11.1981 and functions as a contemporary, secular and progressive educational establishment and fulfils historical, scientific and social objectives. The serpentine emblem, the symbol of the University of Istanbul, was designed by Prof. Süheyl Ünver, inspired by Seljuk Health Centre reliefs. Until the beginning of the 19th century various educational systems were implemented under the rule of Ottoman Empire. Then, in 1933, Istanbul University became the first modern university after the University Reform reinforced by M. Kemal Atatürk. Having realized that the Madrasa System which was based on Islamic principles of education would never be able to meet the needs the new society; Atatürk foresaw the necessity to establish a new educational system similar to those already practiced in western societies. Thus, a new law concerning the unification of all education systems ( Tevhid-i Tedrisat) was passed; then all educational institutions based on religious practices were banned. Consequently, all educational issues were made to fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education. In 1933 University reform was promulgated. Istanbul University, School of Business Administration was first founded in 1954 by Harvard Business School. Today the School of Business Administration has the Institute of Business Administration which offers programs for post graduates. The School of Business Administration started on Beyazıt campus in 1968 then it was moved to Rumeli Hisarüstü in 1983 and finally in 1989 it was moves to Avcılar campus. We have 8 departments; Accounting Finance Human Resources Management Marketing Organization and Management Organizational Behavior Production Management Quantitative Techniques
How to Register? You need to have a registration process in Beyazıt Campus at International Academic Relations Office first. After that, for School of Business Administration all you need to do is; Fill out the ERASMUS Student Information Form Fill out the ERASMUS Incoming Student Form (for ERASMUS Office) Add 2 of you recently taken photos (1 if you already have an student ID) Give a copy of your passports (Your ID page, Expiration dates, photo and visa) If you also have a Turkish passport and you are in Turkey with that document, please make sure that you add your ID card copy to the form. After you have given these documents to the Student s Office you are now registered. But please do not forget, your ERASMUS Incoming Coordinator needs ERASMUS Incoming Student Form for your file. How to choose your courses? As from this semester Business School students choose their courses online. But for ERASMUS Students this system wouldn t work, since there are lots of courses with prerequisite. For this reason you will choose your courses by filling out ERASMUS Course Application Form. All you have to fill out are; date, the semester(s) you will be enrolled, your home universities name, your country, name of your courses course code and the group you will be choosing this course and your signature. Then, you will check with your ERASMUS incoming representative, after he/she approves your schedule all you need to do is to return the form to Students Office (Ground Floor). If you also know Turkish and would like to take some Turkish courses, please make sure that your home University accepts that you will study in Turkish. If you are just allowed to take English courses in that case, the course groups will always be A and make sure that you are checking the right schedule. For courses in Turkish you may choose between the B,C,D groups according to your schedule. Unlike some European countries, in Turkey we have fixed schedule. All courses are fixed at one day of the week and hours and assign to a classroom. These classrooms could be moved to someplace else because of physical reasons. Please make sure you have the information. Fixed schedules also mean that you are not allowed to have two different courses on the same day, same time. Please make sure that you did not double the time table. If you are staying for more than one semester, you have to register for only Fall semester courses now. Spring semester course selection will be at the beginning of the spring semester. You will have to re-fill an application form.
For every course you take, please make sure that the Lecturer knows that you are an ERASMUS student. Even though you may understand Turkish, sometimes course language could be very fast or the examples could be very local. After the course selection and placement period is over(which is 23 rd of September 2011 for Fall Semester), please make sure that you could get all the courses you wished to. In order to do that, please go to the Students Office and get a signed paper of your courses you are taking. Sometimes some students would like to take some courses from other Faculties. Istanbul University allows you to have max. two courses from other Faculties, due to the scheduling problems. Every Faculty has their own schedules and this could cause overlaps of courses or exams. Please note that, any overlap of your schedules in different Faculties is your personal responsibility. In the course Application form you are asked to name the courses and the Faculties if you want to take courses from other Faculties. But this is just for our information. You need to contact with that Faculties ERASMUS Coordinator and register there. We also need you to bring us ERASMUS- Course Application Form (For Other Faculties) after the ERASMUS Coordinator of the Faculty signs. This is a very important step for you to follow, if you would like to see your other Faculty courses on your transcripts. Without this approval, we cannot transfer your grades or credits from other Faculties. When your semester is over When your courses are over make sure that; You have signed your Learning Agreement You have got your paper regarding your Confirmation of Stay You got your transcript (Not dökümü) You have given back all the books that you have borrowed from the Library You make certain warning to the Student Dormitory that you are staying Check with you adviser at your home University if you need any other document than these. For some Universities, you also need to have approved (by the Lecturer or Student s Office) syllabuses. If you are staying for more than one semester please learn the dates for spring semester course selection. You do not have to re-register. You just need to select your courses. Other than de-registration at the University please make sure you had de-register from the council houses. If you are living with friends, make sure that they know when you will be leaving and how long you will be paying rent with them.
After you go back to your country Sometimes, after our students leave for home, they might need additional documents in order to sign up their transcript and grades there. We are sorry to declare that we have no other document but your transcripts and syllabuses. Any other document you will need is better to be asked to the course Lecturer. Even then, they would not have the authority to give you such documents (like one showing that you were in the top 1% of your class, or you have studied some topics in their courses, which has not been deeply explained at the syllabuses.). Other registrations and Student Card With your registration in International Academic Relations Office in Beyazıt, you have given a Student ID. You will need them for entering to Uni Campuses, for entering your exams and borrowing books from the library. You will be asked to write your student number on you answer sheets for the exams. With loading money credit on your cards you would be able to have your meals in Menzas. For transportation, Istanbul City Municipality offers a student discount card (Almost 50% discount in public transportation). For that usually University applies for students with you application form, photo and some application money (changes every year). But the registration period is very long (nearly the half of the semester) and the cards return very late. For this reason, we recommend our ERASMUS students to apply personally to Istanbul City Municipality. (http://www.iett.gov.tr/basvuru/bas_ind.php) For health care, our University has medico-social facilities. With in every Campuses, we have medical centers helping students with their basic health problems, and if needed could lead you to our University hospitals. You will also need your student ID for medicosocial facilities. Other Useful Information At the School building we have a wireless connection at the campus. There is a copy center with in the building; unfortunately you cannot print out there. You need to get out of the campus for copy centers and printers. Istanbul University has a very old and strong main Library at Beyazıt Campus. We also have Business School Library within the building on the first floor. Make sure you leave you switch off your cell phones and leave your belongings before you enter. There are Turkish and English sources, books, journals and periodic. But if you have any trouble for finding an English document there related to the subject that you are studying please ask your
Lecturer or Research Assistant at that course. They may lead you to a source for your subject. Within the building, there are some wending machines and there is a cantina. The personnel working in the cantina probably does not speak English. Pointing out what you want or asking help from a classmate would be useful. Courses & Exams As we already pointed out before, for every course please make use you have introduce yourself to the Lecturer and let him/her know that there is a ERASMUS student attending to the course. School of Business Administration has an attendance requirement of 70% for the courses. Some Lecturer s would not, but some might take attendance and if you do not match the min. level for the course you cannot take final exam (and also the make-up exam). You will automatically fail because of attendance. This course will appear as FD notification on your transcript. For every course, Lecturers may set some project, homework assignments. (You could have this information online (http://egitimdeyapilanma.istanbul.edu.tr/), or from syllabuses) Some assignments are personal study while some others are group work. Please make sure you have a group for the project, if you cannot find one, please notify your Lecturer or the Teaching Assistant, so they could assign you to a group or give you a personal assignment. For the courses with projects, you might need to do a presentation, or submit your project at a certain deadline. Please learn all the details about your project from the Lecturer or the Teaching Assistant. For every semester at least three weeks before the period, mid-term schedule are announced on Student Information Boards. For every semester and group these boards might differ. Please ask your classmates where you could find them. In School of Business Administration, we have a fixed exam schedule. The exams are taken, at the time and day that they are announced. Your Lecturer could not let you have your exam some other day. If you have another courses exam at the same time at some other Faculty, you need to ask for a reschedule at that Faculty. Please do not forget, you are responsible for overlaps. For final exams, you will have another chance at the make-up exams. For different Universities, the academic periods also differ. To avoid some complications please learn the spring semester registrations for your home University. (If you will also be with us for the Spring semester, that wouldn t be a problem for you). Sometimes the semesters could match; in that case you might have courses at both Universities. Unfortunately, you need to take your exams before you leave. We can fax and post your transcript after you leave if you couldn t wait until all grades are announced.
Student Life Even the academics are the major topic at Universities; ERASMUS is not just studying abroad. We believe you have student life experience from your Home Universities, but When you once became an ERASMUS, you will always be an ERASMUS. Sharing culture and exploring is one of the most important things at ERASMUS. Please try to make new friends and enjoy your time with them. For this purpose you can join the student clubs at the University and meet people who share your interests. Business, Culture and Sport Clubs within the School could bring you and Turkish students together. Also for the English Business Administration group, the majority of the students are Turkish and they all have language skills. This is an opportunity to make new friends without language problems. ESN (International ERASMUS Students Network) is a very well established organization in Europe and also in Turkey. Unfortunately, Istanbul University has not opened a chapter yet. Some students are still working on it, but for meeting other International students from all over the world, for parties and excursions you can still contact the ESN Istanbul Office (ESN Turkey http://www.esnturkiye.org/) Enjoy Before You Leave Istanbul is a very big and colorful metropol with the population over 17 million people. You could experience eastern and western cultures, Mediterranean and Orient cousin, and enjoy being at the middle of the World. Istanbul is a city of history, art and culture. Istanbul was the Cultural Capital of Europe for year 2010. 201-1-2012 will never be less. There are lots of cultural activities that you can enjoy. Concerts, shows, exhibitions are at almost everywhere. For this purpose you can check internet for social and cultural activities. Here are some suggestions; http://www.istanbul2010.org/index.htm http://www.iksv.org/ http://www.akbanksanat.com/ http://www.istanbulmodern.org/ http://www.peramuzesi.org.tr/ http://www.biletix.com/index.htm http://www.babylon.com.tr/tr/anasayfa/ History is just hiding around the streets in Istanbul. There are many very well-known historical heritage areas that you can visit. But if you have your student card with you most of the times you will gain almost 50% discounts. You can also get a Müze Card (For Müze Card (museum card you will need your Student ID) which will give you an opportunity to pay once to visit most of the important palaces and monuments at once.
Nature is also something you need to enjoy here. Make sure you see the same views in different seasons to enjoy at best. The Bosporus, forests, the golden horn and view by them could be a life time experience. We recommend you to see at least but not only; Hagia Sophia Basilica Cistern Grand Bazaar The Blue Mosque The Bosporus The Golden Horn Galata Tower Topkapi Palace Dolmabahçe Palace Yıldız Park Ortaköy Kariye Museum Maidens Tower The Princes Islands Kadıköy-Moda Istanbul University Main Campus Yedikule Beyoğlu-Galata Fener-Balat area Istanbul Modern Art Museum Piere Loti.. and more We hope you will enjoy your stay.
Consulate Information: Hope you would not need for anything bad, but in case you would need, here are consulates contact information Austria http://www.bmeia.gv.at/tr/botschaft/istanbul.html Address:Avusturya Başkonsolosluğu Köybasi cad. No. 46 34464 Yeniköy-ISTANBUL Tel: 0212-3638410 Fax: 0212-2622622 Belgium http://www.diplomatie.be/istanbul/ Address: Siraselviler Caddesi, 39 34433 Taksim - ISTANBUL Tel: 0212 243 33 00 Fax: 0212 252 47 46 Istanbul@diplobel.fed.be Bulgaria http://www.bulgarianconsulate-ist.org/tr/index.html Address: Bulgaristan Başkonsolusluğu Adnan Saygun Cad. 44 Ulus Levent-ISTANBUL Tel: 0212 2810115 Fax: 0212 2641011 Denmark Address: Meygede Sokak No: 2, 34342 Bebek, ISTAnbul info@denmark.org.tr France http://www.consulfrance-istanbul.org/ Address:Fransa Başkonsolosluğu İstiklal Cad. No:4 34433 Beyoğlu-ISTANBUL Tel: 0212-3348730 Fax: 0212-3348731
Germany http://www.istanbul.diplo.de/vertretung/istanbul/tr/startseite.html Address:Alman Başkonsolosluğu İnönü Cad. No:10 34437 Gümüşsuyu-ISTANBUL Tel: 0212-3346100 Fax: 0212-2499920 Italy http://www.consistanbul.esteri.it/consolato_istanbul Address:Italya Başkonsolosluğu Tom Tom Kaptan Sokak, 5 34433 Beyoğlu -ISTANBUL Tel: 212 2431024/5, 2525437, 2513294 Fax: 0212-2525879 Netherlands http://www.nl.org.tr/ Address:Hollanda Başkonsolosluğu İstiklal Cad. 197 34433 Beyoğlu-ISTANBUL Tel: 0212-3932121 Fax: 0212-2925031 Poland http://www.stambulkg.polemb.net/index.php?document=48 Address:Polonya Cumhuriyeti Başkonsolosluğu Giz 2000 Plaza, Ayazağa Köyü Yolu No: 7, K. 5 34389 Maslak -ISTANBUL Tel: 0212-2906630 Fax: 0212-2906632 Romania Romania does not have a Consulate in Istanbul Address: Romanya Büyükelçiliği Bükreş Sokak No.4 06680 Çankaya ANKARA Tel: 0312 4663706-4271243 Fax: 0312 4271530
Spain http://www.maec.es/subwebs/consulados/estambul/tu/home/paginas/home_tu_estamb ul.aspx Address:İspanya Başkonsolusluğu Karanfil Aralığı Sok No:16 1.Levent 34330 Beşiktaş-ISTANBUL Tel: 0212 2707410 Fax: 0212 2707484 United Kingdom http://ukinturkey.fco.gov.uk/tr/ Address: İngiltere Başkonsolusluğu Mesrutiyet Caddesi No 34 Tepebasi 34435 Beyoglu-ISTANBUL Tel: 0212 3346400 Fax: 0212 3156401 (Please do not forget to add 0090 before the phone numbers if you are not calling from Turkey)