Turkish officials have permanently shut down Istanbul Bilgi University by canceling its operating permit, according to an announcement in the country’s Official Gazette on Friday. The closure comes after government authorities took control of the institution during a criminal investigation last year.
The private university, which opened its doors in 1996, was purchased by Can Holding in 2019. However, the holding company’s assets were confiscated by the government as part of an ongoing probe into money laundering, tax evasion, and organized crime activities last year.
Following the government seizure, officials placed the university under the management of a state-appointed trustee. The institution currently serves approximately 22,000 students, with about 3,400 new enrollments expected for 2025.
According to Turkish news outlets, affected students will transfer their studies to the Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, which serves as Istanbul Bilgi University’s guarantor institution. Under Turkish law, all private foundation universities must designate a state university as their guarantor school.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan gave final approval for the decision to cancel Istanbul Bilgi’s operating license, effectively ending the university’s nearly three-decade operation.
