“What if I told you this building helped shape modern Turkey?” That is İstanbul Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi. It is more than just a school. It is a training ground for the nation’s leaders.
İstanbul Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi started in 1979. It began as the Faculty of Political Sciences. It is part of İstanbul Üniversitesi. The faculty aimed to promote research in political science. It also focused on public administration. The goal was to train experts in these fields.
The idea for the faculty began in 1962. Tarık Zafer Tunaya a law professor developed the project. The University Senate approved it in 1977. Law faculty members would establish the Faculty of Political Sciences. Seven professors left the Law Faculty. They became the founding members of the new faculty. These included names like Tarık Zafer Tunaya and Ümit Doğanay.
İstanbul Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi welcomed its first students in 1979. In 1980 it moved to the Bekirağa Bölüğü. This building is within the İstanbul Üniversitesi Central Campus. To allow graduates to take public service exams the faculty name changed. In 1986 it became İstanbul Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi. This matched the name of Ankara University’s faculty.
Initially the faculty had departments like Public Administration and International Relations. It also included Business Economics and Finance. In 1993 they started publishing the İstanbul Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi Dergisi. This is the faculty’s journal.
In 1999 the university rector closed the Economics Finance and Business departments. Only Public Administration and International Relations remained. The Business Department reopened in 2006. Today the faculty has three academic units. These are Political Science and Public Administration. The others are Political Science and International Relations and Business.
Between 2014 and 2018 the Bekirağa Bölüğü building underwent restoration. The faculty temporarily moved to İstanbul Üniversitesi’s Gülhane campus. In September 2018 it returned to its renovated building. It continues to serve at the Beyazıt Campus.
Inside the building is a statue by Ahad Hüseyni. It is called “Thinking Man.” It is a symbol of the faculty. The statue depicts an old man holding a globe. The sculptor said it represents lonely people. The right side of the face looks pessimistic. The left side appears optimistic. The globe shows the world’s difficulties. Around the globe is a halo with Atatürk’s quote. It says “Peace at Home Peace in the World.” This expresses hope for these difficulties to end.
İstanbul Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi continues its mission today. It shapes the minds that will lead Turkey. The “Thinking Man” statue reminds them of the world’s challenges. It inspires them to work toward a better future. A future of peace both at home and abroad.