Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU) participated for the first time in the NAFSA Higher Education Fair, one of the world's most prestigious international events in the field of higher education, held in San Diego, USA, from May 27–30, 2025.
This year, 53 universities from Türkiye took part in the “Study in Turkey” pavilion and Istanbul Gelisim University represented its vision of quality and internationalization in higher education on the global stage. NAFSA, which hosts over 3,500 institutions from more than 150 countries every year, serves as the largest global meeting point for enhancing academic collaborations, fostering student and staff mobility, and creating diverse partnerships among universities.
IGU was represented at the fair by Vice Rector for Research and Development, Prof. Dr. Necmettin Maraşlı, and International Exchange and Cooperation Coordinator Alisa Usubova. During the four-day event, the university delegation held one-on-one meetings with leading universities from countries such as Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Romania, Peru, Canada, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Norway, Chile, Portugal, the United States, Poland, Spain, and Qatar. During the meetings, issues such as student and academic exchanges within the framework of the Erasmus+ program, bilateral cooperation program, joint research projects, short-term training programs and dual degree opportunities were discussed. It was agreed to establish cooperation with many institutions. These contacts will make significant contributions to our university's goals of expanding its international academic network and increasing its competitiveness in education on a global scale. Throughout the fair, Istanbul Gelisim University shared in detail its academic achievements, research activities, internationalization strategy, and student opportunities during high-attendance meetings. The university's commitment to educational quality and its open vision for international cooperation were highly appreciated by participating institutions.
NAFSA 2025 was not just a platform for promotion and networking, but also a highly productive event where the foundations of future strategic partnerships were laid. This important event enabled Istanbul Gelisim University to achieve concrete benefits, such as increasing its international visibility, strengthening student and academic mobility through Erasmus+ and similar programs, preparing the groundwork for joint scientific projects, and developing dual diploma and short-term academic programs.
At the same time, by reflecting the quality-oriented approach and global vision of our university in higher education, it has laid an important groundwork for the establishment of stronger and sustainable collaborations with academic stakeholders around the world. Istanbul Gelisim University will continue to carry out its international activities with determination in order to secure a stronger presence in the global education arena.
