Controversy swirls as Istanbul University opens to visitors

ISTANBUL

The decision of Istanbul University, one of Türkiye's venerable educational institutions, to open its campuses to public visits has ignited controversy.

Istanbul University recently announced that all campuses in Istanbul, including the university's iconic Beyazıt campus, are now open to visitors. The university's students showed their disapproval of the decision, as several student clubs issued a joint statement criticizing the decision.

Photos shared on social media drew as much reaction as the decision. In the photos citizens visiting the university were seen watching students listening to lectures in the university's lecture hall. Stating that these images caused security concerns, some students shared posts with the caption "Istanbul University is not a museum."

"The photos of the pre-inspection visit of a national television channel officials, accompanied by our staff on duty between classes for the shooting to be carried out at a later date within the framework of the institutional permission previously obtained, have been distorted. This issue, which has been turned into social media propaganda, is a provocative attempt to wear down our university,” the university said in a written statement.

The statement stressed that Istanbul University campuses have historical places and that these historical places will continue to host projects and programs of national and international media organizations as in the past. The university highlighted that the public is well aware of the support and importance it gives to science and art.

The university will initiate a legal process immediately regarding social media accounts that deliberately shared provocative images, read the statement.