Bahçeşehir University

Bahçeşehir University or commonly abbreviated as BAU is a private university located around the Bosphorus in Çırağan Caddesi, Beşiktaş, Istanbul. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey authorized the establishment of Bahçeşehir University by the Bahçeşehir Uğur Education Foundation in 1998. In February 1998, an academic and strategic collaboration was signed with San Diego State University in California. The university's first cohort of students enrolled following the first university placement exam in the 1999–2000 academic year. The current rector is Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz.

Bahçeşehir University is a member of BAU Global, the international education network of Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institutions (Turkish: Bahçeşehir Uğur Eğitim Kurumları). BAU Global includes nine universities, four language schools, and two K-12 schools, Bahçeşehir College and Uğur Schools (Turkish: Uğur Okulları). Bahçeşehir University has established a long-term collaboration with Harvard University, focusing on various academic and research initiatives.

Bahçeşehir University consists of 8 faculties, 1 school of languages, and 2 vocational schools. Four institutes offer post-graduate education. The university has a total of 17,048 registered students, including 10,137 undergraduate students, 4,716 graduate students, and 1,072 associate degree students. The academic staff includes 1,047 faculty members, and 506 administrative personnel are employed by the university. The university operates across 4 campuses in Istanbul. The Bahçeşehir University Library, covering an area of 1,400 square meters, offers a collection of 250,000 publications, including books and e-books. Additionally, the campus hosts five cafés and restaurants, and the conference hall has a total audience capacity of 1,000.

Bahçeşehir University was awarded the "Superbrands of Turkey" title in 2007.