Turkey revokes licence for university seized by state in criminal probe

ANKARA, May 22 (Reuters) - ‌Turkey ​has ​revoked the operational licence for Istanbul Bilgi University, effectively forcing it ‌to close, according to a decision ⁠published in the Official Gazette on Friday, after ‌the university was seized ‌by the state in a criminal investigation last year.

• Istanbul Bilgi University ​was established in 1996 and bought by Can Holding in 2019.

• Can ⁠Holding's companies were seized by the state as part ​of a money laundering, tax evasion and organised crime investigation last year.

• ​A trustee was appointed ‌to run the university following last year's seizure. It has ⁠some 22,000 students, with around 3,400 students registering in 2025.

• Turkish media say students ⁠will continue their studies at the Mimar Sinan ​University of Fine Arts, the Istanbul Bilgi University's guarantor school. A guarantor school is legally required ‌for all foundation universities and must be a state university.

• ‌Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan signed off ⁠on the decision ‌to revoke Istanbul ​Bilgi's licence.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Kate ‌Mayberry)

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