Erasmus+ and Orhun Fall Semester 2026–2027 Incoming Student Orientation Held
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Istanbul Ticaret University welcomed 45 exchange students from 10 countries for the Fall Semester of the 2026–2027 academic year as part of the Erasmus+ and Orhun Exchange Programs with a two-day orientation program. The program, which covered a wide range of topics—from academic and administrative processes to campus facilities, residence permits, and social life—supported the students’ adjustment to university life and life in Istanbul.
Istanbul Ticaret University welcomed exchange students arriving at our university under the Erasmus+ and Orhun Exchange Programs for the Fall Semester of the 2026–2027 academic year with a comprehensive two-day orientation program.
Designed to help students from different countries and universities adapt quickly and smoothly to academic and social life, the program included information sessions on university procedures, campus facilities, student systems, social opportunities, residence permit processes, and life in Istanbul. A total of 45 exchange students from Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Romania, Poland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan participated in the orientation program.
GLOBAL ACADEMIC TIES ARE STRENGTHENING
Istanbul Ticaret University continues to host international students through the Erasmus+ and Orhun Exchange Programs, reaffirming its commitment to global education and intercultural academic collaboration. The participation of students from different countries in university life not only enriches the campus’s multicultural fabric but also contributes to the university’s vision of internationalization.
DAY ONE: ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES INTRODUCED
The first day of the orientation program took place at the Ahî Çelebi Campus in Eminönü. The program began with an opening speech by our Exchange Programs Coordinator, Asst. Prof. Dr. Elif Nuray Yıldırım.
Arda Türkoğlu, specialist at the Exchange Programs Coordinatorship, provided students with information about the office’s operations and the opportunities available to them. Specialist Betül Doğdu, meanwhile, briefed students on the services available to them and the processes involved in exchange programs.
Norbert Protasiuk, Erasmus+ trainee at the Exchange Programs Coordinatorship, shared his own Erasmus+ study experience and his internship process at the office, as well as his recommendations for Istanbul with the students.
Yaren Güzeller, President of the Erasmus Student Association and a student in the Department of Political Science and International Relations (English), introduced the association and provided information about the events planned for the upcoming semester. Efe, a student in the Department of Mathematics, introduced systems such as OBS and LMS that exchange students will use throughout their academic careers.
Following the presentations, an interactive Kahoot quiz was held to help students reinforce what they had learned. The day concluded with a campus tour.
DAY TWO: RESIDENCE PERMITS AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT
The second day of orientation began at the Sâdâbâd Campus in Sütlüce. The program started with an informational presentation by Betül Doğdu, Exchange Programs Specialist, on residence permit procedures, providing students with information about legal and administrative processes in Turkey.
Makhinur Maksimova, an Orhun student for the 2025–2026 Spring Semester, shared information about platforms and opportunities available to exchange students in Istanbul, drawing on her own experiences.
Sofija Petkova, an Erasmus+ trainee at the Office of Financial Affairs, delivered a presentation titled “Why I Chose Istanbul Ticaret University.”
As part of the program, campus tours and social events were organized to help students get to know the campus better and bond with one another. The day concluded with a luncheon.
PEER SUPPORT THROUGH THE BUDDY SYSTEM AND THE ERASMUS STUDENT CLUB
The Buddy System was also actively utilized during the orientation process to help students adapt more easily to university life and life in Istanbul. Volunteer Turkish students provided support to exchange students regarding campus life, university procedures, and daily life in Istanbul, helping them feel like part of the university community from their very first days.
In addition, the Erasmus Student Association participated in the orientation program to support exchange students’ involvement in social and cultural life. The association aims to help students stay informed about university events, meet other students, and participate in social activities organized throughout the semester.
INTERNATIONAL CAMPUS CULTURE IS STRENGTHENING
The two-day orientation program combined formal briefings with social and interactive activities, helping exchange students get off to a strong start in their academic and social lives at Istanbul Ticaret University.
Students arriving from various European countries under the Erasmus+ program and from Central Asia under the Orhun Exchange Program are contributing to the strengthening of Istanbul Ticaret University’s international and multicultural campus environment.
