File photo. [AP]
Turkey has revoked the operating license of Istanbul Bilgi University, effectively forcing the private institution to shut down, according to a decision published in the country’s Official Gazette on Friday.
The move comes nearly a year after the university was seized by the state as part of a wider criminal investigation targeting companies owned by Can Holding, which acquired the university in 2019.
Authorities launched the investigation last year over allegations including money laundering, tax evasion and organized crime. Following the seizure, the government appointed trustees to oversee the university’s administration.
Founded in 1996, Istanbul Bilgi University is one of Turkey’s best-known private universities and currently has around 22,000 students. Approximately 3,400 students enrolled for the 2025 academic year, according to Turkish media reports.
