News from the Department

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hasan Gürkan has been accepted into two international projects under the European COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Actions.

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sadi Kerim Dündar’s art and design project, "Cosmotheca: The Archive of the Eternal," created by Yakaza Studio, is being presented at the Turkey Pavilion at Osaka Expo 2025.

The event, which opened its doors on April 13, 2025, and will continue for six months, features Yakaza Studio's holistic ecosystem design, combining physical fabric craftsmanship with digital animation art. "Cosmotheca" offers a comprehensive experience, shaped by patterns and forms inspired by Turkish and Japanese cultural heritage, merging the sacred geometries of the past with the infinite potential of the digital age.

Accompanying the main installation is a special capsule collection, consisting of a limited number of unique pieces created from the patterns of "Cosmotheca," carrying Yakaza Studio’s wearable art vision. This collection offers visitors a chance to experience a unique fusion of art and design.

With "Cosmotheca," Yakaza Studio presents a new expression of intercultural dialogue, offering a timeless experience by bringing together the sacred geometries of the past, the cosmic rhythms of nature, and the infinite possibilities of the digital age. This project, which carries the aesthetic heritage of Turkish and Japanese cultures into the future, serves as a living cultural archive.

Event Duration: April 13, 2025 – October 13, 2025
Location: Turkey Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan

In our event, which will be conducted under the "Branded" course by the Department of Public Relations and Advertising, coordinated by Fatih Ölçekçiler, General Manager of Neuroscience ABS, Esra Sarıhan will join us.

We invite all faculty members and students who wish to attend.

The Invisible Measurements of Advertisements
News: Sude Akgün – Senanur Akat – Amine Yağmur Göz

In an event organized under the "Branded" course by the Department of Public Relations and Advertising, Faculty of Communication, Istinye University, neuromarketing expert Mehmet Kaya was hosted under the coordination of Serra Uslu, Neuromarketing Consultant and Co-Founder of Neuro Academy. In his presentation titled "Neuromarketing Case Studies," Kaya conducted a workshop with students using applied EEG and Eye-Tracking devices to measure the unconscious responses of consumers to products and brands.

Kaya explained that by utilizing neurobiology to measure unconscious reactions to advertisements, more reliable results and deeper insights could be gained in marketing, predicting whether advertisements are liked or not, and how this affects the purchase of products. He demonstrated these concepts both theoretically and practically.

Through the ads shown to the students, Kaya showed how, with the help of these devices, students' focus, stress, and other reactions were measured at specific moments in the advertisement. The results were analyzed and explained to the students in a table format.

The event was highly enjoyable, providing students with both hands-on experience with neurology devices like EEG and Eye-Tracking, as well as a fun and informative lesson. At the end of the event, a certificate of appreciation was presented to Mehmet Kaya by Prof. Dr. Ruken Özgül Kılanç, Head of the Department of Public Relations and Advertising, and Serra Uslu, Neuromarketing Consultant and Co-Founder of Neuro Academy.

Generating Ideas Isn't Enough, Implementation Is Necessary

News: Amine Yağmur Göz - Senanur Akat - Sude Akgün

Esra Sarıhan, co-founder of YedirApp, was our guest at an event coordinated by Neuroscience ABS General Manager Fatih Ölçekçiler, held under the branded course of Istanbul University's Faculty of Communication, Public Relations, and Advertising. Sarıhan spoke on "Entrepreneurship in Communication: Next-Generation Connectivity and Interaction," discussing the transformation in the business world, the journey of entrepreneurship, and the importance of personal brand building. She emphasized, "Entrepreneurship is not just about generating ideas but also having the courage to bring those ideas to life and sustain them."

From Corporate World to Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

With a background in industrial engineering and extensive experience in a family business, Sarıhan mentioned developing a unique vision in the business world. She stated, "Starting with family pressure, this path provided me with a significant learning experience," and after managing in international markets, she ventured into entrepreneurship.

Success Story Extending from Turkey to London

Sarıhan, noted for founding a multi-category e-commerce platform in 2010, subsequently won a total of four international entrepreneurship awards, three of which were London-based. She said, "As a start-up, competing and receiving an award alongside major firms at the Steam Awards was a source of pride for us," highlighting their success on a global scale through discipline and original ideas.

"Yedir" and Corporate Identity in Home Cooking

Sarıhan's latest venture, "Yedir," stands out as a venture that brings home chefs together on a digital platform, integrating them into the economic cycle. She stated, "Home-cooked meals are not just stuffed vine leaves or stuffed peppers; they embody the cultural heritage of this country," mentioning their inclusion of a wide range of individuals from culinary graduates to housewives in production.

Communication and Personal Brand: The Unseen Face of Entrepreneurship

Stating that a good entrepreneur must also be an effective storyteller, Sarıhan emphasized that personal branding creates trust and inspiration. She said, "If you don't tell your story correctly, your idea will have no value. An entrepreneur must be credible both on stage and in the field," highlighting the importance of using digital tools such as LinkedIn and social media correctly in this process.

"Failure is a Beginning, Courage Keeps You Going"

Addressing young entrepreneurs, Sarıhan emphasized that failure is part of the journey, stating, "Your first attempt may not succeed. What's important is to learn and try again. Courage is the ability to stand up each time," concluding with the presentation of a certificate of appreciation to Esra Sarıhan by Prof. Dr. Ruken Özgül Kılanç, Head of the Department of Public Relations and Advertising, and Neuroscience ABS General Manager Fatih Ölçekçiler.

On April 7, 2025, Prof. Dr. Nezih Erdoğan, Chair of the Department of Radio, Television and Cinema, delivered a talk at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, Japan. The event also featured a screening of the video work titled “Istanbul: Do Redo Undo: Waters, Streets, Faces.”

The second event of the RTC Projections series took place on March 12, 2025, featuring Dr. Aslı Ildır’s talk titled "Digital Platforms and Changing Audience Culture." Dr. Ildır, a postdoctoral researcher on a TÜBİTAK-funded project at Kadir Has University, discussed how digital platforms, particularly popular streaming services like Netflix, have transformed film and television viewing habits from the perspective of audiences in Turkey.

The guest of this week's Media Arena program, organized by the Media Lab Workshop of the Faculty of Communication at İstinye University, was CNN Türk Reporter Merve Tokaz. In the talk titled "The Voice Reaching the Audience: Capturing the Moment in Journalism," Tokaz shared her professional experiences, field experiences, and advice with the students.

Istinye University, Selçuk Pharmacy Warehouse, Bozlu Art Project and Istanbul Ex-libris Association are organizing the 2nd International Ex-libris Congress at İstinye University on 20-24 August 2025.

Istinye University, Selçuk Pharmacy Warehouse, Bozlu Art Project and Istanbul Ex-libris Association organized an international ex-libris competition open to artists and designers from all countries in order to bring together and evaluate original ex-libris works, encourage their artists, and promote and popularize ex-libris art.

Those who are curious about ex-libris, want to make ex-libris with linoleum, gain skills, and learn while having fun, our university students, academic and administrative staff can join the Ex-libris Workshop.

The sixth guest of the “Media Arena” interview series organized by the Media Center of Istinye University’s Faculty of Communication was Bünyamin Sürmeli, one of Turkey's leading meteorology experts. Meeting with young communicators, Sürmeli discussed not only the weather but also the changing climate patterns of the world, the effects of the climate crisis, and the vision of sustainability. The interview was moderated by Dr. Özgenur Reyhan Güler.

Actor, playwright, screenwriter, and magician Kubilay Tunçer was the guest of the "Screen and Beyond Talks" program organized by the Media Center (Media Lab.) of Istinye University's Faculty of Communication. Emphasizing that storytelling is one of humanity's most fundamental needs, from theater to cinema, Tunçer also made significant statements regarding performing arts and digital transformation.

The fifth week of the Media Arena program, organized by the Media Studies Research and Application Center at İstinye University, featured Erdoğan Aktaş, a TV program host from TV100.

The first event of the Radio, Television, and Cinema Department's new series, RTC Projections, took place on March 11, 2025, moderated by Dr. Rana Öztürk. Kicking off with a talk by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hasan Gürkan titled 'The Perspective of Generation X, Y, and Z Turkish Media Professionals on the Relationship Between Gender and Murders,' the series aims to provide a platform for department faculty and guest speakers to share their latest academic research with students and fellow academics.

Within the scope of the Faculty of Communication İSÜATÖLYE Skill Development Workshops, the Ex-libris Workshop with Prof. Dr. Hasip Pektaş will start on October 22, 2024.

As part of Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) London's long-running Arts & Culture Lecture Series, the institute hosted a talk on "Cinema and Modernity in Occupied Istanbul (1918-1923).

The fifth session of the Cinema and History Seminars, organized by the History Foundation and Sinematek Cinema/House, took place on May 18, 2024, at 1:00 PM.

ADforce's University visits, sponsored by Pastavilla, took place at İstinye University Faculty of Communication on June 3, 2024. In light of the brief given, our students developed ideas for the advertising campaign.

The still life, collage, lens, subjective portrait, storyboard works made in the "Basic Design" course, the press release, banner works made in the "Advertising Design Applications" course, and the food, beverage, and cosmetic packaging works made in the "Packaging Design" course by the students of the Visual Communication Design Department were exhibited in the department.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hasan Gürkan, a faculty member of RTC, served as a researcher at the University of Girona in the Catalonia region of Spain for 2 years.

The 4th-year students of the Radio, Television and Cinema department presented their graduation projects to the jury during a two-day event.

On Monday, April 29th, the Communication Faculty held its faculty meeting chaired by Acting Dean Prof. Dr. Hatice Pektaş in H Block.

Head of Visual Communication Design Department Prof. Dr. Hasip Pektaş held an ex-libris workshop with the students of Bahçelievler Aydın Doğan Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School on April 26, 2024.

AR Poster Hackathon exhibition was held by İstinye University, Faculty of Communication on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 15:00 in the Vadi H Campus Foyer area. In the group exhibition with the theme "Designing the Future", the works of many artists working in the field of augmented reality are exhibited.

Faculty of Communication faculty member Dr. Rana Öztürk organized a trip to the Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum with the students of the Visual Communication Design department as part of the Art History course. During the trip, the course instructor guided the students about periods and works. Students had the opportunity to closely examine the works dated to different periods, which were the subject of the course.
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"Transformed Communication Codes in the Mediated World: A Contemporary Perspective" (Indexed Scopus) is a publication edited by Associate Professor Aybike Serttaş and Associate Professor Hasan Gürkan. Within this work, Lecturer Rana Öztürk, Research Associate Tugay Sarıkaya, Studio Manager Yaren Kalkan Aluç, and Lecturer Enes Aluç have contributed with their individual book chapters.

The fourth Media Harvest event, organized by the Faculty of Communication annually in the Fall and Spring semesters, was held on Thursday, November 23, at Vadi Campus, Building H, Conference Hall.

The fourth Media Harvest event, organized by the Faculty of Communication every year in the Fall and Spring semesters, was held on Thursday, November 23, at Vadi Campus, Building H, Conference Hall.

Students received awards from the courses given by Visual Communication Design department faculty members Prof Hasip Pektaş, Prof Hatice Öz Pektaş and Cahit Üstün. Awards were given in the categories of Best Basic Design, Best Advertising Graphic Applications, Best Publication Design, Best Experimental Ex-libris Design, Best Computer Visual Design, Best Advanced Typography and Best Advertising Photography.

We congratulate all our students who shared their projects and knowledge in the fourth Media Harvest and were inspired for new projects.