Dean's Message
‘Water’ is the most important natural resource and it becomes more valuable every single day. People requirement who can manage this resource with an integrated approach and evaluate for industrial purposes increase in both public and private enterprises everyday. Because, water resources have the greatest reserves to meet the food, medicine and cosmetic needs of over seven billion people in the world as well as to meet people's drinking water needs and building an excellent ecosystem for the organisms.
Importance of water increased in respect to drinking water demand, food production and other requirements of over seven billion people in the world, water demand increased incomparable to demand of other natural resources. The presence of thousands discovered or undiscovered species in marine resources increases the interest in many new areas, especially Marine Pharmacology. With this aspect, it became a compulsory to cooperate with Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Environmental Sciences.With this purpose, several national and international projects were carried out in the past and there are still several projects which are carried out by our faculty, with high R & D outputs, including industrial product development, involving numerous disciplines.
Since our country is a ‘peninsula’ surrounded by Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea and containing several inland water resources with different characteristics, there is an opportunity to get more benefit from water resources.
Sustainable use of water resources, utilization of new products, and understanding water environment with a scientific approach is only possible by educated human resources. With this perspective, Faculty of Aquatic Sciences trains aquatic sciences engineers who will discover water environment with a scientific program within four years applying enjoyable training schedule with new discoveries.
Dear students;
Students who prefer our faculty will have the honor of learning the traditions which have long history of Istanbul University and training in an academic institution which have its own place in worlds respectable universities. Our faculty educates students who will be "Aquatic Sciences Engineers" by conducting a training program that includes in discovery the water world with scientific program during the four years and will greatly enjoy the discovery.
You will be in decision-making position on utilization, management, and providing sustainable use of water resources of our country with accumulated knowledge as ‘Aquatic Sciences Engineer’. As experts, you will work at municipalities, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Ministry of Forest and Water Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning, Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communication, and Ministry of Health. Aquatic Sciences Engineers will not only contribute knowledgeable human resources of our country but also you will possess knowledge to meet demands on aquatic sciences in every country. During your study, you will benefit from our laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, Sapanca and Gökçeada research units as well as our research vessels especially R/V Yunus-S.
I believe that today’s the most important investment is care of well-educated human resources and I greet our alumni and students with respect.
Prof. Dr. Meriç Albay
Dean of Istanbul University, Faculy of Aquatic Sciences
A Brief History of Aquatic Science Faculty
Marine and freshwater research in our country goes back until 1930s. Mustafa Kemal ATATURK instructed to identify species in our marine environment, develop scientific fishing techniques and purchase of necessary equipment to operate scientific vessel in his article number 10746 on 2 March 1931. Hereby, first academic research has started.
Scientific studies continued over time and Istanbul University Hydrobiology Institute was founded with efforts of Ord. Prof. Dr. KOSSWIG in 1951. Important research was conducted in the Institute on both freshwater and marine aquatic sciences from foundation to closing of the Institute in 1982. After closing of the Institute, library, some laboratory equipment, significant number of biological material and other fisheries collection of the Institute were transferred to Faculty of Aquatic Sciences (formerly Fisheries Junior College) which was founded in 1982. Most of the academic personnel and technicians of the Hydrobiology institute joined to the Faculty of Aquatic Sciences.
Our faculty was founded in 1982 with the law which was published in Official Journal (number: 7760) as Fisheries Junior College and started education in 1983. lt turned into Fisheries Faculty under the law which was published in Official Journal (number: 21281, date: 1.7.1992). Afterwards, the name of the faculty turned into "Faculty of Aquatic Sciences" and name of the programme turned into "Aquatic Sciences and Engineering" in accordance with the faculty education and studies with decree of Council of Ministers (Official Journal number: 30113).
Faculty of Aquatic Sciences aroused from 40 years of academic accumulation and gains of Hydrobiology Institute. According to foundation aims of our faculty, it graduates Aquatic Sciences Engineers and equip them with determination of aquatic flora and fauna species diversity, monitoring of biological and other water quality parameters in drinking water reservoirs, lakes, wetlands and marines, sustainable management and modelling of aquatic resources, developing ‘new products’ of processed sea foods using biotechnological tools, production of several fish and invertebrate species with environmentally friendly applications and let them reach to consumers, health, quality, hygiene of aquatic organisms, diagnostics of diseases and treatment of aquatic organisms.
Our faculty graduated first students in 1988 according to this aim. Today, along with “Aquatic Sciences and Engineering” undergraduate program, our faculty contains six master’s and six doctoral programs. Our faculty is located in Istanbul University Beyazıt Campus. Currently, 350 students enrolled in undergraduate program, 64 students enrolled in master’s program, and 47 students enrolled in doctoral program. Of our graduate students, 13 are foreigners. Total number of academic personnel working in our faculty is 64 (15 professor, 13 associate professor, 13 assistant professor, 18 research and teaching assistants, 4 specialist, and 1 foreign academician). Total number of administrative staff in our faculty is 74 (31 in faculty, 28 in Sapanca Research Unit, 8 in Gökçeada Research Unit, 8 in R/V Yunus-S research vessel).
Our laboratories, which are equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, can compete with distinguished institutes. Our faculty conducts a great number of national and international research projects funded by different agencies thanks to our qualified scientists and laboratory infrastructure. This research is published in national and international journals.
Faculty of Aquatic Sciences is proud to take its place in respectable academic institues in the world.
Aims
To organize current education program according to up-to-date national and international needs.
Objectives
Development of education programs according to public and private sector needs; to convey quality of education to international level; keep communication with alumni after graduation; Developing cooperation with industry.
Main Values and Principles in Education
- Scientificity, ethical approach, quality, promoting interdisciplinary learning
- To share produced knowledge with the society, to mind social sensitivity and beneficialness
- Respect to the environment, organisms and people, Life-long learning
Aims and Objectives of Education
- Aims: To organize current education program according to up-to-date national and international needs.
- Objectives: Development of education programs according to public and private sector needs; to convey quality of education to international level; keep communication with alumni after graduation; Developing cooperation with industry.
