Sabancı University and the University of Notre Dame Partnered for Istanbul Summer Program

Sabancı University partnered with the University of Notre Dame to host their study abroad summer program, “Istanbul Summer: From the Stone Age to the Drone Age,” at Minerva Han on July 6–17, 2026.

Through an interdisciplinary program combining classroom sessions with visits to museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions across Istanbul, students explored Türkiye’s history from ancient civilizations to the present day. The program examined Türkiye’s civilizational and cultural heritage, major historical transformations, and contemporary social, political, and geopolitical dynamics.

Sabancı University faculty members Mehmet Kuru, Berk Esen, and M. Tahir Kılavuz led sessions alongside scholars from the University of Notre Dame and other universities in Istanbul, offering students an immersive learning experience that connected academic discussions with Türkiye’s rich historical and contemporary context.