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Istanbul Nişantaşı University hosted the 20th Istanbul Informatics Congress, organized in collaboration with the Istanbul Branch of the Informatics Association of Türkiye. Held on November 5, 2026, at our Maslak Campus under the theme “AI-Powered Future: Technology and Society,” the congress brought together representatives from academia, the public sector, and the business community.
The opening session of the congress began with speeches by our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Komsuoğlu Çıtıpıtıoğlu; our Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Prof. Dr. Hasan Alpay Heperkan; President of the Informatics Association of Türkiye, Kenan Nurhan Altınsaat; and President of the Istanbul Branch of the Informatics Association of Türkiye, Cemal Kıvanç Öner.
In her opening speech, our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Komsuoğlu Çıtıpıtıoğlu, highlighted the transformative impact of technological developments on higher education, emphasizing that artificial intelligence is reshaping professional expertise and educational systems.
Explaining our University's efforts to adapt to this transformation, Rector Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Komsuoğlu stated that artificial intelligence courses have been incorporated into curricula not only in engineering programs but also across al academic fields, particularly health sciences, social sciences, arts, and design.
She emphasized the importance of developing students' digital competencies and strengthening collaboration between academia and industry through certificate programs, training courses, congresses, and conferences organized under the FutureX Institute and AI Hub.
Addressing our University's practice-oriented educational approach, Rector Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Komsuoğlu Çıtıpıtıoğlu stated that students are encouraged to gain professional experience through the 7 1 education model implemented in faculties, the 3 1 model in vocational schools, and the 6 2 model in the School of Applied Sciences. Highlighting the importance of partnerships with industry, particularly in information technology and software development, she invited business representatives to develop joint projects with our University.
The main session of the congress, titled “AI-Powered Future: Technology and Society,” explored applications of artificial intelligence across various sectors.
The session featured Çağdaş Mersinlioğlu, Head of the Information Technology Department at İETT; Mehmet Fahri Can, General Manager of İŞNET; Ceyda Ünal, General Manager of BELBİM; and Economist Dr. Hakan Yurdakul. Discussions focused on the impact of artificial intelligence on transportation systems, digital services, the technology ecosystem, and economic development.
The session titled “New Dynamics in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation” addressed digital healthcare, cybersecurity, blockchain technologies, emerging financial systems, and digital accessibility. Dr. Cenk Tezcan, Co-Founder of BeWell; cybersecurity expert Murat Lostar; Cemil Şinasi Türün, Founder of Defterhane Blockchain; and Prof. Dr. S. Gonca Telli Yamamoto shared developments and insights from their respective fields of expertise.
The session titled “Location Intelligence and Corporate Transformation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” examined the impact of artificial intelligence on business management processes, human resources, and enterprise software systems.
Featuring representatives from Esri Türkiye, LOGO Software, Link Bilgisayar, and various technology organizations, the session explored location intelligence, enterprise resource planning systems, cloud technologies, and the future of AI-powered business processes.
Academics from our University also contributed their scientific research to the session titled “Machine Learning, Data Science, and Big Data in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Dr. Ulaş Vural, a faculty member of our Department of Computer Engineering, presented his research on big data and machine learning applications in airport infrastructure.
Dr. Ali Özkurt, also from the Department of Computer Engineering, delivered a presentation titled “Human-Machine Collaboration Towards Industry 5.0: Modeling the Future,” discussing the complementary roles of humans and technology in next-generation production processes.
The session, which also featured contributions from Prof. Dr. İsmail Önden of Istanbul University, examined applications of data science and machine learning across various fields.
As part of the congress, researchers from various universities presented their studies on artificial intelligence and information technologies during scientific paper sessions held in two separate hals.
The presentations addressed a wide range of topics, including the impact of artificial intelligence on society and working life, large language models in software engineering and cybersecurity, generative artificial intelligence applications, user experience, data management, and enterprise software systems.
The sessions also featured research on healthcare technologies, smart manufacturing, machine learning, and risk analytics, highlighting the potential applications of artificial intelligence across different disciplines. Researchers and students had the opportunity to share their scientific studies and poster presentations with participants.
Bringing together public institutions, technology companies, academics, researchers, and students, the 20th Istanbul Informatics Congress provided an opportunity for a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of artificial intelligence not only on technological developments but also on social life, education, and the business world.
The congress also contributed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, by supporting the development of digital competencies, promoting innovative technologies, and strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.
Istanbul Nişantaşı University continues to support scientific research, innovation, and industry engagement by advancing its educational and research activities in artificial intelligence and digital technologies.