The program, held under the theme “The Limits of Vision and Beyond” (Bakışın Sınırları ve Ötesi) commenced on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Attracting significant attention from every corner of the country, a total of 2,042 young individuals from 173 universities participated both in person and online.
In the sessions of the first week of the Academy, where a total of 24 sessions will be held over 6 weeks and 30 distinguished experts will meet with participants under the theme “The Limits of Vision and Beyond”, various topics were discussed from different perspectives.
Moderated by Prof. Dr. Murat Şeker, Chairman of the Board of Turkish Airlines and a faculty member of our university's Department of Economics, our Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, the Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye Dr. Fatih Karahan, and the President of the National Intelligence Academy Prof. Dr. Talha Köse spoke at the opening panel titled “Making the Türkiye Brand Unique from an Interdisciplinary Perspective”.
In the panel, where strategies for branding our country were discussed, the message was delivered that our ancient heritage will only begin to receive its deserved global recognition if we first appreciate its value and narrative ourselves. It was emphasized that Türkiye's reconciliation with its own story will also enable people around the world to reconnect with their own roots.
In the seminar titled “Reason, Will, and Algorithm: Humanity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, our university’s President Prof. Dr. Atilla Arkan discussed the significance of knowledge and volition. He noted that as the relationship between humans and machines evolves, so do our habits and the flow of life. He reminded the audience that human reason and will hold an undeniable importance in tasks where artificial intelligence is utilized.
In a talk titled “Culture Industry and New Waves of Fascism” given by Eyüp Gökhan Özekin, the producer of popular and successful works such as Vefa Sultan and Mehmed: Fetihler Sultanı, the speaker addressed the importance and impact of TV series and films on audiences. Stating that the Turkish film and television industry holds a powerful global position, Özekin emphasized the need to utilize this power correctly.
Prof. Dr. Alev Erkilet, a distinguished faculty member from our Department of Sociology, spoke in the seminar titled “Wisdom in Perception and Interpretation”. Prof. Dr. Erkilet discussed the ethics of futuwwa, the ahilik (guild) culture, and the characteristics of a wise person in Turkish history and Sufism. She expressed that a true sage is an active subject living within society. Through the figure of Yunus Emre, she illustrated the exemplary traits of an individual who brings wisdom to their perception and interpretation.
Having garnered great interest with its opening sessions, Ibn Haldun Academy ’26 will continue until May 16 with seminars, talks, and panels featuring esteemed experts in their respective fields.
