Bahçeşehir University (BAU) ensures that local stakeholders—including community representatives, local government officials, and civil society organizations—actively participate in its governance and decision-making processes through structured and institutionalized mechanisms.
A comprehensive stakeholder analysis has been conducted by the university, and mechanisms enabling different stakeholder groups to provide feedback and participate in governance have been clearly defined. The following section presents detailed information regarding both the advisory boards and these participation and feedback mechanisms.
To further strengthen this governance structure, in 2024 Bahçeşehir University updated its “Advisory Boards Directive” to comprehensively cover both university-level and unit-level advisory boards. This update formally institutionalized stakeholder participation mechanisms and established a systematic process for incorporating the recommendations and feedback of advisory board members into the University’s decision-making and quality assurance systems.
The Advisory Boards Directive (Danışma Kurulları Yönergesi), which was approved by the Bahçeşehir University Senate and formally regulates the structure and functioning of both university-level and unit-level advisory boards.
BAU operates through a three-tiered advisory board structure. This model facilitates coordination between university leadership, institutional initiatives, and academic units, ensuring that sustainability and impact goals are both visionary and actionable.
At the university level, the Bahçeşehir University Advisory Board serves as key participatory platforms. These boards bring together representatives from local stakeholders, industry, non-governmental organizations, community leaders, and alumni to advise the University’s senior management on strategic priorities, social responsibility initiatives, and community engagement policies. Through regular meetings and consultations, these advisory bodies provide structured feedback and contribute to the University’s long-term social and economic impact strategies.
https://bau.edu.tr/icerik/17842-danisma-kurulu
In addition to the University Advisory Board, Bahçeşehir University also operates the University Social Impact Advisory Board, which serves as a key consultative body focusing on the university’s societal contributions and community engagement strategies.
This board ensures the active participation of local stakeholders, civil society representatives, public institutions, and community organizations in shaping BAU’s social impact agenda. By integrating the perspectives of these diverse groups, the University Social Impact Advisory Board strengthens collaboration across sectors and helps align university initiatives with broader community needs and sustainable development priorities.
Furthermore, each faculty within the University maintains its own Faculty Advisory Board. These boards include stakeholders from relevant professional sectors, local administrations, and civil society who contribute to curriculum development, research collaboration, and local partnership opportunities. By incorporating external expertise and community perspectives, the faculties ensure that their academic and research activities remain responsive to societal needs and local development goals.
This multi-level advisory structure provides a meaningful, institutionalized mechanism for stakeholder participation, ensuring that the voices of community members, local authorities, and civil society organizations—including those working in areas such as refugee integration, sustainability, and social inclusion—are directly reflected in University strategies and decision-making processes.
Through these mechanisms, Bahçeşehir University reinforces its role as a socially responsive and community-engaged institution, fostering mutual dialogue, accountability, and shared progress between academia and society.
Below there are two examples showing the information of the Advisory Board of Bahçeşehir University Faculty of Communication and Faculty of Health Sciences presented in visual form. If necessary, the advisory boards of the shared two faculties or other academic units are also can be reached by their websites.
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