about Istanbul
about ITU
about SDKM
Transportation
Helpful websites
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This year the 23rd of the International Symposium on Computer and Information Sciences (ISCIS 2008) will be organized by Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey. The Symposium will be held on October 27-29, 2008 at Suleyman Demirel Cultural Center of Istanbul Technical University.
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| About Istanbul |
Istanbul is one of the most beautiful cities in the world that spans two different continents, namely Europe and Asia. Istanbul is established on both sides of the Bosphorus which connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara and joins Asia and Europe.
Istanbul has always had a great geopolitical importance due to its location. Once being the capital city of two consecutive empires (the Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire), Istanbul is still the commercial, historical and cultural center of Turkey. Also, Istanbul is a cultural, political and financial center for the Balkan and Middle Eastern Countries and the Turkic Republics of Central Asia.
Around 7 million tourists visit Istanbul every year, and admire the historical and natural beauties of the city. Istanbul is a place where East and West, Asia and Europe meets, and different cultures and religions create a harmonious synthesis. The ancient mosques, palaces, museums and bazaars reflect its diverse history. Taksim is one of its several shopping and entertainment centers. The beauty of the Bosphorus, Princess Islands and parks provide a place of peace to the otherwise chaotic metropolis. The moderate climate and and the excellent Turkish Cuisine make it a place worth to visiting. |
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About ITU www.itu.edu.tr |
ITU was established in 1773, during the time of the Ottoman Sultan Mustafa III. With its original name "Muhendishane-i Bahr-i Humayun", The Royal School of Naval Engineering, its responsibility was to educate chart masters and ship builders. In 1795, the "Muhendishane-i Berr-i Humayun", The Royal School of Military Engineering, was established to educate the technical staff in the army. In 1847, education in the field of architecture was also introduced.
Established in 1883, the School of Civil Engineering assumed the name 'Engineering Academy', with the aim of teaching essential skills needed in planning and implementing the country’s new infrastructure projects. Gaining university status in 1928, the Engineering Academy continued to provide education in the fields of engineering and architecture until it was incorporated into ITU in 1944. Finally, in 1946, ITU became an autonomous university which included the Faculties of Architecture, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
With a history stretching back 227 years, providing technical education within a modern educational environment and strong academic staff, ITU is strongly identified with architectural and engineering education in Turkey. Since its inception and foundation under Ottoman rule, ITU has constantly lead the way in reform movements, and in the latter era of the Republic of Turkey, ITU has assumed pivotal roles in the reconstruction, modernisation, and administration of the country.
The efforts and expertise of ITU graduates have been major contributors in the planning and construction of Turkey's roads, bridges, dams, factories, buildings, energy plants, communication networks, villages and cities. ITU is a state university which defines and continues to update methods of engineering and architecture in Turkey. It provides its students with modern educational facilities while retaining traditional values, as well as using its strong international contacts to mould young, talented individuals who can compete in the global arena. |
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| TRANSPORTATION |
Istanbul is one of the biggest cities in the world. It has public transport both on land and on sea. You can find taxis, dolmus, buses, sea-buses and ferry boats as well as trams and metros. Below we give some information about the transportation from the airport and about our public transportation system.
Tranportation from the airport:
Istanbul Ataturk Airport is about 20-25 km. from Taksim, which is one of the major centers in the city and 25-30km from Maslak, ITU Campus. The journey from the airport to Taksim takes about 30-45 minutes by taxi or by shuttle bus. You can take a taxi or use the shuttle bus from Ataturk Airport to Taksim. The shuttle busses to and from the airport are operated by HAVAS. Taxi costs about 30 YTL (~18 Euros) during the day. HAVAS shuttle buses cost 10 YTL (~6 Euros) per person; you pay 25% more for the night time (24:00-06:00).
Bus:
The public transportation system is good in Turkey. There are two types of busses, public and private. Public busses are red or green in color. You can buy your ticket from a person sitting in a little white house with the writing I.E.T.T. on. Private busses are blue in color. In private busses you buy your ticket after you get on the bus. The ticket fares are the same for public and private busses. A tickte costs 1,3 YTL, which is approximately 0,75 Euros. If you want to get on a bus that goes from the Europen side of Istanbul to the Asian side or vise versa you should buy 2 tickets. Turkish people who go daily by bus buy a kind of chip (called Akbil) and use them for all public and private transfers. Through that they can save some money.
Taxi:
Written and spelled as "Taksi" in Turkish. They are yellow in color. The taximeter starts with around 2 YTL which is approximately 1,2 Euros and 1,3 YTL for every km. During the day time it should be written "GUNDUZ" which means day at the taximeter. The night time fares (between 24:00-06:00) are 25% more expensive and it should be written "GECE" which means night at the taximeter. The staff in most of the hotels can call you a taxi and help you to explain to the taxi driver where you like to go.
Trams and metros:
For the tram you need to buy token or for the metro tickets (similar looking to metro cards in London but you will not receive them back after you put them in the machine) which are available near to each tram and metro station. Whenever possible, this kind of transportation should be preferred in Istanbul since it is inexpensive, practical, comfortable, and fast. You get rid of the traffic jam.
Dolmus and minibus:
A dolmus and a minibus operate in a similar way. They are practical and thus people prefer them, however, they do not operate on each line. A dolmus is yellow in color and a minibus may be light blue or beige in color. A dolmus usually operates on longer distances while a minibus usually operates on shorter distances. You are guaranteed to travel by sitting on a dolmus while you may travel on foot on a minibus. After you get on the dolmus or on a minibus you simply tell the driver how many people you are and where you like to go. The important thing to know is that there does not exist a special dolmus or minibus station where they stop every time. You should let the driver know when you like to get off the dolmus or the minibus. He will stop in a suitable place where you like him to stop for you. Although the price you pay depends on the destination you want to go, it is usually suitable.
Ferry boats and sea busses:
They are used heavily to go from the European side of Istanbul to the Asian side and vise versa. They leave every 30 Minutes to and from the Asian side and provide an ideal chance to escape from the traffic in the rush hours in Istanbul. On ferries you can sit outside and inside but they take longer than sea-busses. Ferry token can be bought on each ferry station. Token for sea busses are more expensive than tokens for ferry boats. During the summer time there are 2 public ferries and during the winter time there is only one public ferry a day leaving from Eminonu along the Bosphorus. From Sirkeci, which is near to the ferry station in Eminonu, you can go to the Princess Islands. The ferries leave around every 90 minutes from Sirkeci. The ticket back to Sirkeci can only be bought on the Islands. The tickets have to be kept until you get off the ferry in Sirkeci. The ferries between the Islands can be used free of charge. On each Island you will find a board with the timetable where you can check the departure time of the ferries. |
Helpful Websites
In the following links, you can find further information on Istanbul, and Turkey:
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