A Turkish-Italian University will be established in Istanbul, both Italian and Turkish officials confirmed. Turkish officials have told The New Anatolian that most of the legal work for the university have been completed.

The university will be public where the language of tuition will be Italian and Turkish.

A decision was taken to establish a Turkish-Italian University during the recent visit of Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema to Turkey.

D'Alema and Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan agreed to establish the university.

The ministers' decision was taken to further strengthen the historical and cultural ties between the two countries and the aim of mutually enriching the higher education systems in Turkey and Italy.

The university shall consist of the following academic faculties: Faculty of Sciences and Literature (Archeology, Preparatory Language School); Faculty of Architecture (Art-History, Graphic-Design, Renovation/Restoration); Faculty of Engineering (Industrial Engineering, Computer Sciences).

In order to assist and advise the University Senate in its academic undertakings, a Joint Committee with equal representation from both the Turkish and the Italian sides will be established. Details pertaining to the founding and duties of the said Committee, which will have five members from each side, will be determined in the intergovernmental Agreement, said sources.

Admittance to the university will be open to students who successfully undertake the university entrance exams in Turkey conducted by the Higher Education Board of Turkey (YOK), as well as those students who graduated from a high school where the primary language of instruction is Italian or students who studied Italian as an optional foreign language in Turkish high schools, provided they attain the minimum required points in the aforementioned examination and also pass a special examination conducted by the university.

Students of nationalities other than Turkish will be admitted at the University in accordance with the relevant Turkish legislation.

Students accepted to the university will undertake an Italian language competence test. Those students who are successful in this test shall be placed in the first year of their degree program. Those students who fail will be placed in a one-year preparatory language program. Students who successfully pass the language examination which is to be conducted at the end of the preparatory year will start the first year of their degree program.

The Turkish side will provide for a suitable plot of land, buildings and infrastructure necessary for the founding of the university and cover the regular operational costs.

The Italian side will contribute to the functioning of the university by providing faculty staff and covering laboratory costs.