İlmi Etüdler Derneği

What İlmi Etüdler Derneği does

İlmi Etüdler Derneği (İLEM) is a Turkish non-profit academic association founded in 2002 and headquartered in Istanbul (Üsküdar), operating under the İLKE (İlim Kültür Eğitim) Foundation umbrella alongside sister organizations İGİAD and YEKDER. Its mission is to provide interdisciplinary academic education bridging Islamic intellectual traditions with contemporary social science methodologies, targeting primarily undergraduate and graduate university students as well as academicians in Turkey. The organization runs a two-year İLEM Education Program (now in its 25th cohort, graduating in June 2026) and a graduate-level İhtisas (Specialization) Program featuring seminars, reading groups, and expert-led workshops.

İLEM's portfolio is structured as an integrated academic ecosystem. Core branded programs include the Türkiye Lisansüstü Çalışmalar Kongresi (TLÇK), held 14 times since 2012, and the International ILEM Summer School (IISS), held 9 times since 2013, with the 9th edition co-organized by WOLAS and İlim Yayma Vakfı in 2026. Research activities are organized through dedicated projects such as Türk Düşüncesi Araştırmaları Programı (TÜDAP), İslam Siyaset Düşüncesi Projesi, İslam Düşünce Atlası (İDA), and Medeniyet Havzalarında Tarih ve Tarihçilik Projesi (MHTT). Distribution channels comprise the İLEM website (www.ilem.org.tr), an e-bülten newsletter, the İLEM Blog (blog.ilem.org.tr), and İLEM TV on YouTube, supplemented by in-person events held at multiple Istanbul cultural centers and partner university campuses.

The organization has approximately 15 employees and is governed by a Board of Directors and General Assembly, with Prof. Dr. Ramazan Tiyek serving as Board Chairman since founding. Following an Extraordinary General Assembly in October 2025 and a new Board's first meeting in November 2025, İLEM has continued to expand programming, including an Erasmus+ KA153 partnership with International Balkan University (completed 2026) and a new applied Project Management Education program for civil-society organizations. There is no commercial revenue model; operations are funded through donations and membership contributions, and no pricing, revenue, or funding-round data is publicly disclosed.

Name

İlmi Etüdler Derneği

Legal name

İlmi Etüdler Derneği

Website

https://ilem.org.tr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

İlmi Etüdler Derneği (İLEM) is a Turkish non-profit academic association, founded 2002 in Istanbul, delivering interdisciplinary education, research projects, and an annual congress for Turkish undergraduate and graduate students and scholars, funded by donations and membership contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

HQ country

Türkiye

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

İlmi Etüdler Derneği (İLEM) is a Turkish non-profit academic association that delivers a two-year interdisciplinary İLEM Eğitim Programı for undergraduates and an İhtisas (specialization) program for graduate students, complemented by research projects, an annual Türkiye Lisansüstü Çalışmalar Kongresi, an International İLEM Summer School, book publishing, and digital content (blog and İLEM TV). Programs are offered without commercial fees and are supported by donations, membership contributions, grants, and institutional partnerships under the İLKE Foundation umbrella.

Product overview

İlmi Etüdler Derneği (İLEM) is an academic civil society organization operating as a multi-program educational and research institution. The core offerings include the two-year İLEM Eğitim Programı (Education Program) and the graduate-level İhtisas Programı (Specialization Program), supported by a portfolio of branded sub-programs: International ILEM Summer School (IISS), İLEM Istanbul Talks, and İLEM Yaz Kampı. Research activities are organized through dedicated projects including Türk Düşüncesi Araştırmaları Programı (TÜDAP), İslam Siyaset Düşüncesi Projesi, İslam Düşünce Atlası (İDA), and Medeniyet Havzalarında Tarih ve Tarihçilik Projesi (MHTT). The organization also hosts the annual Türkiye Lisansüstü Çalışmalar Kongresi (TLÇK) and maintains digital platforms including İLEM Blog and İLEM TV. Publications include books on Islamic thought, history, and social sciences. The portfolio functions as an integrated academic ecosystem combining formal education, research projects, public lectures, and digital content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• International ILEM Summer School (IISS): International summer school program organized by İLEM since 2013
• Türkiye Lisansüstü Çalışmalar Kongresi (TLÇK)
• İLEM Istanbul Talks
• İLEM Yaz Kampı
• İLEM Blog
• İLEM TV

Products and services

• İLEM Eğitim Programı (İLEM Education Program) A two-year interdisciplinary academic education program for undergraduate-level students covering Islamic sciences, social sciences, and academic research methodology, delivered through opening conferences, seasonal courses, book analyses, and a graduation ceremony.
• İhtisas Programı (İhtisas Specialization Program) A graduate-level academic specialization program for postgraduate students featuring seminars, reading groups, workshops, and expert-led sessions across multiple academic disciplines.
• Türkiye Lisansüstü Çalışmalar Kongresi (TLÇK) An annual academic congress that enables graduate students to present and defend interdisciplinary research in social sciences, organized in cooperation with Turkish universities (most recently İstanbul Sabahattin Zaim University).
• International İLEM Summer School (IISS) An international summer school program bringing together academics and students from multiple countries for interdisciplinary study, cultural exchange, and English-language academic programming.
• İLEM İstanbul Talks Interview program featuring dialogue-format conversations with recognized academics and public figures, published as multimedia content on İLEM's channels.
• İLEM Yaz Kampı (İLEM Writing Camp) A focused writing camp designed to provide a productive start for quality academic and intellectual work, supporting researchers across multiple aspects of academic writing.
• İslam Siyaset Düşüncesi Projesi (Islamic Political Thought Project) A long-term research project examining Islamic political thought, its historical development, and central concepts.
• İslam Düşünce Atlası (İDA) Project A mapping project documenting and visualizing Islamic intellectual traditions and their geographical and historical distribution.
• Türk Düşüncesi Araştırmaları Programı (TÜDAP) A research program dedicated to the systematic study of Turkish intellectual history and Turkish thought movements.
• Medeniyet Havzalarında Tarih ve Tarihçilik Projesi (MHTT) A research project examining history and historiography across different civilizational basins, including Al-Andalus, Egypt, Arabia, Turkestan, Greater Syria, and the Maghreb.
• Yayınlar (Publications) İLEM's book publishing line, covering Islamic thought, history, economics, politics, and social sciences.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Uluslararası Balkan Üniversitesi (International Balkan University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership under Erasmus+ KA153 Youth Workers Mobility Program. İlmi Etüdler Derneği and International Balkan University jointly implemented the Erasmus+ KA153 project, which was completed in 2026.
• İLKE Vakfı (İlim Kültür Eğitim Derneği)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerİLKE Vakfı is the founding organization (çati kuruluş) of İlmi Etüdler Derneği. The two organizations collaborate on education programs, publications, and events. İLEM Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı Prof. Dr. Ramazan Tiyek and İLKE Vakfı Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı Ahmet Sait ÖNER participate jointly in key events such as graduation ceremonies.
• İGİAD (İktisadi Girişim ve İş Ahlakı Derneği)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerİGİAD is listed as a sister organization under the İLKE umbrella. İLEM and İGİAD co-organize the İslam İktisadı Seminerleri (Islamic Economics Seminars), examining how Islamic economic principles relate to mainstream economic theory.
• YEKDER (Yaygın Eğitim ve Kültür Derneği)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYEKDER is listed as a sister organization (kardeş kuruluş) within the İLKE Foundation network. Collaborative activities include joint events, shared institutional traditions, and mutual participation in iftar programs.
• İstanbul Sabahattin Zaim Üniversitesi (İZÜ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerİLEM Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı Ramazan Tiyek led a delegation to visit İstanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Bulut. The 14th Türkiye Lisansüstü Çalışmalar Kongresi was hosted at the university. İZÜ is a key institutional partner for academic events and congresses.
• World Lawyers Association (WOLAS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWOLAS co-organized the 9th International ILEM Summer School (IISS) with İLEM and İlim Yayma Vakfı. The summer school on the theme 'World Order' took place in 2026. WOLAS and İLEM also jointly organized the 'World (Dis)Order and Aggression: The West and The Silencing of The Global South' panel.
• İlim Yayma Vakfı (İYV)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partnerİlim Yayma Vakfı (İYV) partnered with İLEM and World Lawyers Association (WOLAS) to organize the 9th International ILEM Summer School (IISS) in 2026, with the theme 'World Order: The West and The Silencing of The Global South'.
• İSAM (İslam Araştırmaları Merkezi / Center for Islamic Studies)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerİSAM hosted a panel on Turgut Cansever organized jointly by TEKDER, İLEM, and 29 Mayıs University.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KADEM (Kadın ve Demokrasi Derneği): Turkish non-profit organization focused on women's rights, democracy, and social research. KADEM is a direct peer as a similar Turkish NGO with research, publication, and event programming similar to İLEM's portfolio.
• SETA Vakfı (Siyaset, Ekonomi ve Toplum Araştırmaları Vakfı): Major Turkish policy research foundation conducting research and publishing reports on political, economic, and social issues. SETA is a direct peer as a comparable Turkish non-profit foundation conducting multi-disciplinary research and public engagement at a larger scale than İLEM.
• ORSAM (Ortadoğu Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi): Turkish strategic research center focusing on Middle East issues, regional analysis, and international relations. ORSAM is a direct peer as a comparable Turkish research center producing reports, hosting events, and engaging in academic exchange on topics adjacent to İLEM's scope.
• USAK (Uluslararası Stratejik Araştırmalar Kurumu): Turkish international strategic research organization conducting policy analysis on regional and international issues. USAK is a direct peer as a Turkish research institution with similar publication, conference, and academic engagement models to İLEM.
• TASAM (Türk Asya Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi): Turkish Asian strategic research center focused on Turkic world affairs, regional analysis, and cultural diplomacy. TASAM is a direct peer as a comparable Turkish research foundation engaging in publications, conferences, and international programs in areas overlapping İLEM's Turkish thought focus.
• İSAM (İslam Araştırmaları Merkezi): Turkey's premier center for Islamic studies, conducting research, maintaining academic libraries, and publishing scholarly works. İSAM is a direct peer given its parallel role in Turkish Islamic studies research, and has directly co-organized panels with İLEM.

Others

• YEKDER (Yaygın Eğitim ve Kültür Derneği): Sister organization of İLEM under the İLKE Foundation umbrella, focused on non-formal education and cultural activities. Included as an adjacent enabling peer sharing institutional infrastructure, staff collaboration, and traditions with İLEM.
• İGİAD (İktisadi Girişim ve İş Ahlakı Derneği): Sister organization of İLEM under the İLKE Foundation umbrella, focused on Islamic economics, entrepreneurship, and business ethics. İGİAD co-organizes the Islamic Economics Seminars with İLEM, making it a closely connected peer in the shared İLKE ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• İLKE Vakfı (İLKE Foundation): İLEM's parent umbrella organization; İLKE Vakfı operates a broader mandate across culture, education, and social policy, including the sister associations İGİAD and YEKDER. As İLEM's parent, it represents the wider organizational context within which İLEM operates.
• Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı: Turkey's largest religious foundation operating under the Presidency of Religious Affairs, conducting religious education, charitable work, and cultural preservation at a national scale. Comparable as a much larger religious foundation with research and education activities that overlap İLEM's thematic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaaRIc9Trv7cxnXyf2IGoBQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i%CC%87lmi-et%C3%BCdler-derne%C4%9Fi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about İlmi Etüdler Derneği