Professor Dr. Âkil Muhtar's memorandum on the Darülfünun

Emre Dölen

The second half of the 19th century witnessed a number of attempts to establish in Istanbul, an institution of higher education aiming the instruction of the civilians. Founded in 1900, the "Darülfünun-i Osmanî" (Ottoman University) lived for about three decades. The University Reformation of 1933, abolishing the Darülfünun, paved the way for the establishment of the present day Istanbul University.

The Darülfünun was much discussed during the first decades of the 20th century and attempts were made to secure its reformation. Dr. Akil Muhtar [Özden] (1877-1949), professor of pharmacodynamy at Darülfünun's Medical Faculty, was also involved in these debates. His 20-page pamphlet titled Darülfünunumuz Hakkında Bazı Mülahazât (Memorandum on the Darülfünun, Istanbul 1924), exposed his critics regarding the organisation, the teaching staff and the location (at Haydarpaşa) of this institution and put forward the measures to be taken for its reformation.