HISTORY OF THE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL OF HEALTH SERVICES
The establishment of “Istanbul Gelisim Vocational School” in Istanbul by the “Gelisim Education, Culture, Health and Social Services Foundation” was approved by the Council of Ministers on 14 July 2008 (Decision No. 2008/13951), based on the letter of the Ministry of National Education dated 08.07.2008 and numbered 17261, in accordance with Article 2 (Additional) of Law No. 2547 on Higher Education. The decision was published in the Official Gazette dated 29 July 2008 and numbered 26951. With the publication of Law No. 6114 titled “Law on the Organization and Duties of the Measurement, Selection and Placement Center” dated 17.02.2011 in the Official Gazette dated 03.03.2011 and numbered 27863, Article 12 added supplementary articles to Law No. 2809 on the Organization of Higher Education Institutions. According to the provision titled “Supplementary Article 135,” Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU) was established in Istanbul by the Gelisim Education, Culture, Health, and Social Services Foundation as a foundation university, possessing public legal personality and subject to the relevant provisions of Law No. 2547 on foundation higher education institutions. The University was formed under the Rectorate and composed of a) Faculty of Fine Arts, b) Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, c) Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, d) Institute of Social Sciences, e) Institute of Science, and f) Istanbul Gelisim Vocational School (whose legal personality was terminated under the same law). Health-related programs within Istanbul Gelisim Vocational School were later reorganized, and the proposal to establish the “Vocational School of Health Services” (SHMYO) was submitted to the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) with the IGU Senate Decision dated 03.07.2013 (Decision No. 2013-09). The General Assembly of the Council of Higher Education approved the establishment of the Vocational School of Health Services on 12.09.2013. With the letter of the IGU Rectorate dated 15.01.2014 and numbered 53330280-804-01-0025, Assist. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Yüksel BARUT was appointed as Acting Director of SHMYO. Beginning in the 2013–2014 academic year, SHMYO expanded its academic structure. Previously, the Child Development and Health Institutions Management programs—under the Departments of Child Care and Youth Services and Management and Organization—had admitted students in the Fall semester of the 2009–2010 academic year. In 2010–2011, to meet emerging needs in the healthcare sector, the Department of Medical Services and Techniques was established, opening the Medical Documentation and Secretarial program. In the 2012–2013 academic year, specialization in health sciences expanded with the launch of the Anesthesia, Dialysis, Physiotherapy, First and Emergency Aid, and Medical Imaging Techniques programs. The 2013–2014 academic year marked the formation of SHMYO as an independent school, representing its broadest program expansion. Numerous programs under the Dentistry Services and Electronics and Automation Departments were opened, including Oral and Dental Health, Dental Prosthesis Technology, and Biomedical Device Technology. Additionally, Operating Room Services, Electroneurophysiology, Audiometry, Opticianry, Orthopedic Prosthetics and Orthotics, Pathology Laboratory Techniques, Perfusion Techniques, Radiotherapy, and Medical Laboratory Techniques enriched the Department of Medical Services and Techniques. In the 2015–2016 academic year, the Hair Care and Beauty Services program was established under the Department of Hair and Beauty Services to diversify offerings beyond health-specific areas. In the Fall semester of 2019–2020, new programs were opened: Food Quality Control and Analysis (Department of Food Processing), Podiatry (Department of Health Care Services), and Autopsy Assistance and Medical Promotion and Marketing (Department of Medical Services and Techniques). In 2020–2021, to address sectoral needs in laboratory and chemistry-based fields, the Laboratory Technology program was opened under the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Processing Technologies. In line with SHMYO’s internationalization goals in health education, the Physiotherapy (English) program was launched in the 2024–2025 academic year, marking the school’s transition into foreign-language instruction. As part of the digital transformation vision, the 2025–2026 Fall semester introduced innovative programs in health informatics and digital health technologies, including Medical Data Processing Technician (Department of Statistics), and Digital Health Systems Technician and Tele-Health Technician (Department of Database, Network Design and Management). Today, SHMYO continues to be a dynamic educational institution that trains qualified human resources for the health, technology, and service sectors through its multidisciplinary academic structure. With 24 classrooms, 24 laboratories/workshops, 76 academic staff members, and 27 programs (26 in Turkish and 1 in English), the school continues to provide education aligned with its mission and vision.