Welcome to KTO Karatay University
KTO Karatay University was founded in 2009 by with Konya Chamber of Commerce which has more than 20,000 members. The university adopted its name from the Karatay Madrasah built by Emir Celaleddin Karatay, a well-trusted confidant of Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad. We are proud to say that our university was founded in 1251. Emir Karatay gave the order for the construction of the madrasah believing that education was the sole way to resist the Mongolian oppression in the 13th century. Karatay Madrasa is still standing as the Tile Artifacts Museum and in terms of acoustics, it is at an inaccessible level even for today’s technology.
KTO Karatay University has adopted the principle of fostering well-equipped youth to meet the needs of the city, region, and country. The university offers more than 40 programs including exceptional departments like Pilot Training, Islamic Economics and Finance, Energy Management, Communication Design and Management, Insurance and Social Security as well as International Trade and Logistics.
Karatay University maintains teaching and training with more than 400 faculty and 300 administrative staff. We host 9000 students at more than 70 programs, and about 700 of these students are international students. Our international student ratio is approximately 8% which is high above Turkey’s average. We are proud to say that 64 countries are represented on our campus.
A vast number of research opportunities, social activities, student support systems as well new friendships are awaiting you. We welcome you with your dreams and needs.
Karatay Madrasah and The Konya Chamber of Commerce
By the 13th century, Anatolia became a significant center of education, science, culture, and civilization. Anatolian Seljuks began to endow Anatolian cities with madrasas, mosques, imarets, public baths, and caravanserais to convert the land into a Muslim Turkish country.
Emir Celâleddin Karatay, who served for forty years in the Anatolian Seljuk State at the highest posts, is one of the most exceptional statesmen of Turkish history. He served in various offices of the Seljuk State. Emir Karatay was taken to the palace to carry out the private services during the reign of Alaaddin Keykubad for seventeen years. Following the tragic death of Alaaddin Keykubad, he ran state affairs in the most chaotic period of Anatolian Seljuks. Baba İshak rebellion led to a civil war in Anatolia, and after the violent rebellion, hundreds of Turkmens were unjustly arrested. Emir Karatay declared a general amnesty and released these Turkmens to establish internal peace in the polarized country.
He was the Atabeg of three Sultans. For this reason, he was named as the "Father of Sultans." He maintained negotiations with Mongolian invaders for five years. This policy of EMir Karatay helped Ertugrul Bey establish a new state for Turks in western Anatolia that flourished as the Ottoman Empire in the upcoming centuries.
When he died near Kayseri in 1254, he was on a mission to meet Mongolian invaders designated to rule Anatolia. His tomb is in Karatay Madrasa, Konya. According to the epitaph of the Karatay Madrasa, Emir Celaleddin Karatay built it on behalf of three Sultans: Keykavus II, Kilicaslan IV, and Keykubad II. When the construction of the madrasa finished, he ordered a great meeting where Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi and his followers also attended.
Karatay Madrasa, established in 1251 by Emir Celâleddin Karatay continued its education by 1914 without any disruption. During the time of Anatolian Seljuks, it was a higher education institution supported by a foundation and mostly by Ahis. In 2009, The Konya Chamber of Commerce (modern Ahis) revived this madrasa with a present-day name: KTO Karatay University. Hence, we are honored to say our university was founded in 1251.
The Konya Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1882, and it was the second chamber of commerce of the Ottoman era. In 1920, there were 76 joint-stock companies in Anatolia, and Konya was home to 19 of these establishments. This made Konya the province with the most substantial number of joint-stock companies in Anatolia. In December 1927, the chambers of six districts joined the Central Chamber of Commerce, and thus the centralized administration method developed.
In 2009, The Konya Chamber of Commerce, an organization for modern Ahis re-opened Karatay Madrasa under the title of KTO Karatay University. In a short time, the university emerged as one of the most preferred higher education institutions of Turkey especially with unmatched departments like Pilot Training Energy Management, Islamic Finance, and Economics.
The Summarized Endowment of Karatay Madrasa
I, Muhammed, the son of Mahmud from Rey, a humble servant of Allah and pleading His mercy, adjudged as required by the religion, in accordance with the conditions set by the endower, in order for this waqf to be founded. I render witness the trustworthy persons in this assembly. This endowment was indited on July 23rd, 1253.
Praise is to Allah for raising the scholars to an esteemed rank, for destroying the roots of ignorance with wisdom, for illuminating the heart of those who master wisdom, and for granting success to him, and for enhancing the dignity of the scholar in the eyes of His servants.
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that prophet Muhammed is His servant and messenger. Many praises and regards are for prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), and his companions as long as trees bloom their flowers and gardens yield crops. May the honorable caliph of Abbasîs, Mu'tasım Billah's holy rank be blessed.
May Allah exalt the word of Ebu’l Feth Keykâvus, the son of Sultan Gıyaseddîn Keyhüsrev and the grandson of Alâaddin Keykûbat; master of all honorable sultans, the sultan of Allah's earth, the guardian of cities, protector of earthly wealth, the shining star of the caliphate heavens, a fountain of justice and compassion, a haven for jinns and humans, Allah's servant in the east and the west, the protector of Islam and Muslims, the crown of the Seljuk dynasty, sultan of the land and both seas, the commander of the faithful; may Allah eternalize his sovereignty, may his orders be obeyed over the horizons.
May Allah help his soldiers with His angels, and may his children fulfill his wishes, may his spears enter deep into the enemy's heart, may his sword strike the enemy's neck, may he succeed in aiming the enemy deep in the heart with his arrows; may He destroy the desire to wage war in our enemies' hearts as long as the doves perch and the rains fall.
The world is a vain place for play and trivia. Its palaces are doomed to collapse. Those who reside in this world are bound to perish; their days are bound to slip by. People are guests like summer clouds. Life on earth is a short journey; a temporary delusion.
The grand Atabey, master of grace and wisdom, the worshipper, the mujahid and lawmaker, a learned scholar of Islamic sciences, the most merciful in serving the public, and dependant only on Allah, Karatay, the son of Abdullah obeyed Allah's verse; "Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is eternal." (Nahl, 96) and prophet Muhammed's saying, "There is nothing for you on earth other than the food you consume, the clothes you wear off, and the possessions you eternalize by donating. Karatay, the son of Abdullah, had a high-rise, spacious and fine building constructed and endowed as waqf in the capital city Konya for the sake of Allah, and to be saved from his afflictions on "the day when everyone flees from their own siblings, parents, spouses, and children" and to be one of those servants that Allah will elevate to the gardens of paradise, by virtue of donating from his own wealth.
Until the day of judgment, when the most auspicious of all heirs, Allah becomes the sole owner of the earth and all in it. Be it that this waqf’s property will be unsold, bought, or deemed as a charity. It will not be passed to others nor will it be owned as assets by anyone. The property will be unaltered from its original self. Upon hearing and being cognizant of these conditions, if anyone attempts to change this endowment in any way, may the burden of his sin be on his shoulders.
Facts and Figures
