BRIEF
From a historical perspective, Imam Hatip schools are among the most deeply rooted institutions in
the history of Turkish education. These schools represent a unique educational model and
experience developed by Turkiye in connection with its own modernization process, spanning from
the Ottoman Empire to the Republican era. This model emerged from efforts to reconcile
“traditional” and “modern” paradigms during the Ottoman Empire’s modernization initiatives. These
efforts were first reflected in the establishment of private Turkish schools in the 1880s and later
intensified through madrasa reform movements during the Second Constitutional Era, ultimately
materializing into the idea of a new type of school.
The Imam Hatip experience, as an educational model uniquely formulated by Turkiye, requires
continued scholarly engagement. Within this scope, the educational philosophy, style, and approach
shaped by the foundational conditions of these institutions must be re-evaluated in light of
contemporary needs, expectations, and demands.
To contribute to this objective, the symposium titled "Imam Hatip Schools in the Construction of the
Future" was successfully held on April 27–29, 2017, at the Turgut Özal Congress and Cultural Center
of İnönü University, under the leadership of the university’s Rectorate.