Our History
The Vehbi Koç Foundation established a special “Nursing Fund” in 1974 to support the development of nursing services in Turkey. The primary aim of this fund was to contribute to the education of nurses who possess the ethical values, knowledge, skills, and competencies required by the nursing profession.
In order to ensure the effective utilization of this fund, a “Nursing Committee” was formed under the chairmanship of Mrs. Semahat Arsel. The committee included representatives from the Turkish Nurses Association, directors of Nursing Schools, and representatives from the Ministry of Health. The committee provided educational materials and reference books to numerous nursing schools across the country. To meet the needs in the field of nursing in Turkey, the first book on nursing, “Fundamentals of Nursing,” was translated in 1976. Scholarships were awarded to students and educator nurses, and many scientific activities received support.
In 1981, with financial contributions from the Vehbi Koç Foundation, the first “Coronary Intensive Care Nursing Course” was held at the Admiral Bristol Hospital. Additionally, the Foundation contributed two more essential books to nursing education: “Core Psychiatric Concepts in Nursing” and “Nursing Techniques Handbook.” Another professional book, “Interpersonal Processes in Nurse-Patient Relationships,” was translated and published in 1984. The sixth book published by the Vehbi Koç Foundation was “Internal Medicine Nursing.”
In 1990, the first Ministry of Health-approved “Intensive Care Nursing Course” was conducted in Istanbul through a collaboration between the Vehbi Koç Foundation, Admiral Bristol Hospital, and Houston Methodist Hospital. In response to increasing educational demands from both educators and nurses, the Semahat Arsel Nursing Education and Research Center (SANERC) was established within the American Hospital in 1992.
In addition to the “Intensive Care Nursing Course” and “Basic Life Support Course,” which have been conducted since 1990 through the collaboration of the Vehbi Koç Foundation, Admiral Bristol Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, and the Ministry of Health, SANERC initiated the “Emergency Care Nursing Course” in 1994 and the “Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing Course” in 1997. Numerous short-term training programs and symposiums were organized to meet the needs of nurses in clinical settings. Successful participants in these programs were awarded scholarships to gain international experience. Nursing handbooks in eight different fields were published.
In 2003, the Vehbi Koç Foundation Nursing Fund Project Support Program was created, providing funding to nurse researchers. By 2024, 83 projects had received support through this program.
In 2004, SANERC became affiliated with the Koç University School of Nursing, resulting in an increase in educational activities alongside an expanding faculty. That same year, SANERC began publishing the periodical “Journal of Education and Research in Nursing.” In 2017, the journal continued under the title “Journal of Education and Research in Nursing (JERN),” publishing quarterly and transitioning to English in 2022.
In 2010, SANERC received accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association dedicated to ensuring excellence in nursing and healthcare through accreditation of educational centers. This accreditation was renewed in 2015, 2018, and 2022, and SANERC’s educational programs remain accredited until March 31, 2027.
In accordance with the “Regulations for Establishing Practice and Research Centers” issued by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), SANERC was restructured and gained the status of a center affiliated with the Rectorate of Koç University following the enactment of the regulations published in the Official Gazette on November 17, 2019.
SANERC is the only center in Turkey and the surrounding region that provides continuous postgraduate nursing education programs with international ANCC accreditation. In 2018, SANERC celebrated its 25th anniversary and published the book “SANERC: 25 Years Dedicated to Nursing” online. To date, over 15,148 nurses have received education through SANERC, which continues to offer various short-term courses as well as Ministry of Health-approved courses such as “Stoma and Wound Care Nursing,” “Intensive Care Nursing,” and “Diabetes Education Nursing.”