Koç University Achieves an 89% Cross-National Friendship Rate: The Highest Across 150+ Universities

Watch the Conversation

Hear directly from Begüm Çiçek, International Community Services Senior Specialist at Koç University, as she shares how the university supports international students before arrival, empowers authentic peer-to-peer connections, and the lessons behind building one of the world's most connected student communities.

Prefer reading? Continue below for the key highlights and insights from our conversation.

Looking Beyond Recruitment

As one of Turkey's leading research universities, Koç University has long been committed to internationalisation. While attracting talented students from around the world remains a key priority, Begüm believes the work truly begins once students decide to enrol.

"Another cornerstone that is important for our office and the services that we provide is to ensure that students feel welcomed here at Koç University. We want to make sure that once they are arriving, they have the support that they need."

For Koç University, supporting international students means helping them navigate far more than academics. Moving abroad often means leaving behind friends, family and familiar surroundings, making early social connections just as important as practical information.

That approach has led the university to continually invest in initiatives that strengthen students' confidence, sense of belonging and transition to university life before they even arrive in Istanbul.

Building Community Before Arrival

Koç University introduced Goin' in 2022 alongside the launch of its Buddy Programme, giving incoming students the opportunity to connect with current students throughout the summer before arriving on campus.

"We integrated the buddies into our Goin' platform. Throughout the summer they could be in touch with offer holders, answer their questions and students could hear about Koç University from other students. They were there to answer questions, but they were also there to make friends and have those organic connections."

By the time they arrive in Istanbul, many already know people on campus, have someone to meet and feel significantly more confident about starting university life.

The community continues well beyond arrival. Students use it to find roommates, discuss accommodation, buy and sell items, organise activities and support one another throughout their first year.

Giving Students Ownership of the Community

One of Koç University's most intentional decisions has been knowing when not to step in.

Rather than having staff actively answer questions inside student groups, the university deliberately gives students ownership of the conversations.

"We don't want to make it inorganic by us as staff members writing in the groups. We don't respond to questions at all through Goin'. We allow students to just have that space for themselves."

Instead, university staff use dedicated announcement channels to share important updates, orientation information and deadlines, while allowing day-to-day discussions to develop naturally between students.

The result is a genuinely student-led community where lived experience often provides the most valuable answers. Students are free to ask questions, share advice and build friendships in an environment that feels authentic rather than institutionally managed.

Creating a Trusted Space for Students

Giving students ownership of the community doesn't mean stepping away completely. For Begüm, one of the biggest advantages of Goin' is knowing students can connect in a safe, university-backed environment without requiring constant moderation from staff.

As the person responsible for monitoring the community, updating information and maintaining student resources, that peace of mind has become an important part of her role.

"We don't have to worry about moderation in the app. I don't have to be sitting there and make sure everyone's writing things that are inappropriate and there isn't any bad information that is being shared or anything like that. So that really puts us at ease as well."

That confidence also makes it easier for the university to recommend the platform to every incoming student.

"We can easily tell them, 'Okay, you can join Goin' and talk to one another,' because we have that safety in mind. I would not have been able to do that if it was on a WhatsApp group or a Discord server. The fact that there is a fully operational app there and that space is only for Koç University students makes it much easier for us."

Supporting Students Through Better Insights

While students own the conversations, Koç University also gains valuable insight into how students are feeling throughout their journey.

Begüm regularly monitors community participation, student connections and feedback, while recruitment teams use Goin' insights to better understand where prospective students may need additional support.

"The Goin' Score has been important because sometimes you can see that students might have concerns about visa issues, financial questions or scholarships. Then we can get in contact with them and provide more information before those concerns become bigger."

Rather than replacing personal support, these insights help university teams identify concerns early and reach out proactively, ensuring students receive the guidance they need before uncertainty becomes a barrier to enrolment.

Students Arrive Already Knowing Someone

For Begüm, the impact of these early connections becomes most visible during orientation.

"Students even during our orientation came up to us and said, 'Look at this person. I met them on Goin' already in the summer.'"

Although staff can't see the private conversations taking place within the community, moments like these demonstrate that friendships are already forming months before students arrive on campus.

The impact is reflected not only in what the university observes, but also in students' own experiences.

"When I heard about Goin', I was relieved. Moving abroad and living with unfamiliar company can be stressful, especially for the first time, so it's very thoughtful to give us this chance to get to know each other beforehand." - Tekla from Georgia

"There are a few university groups in which students helped me a lot during my registration. If it wasn't for the app, I wouldn't have done it with such ease. So thank you." - Roberto from Italy

"Connecting with other students going to Koç University before studies start would definitely increase my excitement and help me feel more familiar with the community right away. This should reduce my social anxiety a lot, especially since I'm moving abroad. I'm excited about it." - Mahla from Iran

Supporting Students Wherever They Go

For Koç University, building community doesn't end once students arrive on campus.

The same philosophy extends to the university's outbound exchange students through the Goin’ Abroad Network, helping students connect with others heading to the same destinations before they begin their exchange experience.

"Having the Goin’ Abroad Network for our outbound exchange students has been very helpful as well because we have a huge population of students who are going abroad for their exchange. For them to be able to join the app and have different groups from different countries and seeing how they can connect with different people, we make sure to always mention it in our information sessions and our exchange team has benefited from that as well. So it's just been a cornerstone resource for us and makes our lives a bit easier too."

Whether students are arriving at Koç University or preparing to study abroad themselves, the same principle applies: helping students build meaningful connections before they begin a new chapter.

Friendships That Cross Borders

Today, Koç University's community brings together students representing more than 100 nationalities.

What began as a way to help students connect before arrival has evolved into one of the most internationally connected university communities on Goin'. By combining a student-led approach with trusted university support, Koç University has created an environment where friendships naturally develop across cultures, backgrounds and borders.

Those intentional decisions have translated into measurable outcomes.

Among students who joined during the 2025 cycle, 89% formed friendships across nationalities, the highest cross-national friendship rate across more than 150 university communities on Goin'.

For Begüm, the recognition was a rewarding confirmation of what the team had already been witnessing throughout the year.

"We knew students were using it, but when we saw the report and then won the award, it really solidified that what we were doing was working."

Advice for Other Universities

When asked what advice she would offer universities looking to strengthen their internationalisation efforts, Begüm's message was clear.

"It's not just about recruiting more students. It's about understanding students, trying different approaches, learning from other universities and being open to different opportunities."

For Begüm, there isn't a single formula for creating a thriving international community. Instead, it starts with listening to students, learning from others and being willing to adapt.

Koç University's experience demonstrates that internationalisation extends far beyond recruitment. It's about creating an environment where students feel welcomed, supported and connected long before they arrive on campus.

By empowering students to build authentic friendships, giving them ownership of their community and providing a trusted space where those connections can flourish, Koç University has created an experience where belonging begins before day one.