Who we are?

The Health and Education Foundation (SEV) was established in 1968 by graduates of Üsküdar American Academy, American Collegiate Institute, Tarsus American College and Talas American Middle School. The Foundation, built on the premise of serving a developing Turkey, follows global education innovations to keep up with the development and the rapid pace of change in the modern world. We construct and maintain well-established educational institutions that nurture individuals with high academic achievement and social awareness who make a difference in the world.

History of SEV

1820 American Board Committee (ABH) came to Turkey.

1861 The first English-Turkish dictionary was published. The history of the publishing house, which then had the official title “Health and Education Foundation Publishing, Printing Education and Trade Ltd. (SEV-YAY)”, dates back to 1822. The publishing house started to produce “Redhouse” dictionaries in 1861, which currently is almost synonymous with an English-Turkish dictionary.

1876 Üsküdar American Girls’ High School was founded as a girls’ school in Bahçecik. The school which was opened as a girls school in Gölcük in 1873, was first moved to Adapazarı in 1884, then to its current place in Bağlarbaşı, Üsküdar in 1923. The school started to educate both girls and boys in 1990, when it changed its name to "Üsküdar American Academy".

1878 İzmir American Girls’ College was opened. Referred to as a girls’ school for so many years, the school started co-education in 1986, taking the name “American Collegiate Institute (ACI)”. As of the 2009-2010 school year, ACI opened boarding facilities for girls and as of the 2011-2012 academic year, the boarding program was also offered for boys.

1879 Gaziantep American Hospital was opened. Serving the people of the area, the hospital joined the Foundation in 1997. It is one of the important healthcare centers in the area.

1888 Tarsus American College (TAC) was opened. TAC, whose current educational motto reads “Leaders for Turkey; Leadership for the World”, was opened in 1888 as a boys’ school. The school started co-education in 1979. TAC stands out as a reputable school with the emphasis it places on academic success, as well as in the areas sports and arts. TAC reopened boarding facilities for boys in 2002 and for girls in 2008.

1889 Talas American Middle School was opened.

1967 Talas American Middle School was closed.

1968 The Health and Education Foundation (SEV) was founded. The American Board Committee (ABH) started the process of transferring the ownership and management of its institutions to SEV.

1997 SEV Primary Schools were opened. (Üsküdar, İzmir, Tarsus) In order to expand the successful education tradition that has continued in American high schools for more than a century, SEV Primary Schools were founded in Üsküdar, İzmir and Tarsus.

2011 ABH officially transferred the foundership of its establishments to the Health and Education Foundation (SEV), thus finalizing the transfer period of forty-three years.

2014 SEV American College, the seventh member of the SEV schools, opened in the 2014-2015 academic year in İstanbul, Çekmeköy.

2018 In 2018, SEV American Hospitals operation was transferred to MMT Group on the condition that SEV will be the property owner

2023 Üsküdar SEV Middle School will move to its new campus and open its doors in Çekmeköy in September 2023.

About us

Across all our institutions, the Health and Education Foundation aspires to continue the strong tradition from our past into the future. As SEV, we see it as our mission to develop students who are helpful, respectful of society and the world, self-assured, and confident in their abilities through our American High Schools, which continue to play an important role in Turkish education. Providing high-quality education services is integral to this mission, alongside publishing books that shape children's literature and high-quality, dependable reference materials.

SEV is committed to constant improvement, remaining current with technology and new developments, while preserving its core values.

The board of trustees, most of whom are graduates of American schools, and the board of directors manage SEV on a volunteer basis. A team of professionals and graduates report to the board of directors at the Foundation to ensure the continuity, growth, and administration of SEV.

Prof. Güray Erkol, General Manager

The Health and Education Foundation is a grand family with more than 20 thousand graduates, 1,300 employees, over five thousand students and ten thousand parents. With more than 150 years of experience and an established culture of pioneering in education, we continue to be driven by our mission to improve the quality and ensure sustainability of our education system. We are taking firm steps towards becoming an institution that not only keeps up with change, but also sets the standards for the future of education. Recognizing education as the most treasured investment, we continue to add value to the lives of our students, society, and humanity at large.

We provide support for the continuous improvement of the schools and publishing house under our umbrella, empowering them in their effective preparation of students for their post-secondary lives. With our long-established experience, we contribute to the enrichment of educational opportunities and provisions in our schools and, as the Health and Education Foundation, we contribute to the growth of individuals with a strong sense of social responsibility who can design and implement projects in any area.

Built on the tradition of learning together with our storied institutions, the most important driver of our mission is the passion for lifelong learning and innovative teaching embodied in our teachers. Committed to these principles, our teachers are working hard to create innovative learning environments for our students in today’s world where technology is in constant advancement.

We are proud that the name “Health and Education Foundation” is synonymous with ‘quality education’ and that our schools inspire trust in students and families. The accomplishments of the Health and Education Foundation and our affiliated institutions give us further motivation for the brighter future of educational sustainability.

We will continue to work with our Board of Trustees, Board of Directors, the graduates who volunteer in our committees, and the Foundation professionals who have a great role to play in the success of our institutions.

Regards,

Prof. Güray Erkol General Manager Health and Education Foundation

E-Mail: genelmudurluk@sev.org.tr

Approach

The Health and Education Foundation has a philosophy of education that focuses on developing individuals who are sensitive to societal needs and contribute to society as part of their social responsibility. We support events and projects that create social benefits in different fields, contributing to the development of wellbeing in the field of education and health.

Mission

The mission of SEV is to nurture globally minded, well-rounded, happy individuals who make positive contributions to society by way of their academic achievements and social consciousness.

Our Vision

SEV’s vision is to be the largest and strongest educational foundation in Turkey, which improves the quality of life through its holistic education approach and healthy and sensitive individuals it raises.

Our Values

Our Values

Integrity Integrity is the foundation of leadership. We value and exhibit honesty and reliability in all we do.

Respect and Trust We respect all people, value differences, and develop trusting relationships as representatives of a storied culture. We value respectful communications, courteous behavior, and civility in our interactions.

Responsibility and Accountability We prioritize the interests of society over personal benefit when making decisions because we are dedicated to building a better world for future generations.

Grit, Passion, and Perseverance In pursuit of building a better world, we are fully committed to developing generations of people who are determined, ambitious, and persevere in the face of all challenges.

Inquisitiveness We work to improve the world by finding new ideas and creative solutions. We expect our students to think for themselves—to ask questions and make good choices.

Code of Conduct in Health and Education Foundation

Our goal as the Health and Education Foundation is to foster awareness, sensitivity, and consciousness of an institutional culture that adheres to our ethical values and principles.

Our ethical code serves as a roadmap for all our employees, stakeholders, our relations with all third-party institutions we work with, and our position in society. This applies to SEV and all subsidiaries.

This Code of Ethics serves as a guide for all conduct and relations with shareholders and employees, not only as a legal and commercial but also as an ethical obligation.

The values of our institution, which reflect a strong commitment to the Foundation’s shareholders, are based on respect to society and the environment, honesty, and mutual trust. Other core elements of the institutional culture are responsibility, transparency, and adherence to legal regulations. The Foundation’s organizations also uphold awareness of human rights and employee rights, as well as respect to the individual.