In 1974 he gained a degree of doctor of history (PhD) by his dissertation titled "The Sandjak of Bayburt in the 16th Century" (16.
Between 13 May 1987 and 31 December 1990, Professor İsmet Miroğlu was the Director General of the Turkish State Archives, an institution attached to the Prime Minister's office of the Republic of Turkey.
He led the modernization and re-organization of state archives, which cover both the Ottoman and the Republic periods of Turkey.
On 31 December 1990 he left his position at the State Archives and returned to academic life at the Istanbul University.
He spoke 4 languages including Ottoman Turkish, French, Persian and English.