In 1969, it was renamed as the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts (Turkish: İstanbul Devlet Güzel Sanatlar Akademisi, or İDGSA), and gained administrative autonomy according to Law No.

Following the Academy Reform and a student occupation in 1968, Basic Design Education (Turkish: Temel Sanat Eğitimi) was incorporated into the curriculum in 1969.

The Basic Design Education Division was critical of the master-apprentice model and aimed to blur the distinction between handicrafts and fine arts.

[2] The co-founders of this division included Altan Gürman, Ercümend Kalmık, Ali Teoman Germaner, Erkal Güngören, Özer Kabaş, and Nuri Temizsoylu, who wanted to create a Bauhaus-inspired model to enable consistency and continuity in the education that first-year students received.

[3] This model aimed at encouraging students to explore, question and analyse different techniques, tools, and materials related to arts and design.