İzmir Higher Islamic Institute (İzmir Yüksek İslam Enstitüsü) was first established in 1966 by the Prime Minister of the time and began its educational activities in the Hacı Ahmet Tatari Mansion. In 1969, the institute moved to a new building in the Göztepe district, constructed by the İzmir Higher Islamic Institute Construction and Protection Association (İzmir Yüksek İslâm Enstitüsü Yaptırma ve Koruma Derneği). In 1982, the İzmir Higher Islamic Institute was transformed into the Divinity School under the newly established Dokuz Eylül University in İzmir. Prof. Dr. Ethem Ruhi FIĞLALI, a faculty at Ankara University, was appointed as the first dean. After a legal decision was made to implement dual education in higher education institutions, the school introduced an evening education program in the 1992-1993 academic year. Since the 2011-2012 academic year, in collaboration with the University’s Distance Education Center (DEUZEM), the school has been admitting students to the İLİTAM Program.

THE DEANS FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT TO THE PRESENT

1- Prof. Dr. Ethem Ruhi FIĞLALI (10.09.1982 – 24.11.1992)
2- Prof. Dr. Mehmet AYDIN (22.01.1993 – 14.02.1999)
3- Prof. Dr. Hakkı ÖNKAL (15.02.1999 – 18.04.2002)
4- Prof. Dr. Selahattin PARLADIR (19.04.2002 – 10.05.2005)
5- Prof. Dr. Hüseyin ELMALI (11.05.2005 – 11.05.2008)
6- Prof. Dr. Ömer DUMLU (11.11.2008 – 29.03.2015)
7- Prof. Dr. Rıza SAVAŞ (30.03.2015 – 19.07.2016)
8- Prof. Dr. Hakkı Şah YASDIMAN (02.09.2016 – 02.08.2018)
9- Prof. Dr. Muammer ERBAŞ (2024 – cont.)