Gaziantep University (GAÜN)

Gaziantep University (GAÜN) is a public university established by a decision of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye in 1987. The university is located in the city of Gaziantep in Türkiye and traces its origins to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, established in 1973 as a unit of Middle East Technical University (METU). In 1974, the METU Gaziantep Faculty of Engineering was founded, incorporating this department.

GAÜN gained its status as an independent university on 27 June 1987 through Law No. 3389, separating from METU. At its founding, academic units including the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences were incorporated alongside the existing Faculty of Engineering. In subsequent years, the separation of some of these units contributed to the establishment of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Harran University, and Adıyaman University.

The physical facilities where the university conducts its educational and instructional activities are as follows:

Main Campus: Located approximately 10 kilometers from the center of Gaziantep city.

Nizip Campus: Hosts the Nizip Faculty of Education and Nizip Vocational School.

İslahiye Campus: Includes the İslahiye Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences and İslahiye Vocational School.

Oğuzeli Campus: Houses the Oğuzeli Vocational School and the Faculty of Aviation and Space Sciences.

Naci Topçuoğlu Vocational School Campus: Located within the Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone, this unit provides industry-focused education.

15 July Campus: Located in the city center, it hosts the Gaziantep Faculty of Education and other academic units.

The campuses include libraries, laboratories, research centers, social facilities, and sports areas.

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Gaziantep University conducts its educational and research activities through the following academic units:

Faculties

The university includes the Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Gaziantep Faculty of Education, Faculty of Fine Arts, Faculty of Aviation and Space Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Communication, İslahiye Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Nizip Faculty of Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Tourism, and Faculty of Agriculture.

Institutes

The Institute of Educational Sciences, Institute of Natural Sciences, Institute of Migration, Institute of Health Sciences, and Institute of Social Sciences coordinate graduate education and research.

Colleges

The State Conservatory of Turkish Music and the School of Foreign Languages constitute the university’s colleges.

Vocational Schools

The Vocational Schools of Justice, Afrin Health Services, Araban, Gaziantep Health Services, İslahiye, Naci Topçuoğlu, Nizip, Nurdağı, Oğuzeli, Social Sciences, and Technical Sciences provide associate degree-level education.

The university has a total of 50,978 students enrolled at undergraduate, associate, and graduate levels. Admission to associate and undergraduate programs is conducted through the centralized placement system based on results of the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS) in Türkiye. Admission to graduate programs (Master’s and PhD) is determined by evaluation of the Academic Personnel and Postgraduate Education Entrance Examination (ALES) score, undergraduate or master’s grade point average, and results of subject-specific exams or interviews.

Gaziantep University offers a wide range of academic programs across its faculties and vocational schools.

Undergraduate Programs:

The university’s undergraduate programs focus on engineering, science, health, education, administrative sciences, law, theology, arts, and sports. Under the Faculty of Engineering, programs include Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Physics Engineering, Food Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Optics and Acoustics Engineering, and Textile Engineering (mostly in English). The Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry offer medicine and dentistry programs (with an English option). The Faculty of Health Sciences includes departments such as Nutrition and Dietetics, Midwifery, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, and Nursing.

Faculty of Science offers programs in Archaeology, Biology, Geography, Philosophy, English Language and Literature, Chemistry, Mathematics, History, Turkish Language and Literature, and Sociology (in English). Faculties of Education (Gaziantep and Nizip) provide training in areas such as Classroom Teaching, Primary Mathematics, English, Turkish, Special Education, Guidance and Psychological Counseling, and Social Studies. Faculty of Law offers Law; Faculty of Theology offers Theology (with Arabic language options and M.T.O.K. quotas); and Faculties of Economic and Administrative Sciences (Central and İslahiye) offer programs in Economics, Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, Political Science and Public Administration, and International Trade and Logistics.

Other undergraduate programs include: Aerospace Engineering and Aviation Management (Faculty of Aviation and Space Sciences); Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning (Faculty of Architecture); Journalism and Public Relations and Advertising (Faculty of Communication); Gastronomy and Culinary Arts and Tourism and Gastronomy Management (Faculty of Tourism); Film Design and Direction (Faculty of Fine Arts); Sports Management (Faculty of Sports Sciences); and programs offered by the Faculty of Agriculture.

Associate Degree Programs:

The university’s associate degree programs, offered through eleven vocational schools, provide two-year education in technical, social, and health service fields. Technical and agricultural programs include Computer Programming, Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automotive Technology, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Construction Technology, Textile Technology, Chemical Technology, Food Technology, Organic Farming, and Laboratory and Veterinary Health.

Health-related programs include Oral and Dental Health, Operating Room Services, Dental Prosthetic Technology, Physiotherapy, First Aid and Emergency Care, Medical Documentation and Secretarial Services, Medical Laboratory Techniques, and Elderly Care. Social and administrative programs include Business Administration, Accounting and Tax Applications, Banking and Insurance, International Trade, Logistics, Child Development, Call Center Services, E-Commerce and Marketing, Office Management and Executive Assistance, as well as Criminal Justice and Security Services, Private Security and Protection, and Civil Defense and Firefighting. The Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management offers programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Services, Tourism and Hotel Management, and Tourism and Travel Services.

Gaziantep University participates in various student and academic staff exchange programs as part of its internationalization strategy:

Erasmus+ Program: Designed by the European Union to support education, training, youth, and sport, this program enables students to study or complete internships at partner institutions abroad, enhancing academic knowledge, intercultural competence, and language skills. It also supports academic and administrative staff in teaching and learning opportunities at foreign universities.^【1】

Farabi Exchange Program: This program facilitates student and faculty exchanges between higher education institutions, allowing participants to continue their education or teaching activities at another institution for one or two semesters. Students participating in the program receive non-repayable scholarships.^【2】

Mevlana Exchange Program: Established by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), this program promotes student and academic staff exchanges between Turkish universities and institutions abroad, coordinated through designated offices.^【3】

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The university has achieved notable success on national and international platforms:

TEKNOFEST Achievements: Gaziantep University has secured significant rankings in TEKNOFEST competitions. Among its accomplishments are winning the Turkish Championship in the Electric Vehicle Acceleration Race and the “Best Visual Design Award.” It has also received performance awards in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) competitions.^【4】

ScholarGPS Academic Achievement: Associate Professor Mehmet Akif Destek from the Department of Economics was included in the “Highly Ranked Academics” list by ScholarGPS, ranking among the top 0.05% of academics worldwide based on data from the last five years. He ranks 229th in the “Social Sciences” broad field and 102nd in the “Economics” subfield.^【5】

Disability-Free University Awards: The university has received awards from the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) in the categories of Disability-Free University Flags (Orange Flag for Physical Accessibility, Green Flag for Educational Accessibility, Blue Flag for Socio-Cultural Accessibility) and the Disability-Free Program Badge. These awards recognize efforts to improve access for students with disabilities to education, social life, and physical spaces.^【6】

Student social life is supported through cultural centers, conference halls, and dedicated spaces for student organizations on campus. Sports facilities include indoor and outdoor sports venues, a stadium, a swimming pool, sports halls, and a fitness center. Accommodation is provided through dormitories operated by the Credit and Hostels Institution (KYK) and private dormitories. Access to campuses is facilitated by public transportation services within the city.