Karabük University (KBÜ)

Karabük University (KBÜ) is a public university located in the city of Karabük in the Western Black Sea Region of Türkiye. The foundations of Karabük University are rooted in academic units established in 1992 and originally affiliated with Zonguldak Karaelmas University. These units included the Faculty of Engineering and Karabük Vocational School.

The university was officially established on 29 May 2007 by Law No. 5662. At its inception, it began academic activities with four faculties one vocational school and two vocational colleges. Initially the university had 116 academic staff 122 administrative staff and 4,685 students.

Following its establishment the university underwent rapid growth and academic expansion. Today it offers education through 14 faculties 4 institutes 4 vocational schools and 7 vocational colleges. Its staff exceeds 2,150 including 956 academic personnel and more than 400 administrative staff.^【1】

^{Image of Karabük University (}Karabük University⁾

The main campus of the university is the Iron and Steel Campus located near the center of Karabük city. This main campus houses faculty buildings laboratories the central library a congress center and sports facilities.

Other significant academic units are located in the district of Safranbolu which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These buildings host units such as the Safranbolu Faculty of Tourism the Safranbolu Fethi Toker Faculty of Fine Arts and Design and the Safranbolu Şefik Yılmaz Dizdar Vocational School. Additionally vocational schools are also present in the districts of Eflani Eskipazar and Yenice.

Karabük University houses the following academic units offering education at the undergraduate postgraduate and associate degree levels:

• Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences
• Faculty of Dentistry
• Hasan Doğan Faculty of Sports Sciences
• Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences
• Faculty of Theology
• Faculty of Human and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Business
• Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
• Faculty of Forestry
• Safranbolu Başak Cengiz Faculty of Architecture
• Safranbolu Fethi Toker Faculty of Fine Arts and Design
• Safranbolu Faculty of Tourism
• Safranbolu Türker İnanoğlu Faculty of Communication
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine

• Iron and Steel Institute
• Graduate Education Institute

• Safranbolu State Conservatory
• Civil Aviation Vocational School
• Foreign Languages Vocational School

• Information Technologies Vocational College
• Eflani Vocational College
• Eskipazar Vocational College
• Ovacık Sports Vocational School
• Safranbolu Şefik Yılmaz Dizdar Vocational College
• Health Services Vocational College
• Cybersecurity Vocational College
• Chambers and Bourses Union of Türkiye Technical Sciences Vocational College (TOBB Technical Sciences Vocational College)
• Yenice Vocational College

The total number of students at Karabük University is 42,146 of whom 11,072 are international students from 92 different countries.^【2】 Undergraduate admissions for citizens of the Republic of Türkiye (T.C.) are conducted based on results of the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS). For international students admissions are based on the university’s own KBÜ-ULOS exam or TR-YÖS scores. The university employs a total of 2,150 staff of whom 1,160 are academic and 990 are administrative personnel.^【3】

^{Image of Karabük University (}Karabük University⁾

Karabük University offers undergraduate and associate degree programs through its faculties vocational schools and vocational colleges.

Undergraduate programs are organized across sixteen faculties. The Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences offers programs in engineering fields such as Computer Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering Industrial Engineering Civil Engineering Mechanical Engineering Mechatronics Engineering Rail Systems Engineering and Metallurgy and Materials Engineering in both Turkish and English. In the field of health sciences in addition to the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry the Faculty of Health Sciences offers programs in Child Development Nursing Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation.

Social and Humanities programs are conducted by the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences (Archaeology Geography Philosophy English Language and Literature Psychology Art History Sociology History Turkish Language and Literature) and the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences (Economics Political Science and Public Administration Social Work International Relations). The Faculty of Business offers programs in Actuarial Science Finance and Banking Public Relations and Advertising Business and Business (English).

Arts Architecture and Communication fields are represented by the Safranbolu Başak Cengiz Faculty of Architecture (Architecture) the Safranbolu Fethi Toker Faculty of Fine Arts and Design (Industrial Design) the Safranbolu Türker İnanoğlu Faculty of Communication (Journalism and Radio Television and Cinema) and the Safranbolu Faculty of Tourism (Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Tourism Management Tourism Guiding and Recreation Management).

Associate degree programs are delivered through nine vocational colleges to meet the mid-level workforce needs of industry and service sectors.

The Health Services Vocational College offers health-focused programs such as Oral and Dental Health First Aid and Emergency Care Physiotherapy Opticianry and Medical Laboratory Techniques. The Information Technologies Vocational College offers next-generation IT-oriented programs including Artificial Intelligence Operatorship Autonomous Systems Technicianship Cloud Computing Operatorship Game Development and Programming.

The Chambers and Bourses Union of Türkiye Technical Sciences Vocational College offers programs in technical fields such as Mechanical Engineering Metallurgy Electrical and Electronic Technology Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technology and Rail Systems. Other vocational colleges (Eflani Eskipazar Safranbolu Şefik Yılmaz Dizdar and Yenice) provide programs tailored to regional needs including Architectural Restoration Heritage Conservation Child Development Culinary Arts and Rail Systems.

In line with its internationalization goals the university supports programs that promote student and staff mobility. Major international exchange programs include Erasmus+ Mevlana and Farabi. These programs aim to provide students and academics with international experience opportunities.

Karabük University and its academic staff have achieved various national and international successes in areas such as scientific production project performance and student competitions.

International Academic Recognition: University academics have achieved global rankings in ScholarGPS evaluations assessing academic impact and publication quality. According to 2024 data Associate Professor Dr. Samet Uslu ranks 1st worldwide in Fuel Science Professor Dr. Okan Ünal ranks 6th worldwide in Surface Modification and Professor Dr. Dursun Özyürek ranks 10th worldwide in Mechanical Adaptation. Additionally Associate Professor Dr. Aydın Sinan Apaydın who has achieved national recognition in Neurosurgery also ranked 1st worldwide in 2024 in the TOYB Global – Medical Innovation and Invention category. Academics distinguished by their research output and publication numbers are honored with Academic Achievement Awards during the university’s anniversary celebrations.^【4】

National Projects and Institutional Achievements: The university demonstrated institutional excellence under the ÜNİDES (University Student Community Collaboration and Support Program) implemented by the General Directorate of Youth Services of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. With a total of 136 approved projects over five cycles it became the top-funded institution in Türkiye. The success of student projects continued in the TEKNOFEST competitions.

In the 2025 finals the university participated with 18 teams. Its Partech Wireless Communication Team won the “Best Team Spirit” award from ULAK Communication Inc. the competition’s organizer for its project on a seamless communication mechanism. The team consists of students from Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Computer Engineering. According to YÖKSIS academic performance rankings provided by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Associate Professor Dr. Selçuk Atay ranked 1st in Türkiye in Philology and New Turkish Literature and Assistant Professor Dr. Yusuf Seçgin ranked 1st in Türkiye in the Anatomy Discipline academic performance ranking.^【5】

Artistic and Student Achievements: Students have earned distinctions in artistic and visual arts fields such as photography and film festivals. Abdullatif Khal Murad Mirza a student at the Safranbolu Türker İnanoğlu Faculty of Communication won third place in the UNESCO 30th Anniversary Photo Marathon held in UNESCO to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Safranbolu’s inscription on the World Heritage List. In the same competition Yusuf Emir Sümbül a student at the Safranbolu Türker İnanoğlu Faculty of Communication received an exhibition award. Additionally the documentary “In the Footsteps of an Orchestra” produced through collaboration between faculty and doctoral students received the Gordion Foundation Special Award at international film festivals.^【6】

The main campus of the university the Iron and Steel Campus provides social and cultural facilities to meet students’ extracurricular needs. The campus includes a social life center a library sports facilities including the Ayyıldızlı Stadium and dormitories. The library offers both printed and electronic resources for research and study.