Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University (KMÜ)

Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University (KMÜ) is a public university located in the city of Karaman, Türkiye. It is named after Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey, the ruler of the Karamanoğulları Beylik, who in 1277 issued a decree declaring Turkish the first official state language.

The foundations of Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University (KMÜ) were laid in 1987 with the establishment of the Karaman Vocational School under Selçuk University. Over the following years, the higher education infrastructure in Karaman expanded with the opening of new faculties and vocational schools also affiliated with Selçuk University. Ultimately, on 29 May 2007, Law No. 5662 established a new university in Karaman under the name Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University.

In accordance with this law, all academic units previously affiliated with Selçuk University and located in Karaman were transferred to the newly established university, forming the institutional basis of KMÜ. In the years following its establishment, new faculties were founded including the Faculty of Medicine, Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Dentistry, and Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture.

Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University has three campuses: Yunus Emre Campus, Kazım Karabekir Campus, and Ermenek Campus. With an area of 1,809,000 square meters, the university ranks among Türkiye’s largest campus universities. Yunus Emre Campus, located in the center of Karaman city, is the main campus; all academic and administrative units of the university, except for Kazım Karabekir and Ermenek Vocational Schools, are situated here.

This expansive campus includes educational buildings, laboratories, social facilities, and sports areas. The Central Library serves students with a collection exceeding 300,000 books, as well as individual and group study rooms. The other campuses, which aim to integrate with local districts and rural areas, host the Ermenek Vocational School, Ermenek Uysal and Hasan Kalan Health Services Vocational School, and Kazım Karabekir Vocational School.

^{Image of Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University}Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University⁾

The university has numerous academic units engaged in teaching and research:

• Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Dentistry
• Faculty of Letters
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences
• Faculty of Islamic Sciences
• Kamil Özdağ Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
• Faculty of Sport Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Applied Sciences

• Institute of Natural Sciences
• Institute of Health Sciences
• Institute of Social Sciences

• College of Foreign Languages

• Ermenek Vocational School
• Ermenek Uysal and Hasan Kalan Health Services Vocational School
• Kazım Karabekir Vocational School
• Health Services Vocational School
• Social Sciences Vocational School
• Technical Sciences Vocational School

The university has a total of 19,721 students enrolled in undergraduate, associate degree, and graduate programs. Admission to undergraduate and associate degree programs is conducted through centralized placement based on results of the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS). Additionally, specialized programs such as those in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture and the Faculty of Sport Sciences admit students through special talent examinations.

The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and associate degree programs.

Undergraduate programs include Medicine, Dentistry, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Electrical-Electronics Engineering in the fields of engineering and health. Science and information technology programs such as Data Science and Analytics, Software Development, and Mathematics are also offered. Administrative and economic programs include Economics, Business Administration, Political Science and Public Administration, and International Trade and Business. Social and humanities programs include History, Sociology, Archaeology, and English Language and Literature (in English). In translation studies, programs in German, Arabic, and Persian Translation and Interpreting are available. In the field of educational sciences, programs in Preschool Education, Special Education, and Guidance and Psychological Counseling are offered.

Associate degree programs are provided by the Technical Sciences Vocational School in Computer Programming, Machinery, Automotive Technology, and Occupational Health and Safety; by the Health Services Vocational School in Oral and Dental Health, Operating Room Services, First Aid and Emergency Care, Medical Imaging Techniques, Dialysis, and Pharmacy Services; and by the Social Sciences Vocational School in Logistics, Banking and Insurance, Culinary Arts, and Tourism and Hotel Management.

Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University actively implements various exchange programs to provide international experience for its students and academic staff. These include the Erasmus+ Mobility Program in Europe, the Mevlana Exchange Program, and the Orhun Exchange Program. Under the Orhun Program, the sending institution covers students’ transportation costs while the host university provides accommodation and meals. Applications for the Farabi Exchange Program were suspended during the 2023–2024 academic year.

^{Image of Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University}Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University⁾

The university has achieved notable success in academic performance, research, and accessibility. According to the URAP 2024–2025 Türkiye Ranking, it ranks 70th in academic performance, continuing its upward trajectory.^【1】

In 2024, under the YÖK Accessible University Awards, the university received five flags in the categories of Spatial Accessibility (Orange Flag), Educational Accessibility (Green Flag), and Socio-Cultural Activity Accessibility (Blue Flag).^【2】

In research, ten academics from the university were listed in the 2024 report of Türkiye’s most influential scientists. Patents have been registered in areas such as renewable energy and post-disaster housing, and the university has received support from TÜBİTAK projects. Among students, international achievements include a European third-place finish (bronze medal) at the Ümitler European Taekwondo Championship.^【3】

The Yunus Emre Campus features social and sports facilities. The social center, known as the Student Life Center, includes a cafeteria, snack bar, and a two-story dining hall. For sports activities, the campus offers an international-standard sports complex, a 1,500-seat indoor sports hall, a semi-Olympic swimming pool, tennis courts, a climbing wall, and a 5,000-seat stadium. On-campus dormitories operated by the Credit and Hostels Institution (KYK) meet students’ housing needs. The university hosts cultural and artistic events throughout the year including symposiums, congresses, theater performances, and concerts.