Anadolu University (AÜ)

Anadolu University (AÜ) is a public university headquartered in Eskişehir. In addition to offering traditional on-campus education programs, the university hosts Türkiye’s largest open and distance learning system.^【1】 While providing remote education services to hundreds of thousands of students through its Faculty of Open and Distance Learning, it also delivers on-campus education at its Yunus Emre and İki Eylül campuses. It was the first institution in Türkiye to offer higher education through a distance learning model.^【2】

The university is recognized for its flexible learning models and broad access to mass education. Its campuses, which integrate both on-campus and distance education programs, provide students with academic and social facilities.

History

The foundations of Anadolu University were laid with the establishment of the Eskişehir Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences on 6 November 1958. This institution, which began as an academy, was transformed into Anadolu University in 1982, adopting its current structure.

The university continues its educational activities primarily from the Yunus Emre Campus located in the center of Eskişehir. The campus hosts ten faculties including those dedicated to open and distance learning, one state conservatory, three colleges, three vocational colleges, two institutes, and twenty-three research centers.

A major milestone in the university’s development was the implementation of its distance learning system. The Faculty of Open and Distance Learning (AÖF) was established in 1982. From its inception, it aimed to expand access to higher education through open and distance learning methods and has pioneered numerous initiatives in this field in Türkiye. AÖF currently provides higher education to over one million active students, securing its place among the world’s largest universities. The AÖF system has also served as a model for higher education institutions in other countries.

AÖF offers 20 undergraduate and 28 associate degree programs, providing educational services not only to Turkish citizens within Türkiye but also to Turkish communities residing in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North America, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Western European countries. Additionally, by providing educational opportunities for persons with disabilities and individuals in prisons, the faculty has adopted equal access to education as a fundamental principle.

Campuses

Anadolu University conducts its educational and research activities across various campuses located in and around the center of Eskişehir. The university’s main campuses are Yunus Emre and İki Eylül. The Yunus Emre Campus, situated in the city center, houses the rectorate, numerous faculties, and social and cultural facilities.

The İki Eylül Campus focuses primarily on engineering, aviation, and sports sciences. These campuses provide students and staff with libraries, laboratories, sports facilities, dining halls, and dormitories. Additionally, specialized administrative and technological units have been established to support the operations of the Faculty of Open and Distance Learning.

Academic Units

Faculties

• Faculty of Open and Distance Learning
• Faculty of Pharmacy
• Faculty of Letters
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Fine Arts
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences
• Faculty of Communication Sciences
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Tourism
• Faculty of Economics (within the Open Education System)
• Faculty of Business Administration (within the Open Education System)

Institutes

• Institute for Research on Disabilities
• Institute of Graduate Education

Colleges

• State Conservatory
• Integrated College for Persons with Disabilities
• College of Foreign Languages

Vocational Colleges

• Vocational College of Justice
• Vocational College of Information Technologies
• Eskişehir Vocational College
• Yunus Emre Vocational College of Health Services

Student Profile

Due to the large number of students enrolled in its Faculty of Open and Distance Learning, Anadolu University has the largest student population in Türkiye.^【3】 According to 2025 data, the university has a total of 801,938 students.^【4】 Thousands of undergraduate and graduate students also pursue traditional on-campus education. The university accepts students from Türkiye and many other countries around the world. Its student body comprises individuals from diverse age groups, professions, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Departments

Anadolu University offers both on-campus and distance education programs at the associate and undergraduate levels through its faculties and colleges. These programs cover a wide range of fields including social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, and fine arts.

Undergraduate Programs

The university offers four-year undergraduate programs in both on-campus and Open Education (distance learning) formats.

• Letters and Social Sciences: Archaeology, Philosophy (On-campus and Open Education), Psychology, Art History, Sociology (On-campus and Open Education), History (On-campus and Open Education), Turkish Language and Literature (On-campus and Open Education).

• Teacher Education and Educational Sciences: German Language Teaching, Computer and Instructional Technologies Teaching, French Language Teaching, Primary Mathematics Teaching, English Language Teaching (including UOLP), Early Childhood Education, Special Education Teaching, Guidance and Psychological Counseling, Class Teaching, Social Studies Teaching.

• Economic and Administrative Programs: Labor Economics and Industrial Relations (On-campus and Open Education), Economics (On-campus, Open Education and English-language options, including UOLP), Business Administration (On-campus, Open Education and English-language options, including UOLP), Finance (On-campus and Open Education), Political Science and Public Administration (On-campus and Open Education), International Relations (Open Education), International Trade and Logistics (On-campus and Open Education).

• Communication and Media: Journalism, Visual Communication Design (Distance Learning), Public Relations and Advertising (Regular and Distance Learning), Communication Design and Management, Cinema and Television, New Media and Communication.

• Law: Law.

• Health and Pharmacy: Nutrition and Dietetics, Speech and Language Therapy, Pharmacy, Social Work (Regular and Distance Learning), Health Management (Distance Learning).

• Tourism and Gastronomy: Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Tourism Management, Tourism Guiding.

• Other Fields: Arabic Translation and Interpretation, Digital Game Design, Russian Language and Literature, Aviation Management (Distance Learning), Management Information Systems (Distance Learning and English).

Associate Degree Programs

Two-year associate degree programs are offered through both regular (Vocational Schools) and widely available distance learning (Open Education) systems.

• Health Services: Child Development (Regular and Distance Learning), Pharmacy Services, Disability Care and Rehabilitation (Distance Learning), Hair Care and Beauty Services, Health Institution Management (Distance Learning), Medical Documentation and Secretarial Services (Distance Learning), Medical Laboratory Techniques, Elderly Care (Regular and Distance Learning).

• Information and Technology: Backend Software Development, Big Data Analytics, Computer Operation, Computer Programming (Distance Learning), Geographic Information Systems (Distance Learning), Game Development and Programming, Frontend Software Development, Web Design and Coding (Distance Learning).

• Administrative and Business Programs: Banking and Insurance (Distance Learning), Office Management and Executive Assistance (Regular and Distance Learning), International Trade (Regular and Distance Learning), Real Estate Management (Regular and Distance Learning), Household Management (Distance Learning), Public Relations and Promotion (Distance Learning), Human Resource Management (Distance Learning), Occupational Health and Safety (Distance Learning), Business Management (Distance Learning), Logistics (Distance Learning), Securities and Capital Markets (Distance Learning), Accounting and Tax Applications (Distance Learning), Marketing, Retail Sales and Store Management (Distance Learning), Local Governments (Distance Learning).

• Tourism and Hospitality: Culinary Arts (Regular and Distance Learning), Cultural Heritage and Tourism (Distance Learning), Tourism and Hotel Management (Regular and Distance Learning).

• Other Fields: Emergency and Disaster Management (Distance Learning), Call Center Services (Distance Learning), Electrical Energy Production, Transmission and Distribution (Distance Learning), Photography and Cinematography (Distance Learning), Theology (Arabic) (Distance Learning), Theology (Associate Degree) (Distance Learning), Laboratory Assistant and Veterinary Health (Distance Learning), Brand Communication (Distance Learning), Media and Communication (Distance Learning), Radio and Television Programming (Distance Learning), Civil Aviation Operations (Distance Learning), Social Services (Distance Learning), Social Media Management (Distance Learning), Sports Management (Distance Learning), Agricultural Technology (Distance Learning), Architectural Drafting.

Student Life

Anadolu University provides students with social, cultural, and athletic facilities for campus life. Within the Yunus Emre and İki Eylül campuses, there are libraries, cinema halls, theater stages, and exhibition spaces. Additionally, numerous student clubs organize various events, seminars, and festivals throughout the year. For athletic activities, the university offers sports halls, swimming pools, tennis courts, and football fields. Students can participate in national competitions as members of the university’s sports teams.

International Activities

Anadolu University participates in student and staff exchange programs such as Erasmus+, Mevlana, and Farabi. Through these programs, hundreds of students each year gain the opportunity to study at partner universities abroad, while international students also pursue their education at Anadolu University.

The university maintains bilateral cooperation agreements with universities around the world. These agreements cover joint research projects, academic publications, symposia, and cultural events. Programs conducted by the university’s open education system in regions such as Western Europe, the Balkans, and Azerbaijan are also part of its international activities.^【5】 

Awards and Achievements

The university has achieved various national and international successes in the fields of academic publications, accessibility, scientific projects, and sports.

Academic Performance Awards and Rankings 

• The university annually awards academic staff for high-quality work in categories such as Article Performance, R&D, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship through the Academic Performance Awards. In 2023, 462 articles were published in Web of Science, with 62.81 percent appearing in Q1 and Q2 journals.^【6】 The university ranked 1209th globally and 487th among European universities in the QS World University Rankings 2025. It also placed within the top 1000 universities worldwide in the Times Higher Education Subject Rankings for economics, health, social sciences, and education. 

YÖK Accessible University Awards 

• In the 2024 Accessible University Awards conferred by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), the university won eight “Accessible Program Badges.” These badges recognize the accessibility compliance of programs such as Public Relations and Advertising, Philosophy, Special Education Teaching, and Tourism Management. Additionally, the Integrated College for Persons with Disabilities was awarded the “Blue Flag” in the category of Accessibility in Socio-Cultural Activities. Since 2018, the university has received a total of 29 flags and 78 program badges.^【7】 

TÜBİTAK Project Support

• The university is among the leading institutions in the TÜBİTAK 1004 Center of Excellence Support Program for the High Technology Platform “TR.AQUA: Innovative and Sustainable Practices in Aquatic Products within the Framework of Food Supply Security.” This platform encompasses projects aimed at sustainability in aquatic products. Furthermore, in the 2024/1 period of the TÜBİTAK 2209 (Student Projects) program, the university achieved a 73.87 percent support rate in the 2209-A category and a 100 percent support rate in the 2209-B (Industry-Oriented) category.^【8】 

Sports Achievements 

• In competitions organized by the Turkish University Sports Federation (TÜSF), students won a total of 33 medals (13 gold, 14 silver, 6 bronze) and eight cups. Individual athletes have also achieved international rankings in disciplines such as Taekwondo, including second place at the World Championships and European Championships.^【9】