Anadolu University (AÜ)

Anadolu University (AÜ) is a public university headquartered in Eskişehir. In addition to hosting Türkiye's largest open education system, the university also offers traditional on-campus academic programs.^【1】  Through its Faculty of Open Education, it provides distance learning services to hundreds of thousands of students, while delivering traditional education through faculties located at the Yunus Emre and İki Eylül campuses. It was the first institution in Türkiye to implement higher education through distance learning.^【2】 

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

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, acquiring its current structure.

The university continues its educational activities from the Yunus Emre Campus, located in the center of Eskişehir. The campus houses 10 faculties, including those offering open and distance education, one state conservatory, three colleges, three vocational colleges, two institutes, and 23 research centers.

A major milestone in the university’s development was the implementation of its distance education system. The Faculty of Open Education (AÖF) was established in 1982 and has since aimed to expand access to higher education through open and distance learning methods, pioneering numerous initiatives in Türkiye. AÖF provides higher education to over one million active students, placing it among the largest universities in the world. 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 in Türkiye but also to those living 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 university has adopted equal access to education as a fundamental principle.

^{Eskişehir Anadolu Üniversitesi (}Eskişehir Anadolu Üniversitesi)

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 is situated in the city center and houses the rectorate, numerous faculties, and social and cultural facilities.

The İki Eylül Campus primarily focuses on fields such as engineering, aviation, and sports sciences. These campuses provide facilities including libraries, laboratories, sports venues, dining halls, and dormitories to meet the needs of students and staff. Additionally, specialized administrative and technological units have been established to support the operations of the Faculty of Open Education.

• Faculty of Open Education
• 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)

• Institute for Disability Research
• Institute of Graduate Education

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

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

Due to the large number of students enrolled in its Faculty of Open Education, Anadolu University has the largest student population in Türkiye.^【3】  According to 2025 data, the university has a total of 801,938 students.^【4】  In traditional education, tens of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled. The university accepts students from Türkiye and many other countries around the world. The student profile includes individuals from diverse age groups, professions, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Anadolu University offers both traditional 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.

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

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

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

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

• Communication and Media: Journalism, Visual Communication Design (Open Education), Public Relations and Advertising (Traditional and Open Education), 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 (Traditional and Open Education), Health Management (Open Education).

• 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 (Open Education), Management Information Systems (Open Education and English).

Two-year associate degree programs are offered through traditional (Vocational Colleges) and widely through the Open Education (distance learning) system.

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

• Information and Technology: Back-End Software Development, Big Data Analytics, Computer Operation, Computer Programming (Open Education), Geographic Information Systems (Open Education), Game Development and Programming, Front-End Software Development, Web Design and Coding (Open Education).

• Administrative and Commercial Programs: Banking and Insurance (Open Education), Office Management and Executive Assistance (Traditional and Open Education), Foreign Trade (Traditional and Open Education), Real Estate Management (Traditional and Open Education), Home Management (Open Education), Public Relations and Promotion (Open Education), Human Resources Management (Open Education), Occupational Health and Safety (Open Education), Business Management (Open Education), Logistics (Open Education), Securities and Capital Markets (Open Education), Accounting and Tax Applications (Open Education), Marketing, Retail Sales and Store Management (Open Education), Local Governance (Open Education).

• Tourism and Hospitality: Culinary Arts (Traditional and Open Education), Cultural Heritage and Tourism (Open Education), Tourism and Hotel Management (Traditional and Open Education).

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

^{Eskişehir Anadolu Üniversitesi (}Eskişehir Anadolu Üniversitesi)

Anadolu University provides students with social, cultural, and sporting opportunities for campus life. The Yunus Emre and İki Eylül Campuses include libraries, cinema halls, theater stages, and exhibition spaces. Additionally, numerous student clubs organize various events, seminars, and festivals throughout the year. Sports facilities include gyms, swimming pools, tennis courts, and football fields. Students may participate in the university’s sports teams and compete in national competitions.

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 encompass joint research projects, academic publications, symposia, and cultural events. Programs conducted by the Open Education system in regions such as Western Europe, the Balkans, and Azerbaijan are also part of the university’s international activities.^【5】 

The university has achieved various national and international successes in academic publishing, accessibility, scientific projects, and sports.

• The university annually awards the Academic Performance Awards in categories such as Article Performance, R&D, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship to recognize high-quality scholarly work by faculty members. In 2023, 462 articles were published in Web of Science, with 62.81% appearing in Q1 and Q2 journals. In the QS World University Rankings 2025, the university is ranked 1209th globally and 487th among European universities. Additionally, in the THE Subject Rankings, it is among the top 1000 universities worldwide in economics, health, social sciences, and education.^【6】 

• In the 2024 YÖK Accessible University Awards, the university received eight “Accessible Program Badges” for programs such as Public Relations and Advertising, Philosophy, Special Education Teaching, and Tourism Management, recognizing their accessibility standards. Additionally, the Integrated College for Persons with Disabilities was awarded the “Blue Flag” for Social and Cultural Activities Accessibility. Since 2018, the university has received a total of 29 flags and 78 program badges.^【7】 

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

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