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, Türkiye, and traces its origins to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, founded in 1973 as a unit of Middle East Technical University (METU). In 1974, the METU Gaziantep Faculty of Engineering was established, incorporating this department.

History

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

Campuses

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

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

Nizip Campus: Home to the Nizip Faculty of Education and the Nizip Vocational School.

İslahiye Campus: Includes the İslahiye Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences and the 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: Situated in the city center, this campus 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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Academic Units

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 Physical Therapy 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.

Vocational Schools

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

Vocational Schools

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

Student Profile

The university has a total of 50,978 students enrolled at the undergraduate, associate, and graduate levels. Admission to associate and undergraduate programs is conducted through the centralized placement system based on the 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) scores, undergraduate or master’s grade point averages, and results of subject exams or interviews.

Departments

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-Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Physics Engineering, Food Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Optics and Acoustics Engineering, and Textile Engineering (mostly taught in English). The Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry offer medicine and dentistry programs, including an English-language option for medicine. The Faculty of Health Sciences includes departments such as Nutrition and Dietetics, Midwifery, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, and Nursing.

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

Other undergraduate programs include: Aviation and Space 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, Electricity, 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, Physical Therapy, First Aid and Emergency Care, Medical Documentation and Secretarial Services, Medical Laboratory Techniques, and Elderly Care. In the social and administrative field, programs include Business Administration, Accounting and Tax Applications, Banking and Insurance, Foreign 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, Civil Defense and Firefighting. The Tourism and Hotel Vocational School offers programs in Culinary Arts, Catering Services, Tourism and Hotel Management, and Tourism and Travel Services.

International Activities

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 undertake 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 exchange between higher education institutions, allowing participants to continue their education and 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 exchange between Turkish universities and institutions abroad, and is managed through coordination offices.^【3】

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Awards and Achievements

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

TEKNOFEST Achievements: Gaziantep University has earned 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.” The university 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 has been 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 is ranked 229th in the “Social Sciences” broad field and 102nd in the “Economics” subfield.^【5】

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

Student Life

Student social life is supported by 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.