Kafkas University (KAÜ)

Kafkas University (KAÜ) is a public university established on 11 July 1992 by Law No. 3837 in the province of Kars. The institution is based in Kars and has consistently pursued its mission of contributing to the social and intellectual development of the region since its founding. The primary language of instruction is Turkish.

History

Kafkas University, upon its establishment in 1992, formed its academic core from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which had previously been affiliated with Atatürk University. Under its founding law, a Faculty of Arts and Sciences and a School of Health Services were also established. The university officially commenced education and teaching in November 1992, following the appointment of its founding rector, with 245 students and 40 academic staff.^【1】

In subsequent years, the university entered a process of expanding its academic and physical infrastructure. In 1995, vocational schools were opened in Sarıkamış and Kars; in 1996, the Faculty of Medicine and its Research and Application Hospital began operations. The university’s postgraduate education capacity was enhanced with the establishment of the Institutes of Social Sciences and Natural Sciences. Some units established to meet regional higher education needs were later transferred to Ardahan University and Iğdır University upon their founding.

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Campuses

The university conducts its educational and research activities across five distinct campuses within the boundaries of Kars province. The majority of its main academic and administrative units—including faculties, the rectorate building, the library, the cultural center, and sports facilities—are located in the Prof. Dr. Necdet Leloğlu Campus. The other campuses and their affiliated academic units are as follows:

• Sarıkamış Campus: Hosts the Sarıkamış Faculty of Tourism and the Sarıkamış Vocational School.

• Kağızman Campus: Houses the Kağızman Vocational School and the Kağızman School of Applied Sciences.

• Susuz Campus: Home to the Susuz Vocational School.

Academic Units

Faculties

• Faculty of Dentistry
• Dede Korkut Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• Faculty of Fine Arts
• Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
• Faculty of Theology
• Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Sarıkamış Faculty of Tourism
• Sarıkamış Faculty of Sports Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Institutes

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

Schools

• School of Foreign Languages
• State Conservatory
• Kağızman School of Applied Sciences

Student Profile

The university has a total of 20,707 students.^【2】 The vast majority of students are admitted to undergraduate and associate degree programs based on results from the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS), the centralized national entrance exam in Türkiye. Foreign nationals are admitted through international student examinations organized or accepted by the university (YÖS).

Departments

Kafkas University offers a wide range of programs at the undergraduate and associate degree levels.

Undergraduate programs include the following under the Faculty of Arts and Sciences: Arabic Language and Literature, Archaeology, Azerbaijani Turkish Language and Literature, Biology, Physics, Georgian Language and Literature, Chemistry, Mathematics, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Russian Language and Literature, Art History, History, and Turkish Language and Literature. Within the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, programs include Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Food Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. The Dede Korkut Faculty of Education offers programs in Science Teaching, Primary Mathematics Teaching, Preschool Teaching, Guidance and Psychological Counseling, Classroom Teaching, Social Studies Teaching, and Turkish Language Teaching. The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences offers programs in Electronic Commerce and Management, Economics, Business Administration, Political Science and Public Administration, Political Science and International Relations, Social Work, International Trade and Logistics, and Management Information Systems. In the health field, programs include Dentistry, Midwifery, Nursing, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine. The Sarıkamış Faculty of Tourism offers the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts program, while the Sarıkamış Faculty of Sports Sciences offers the Sports Management program.

Associate degree programs focus on health, technical, social, and vocational fields. At the Atatürk School of Health Services, programs include Anesthesiology, Home Patient Care, First and Emergency Aid, Medical Documentation and Secretarial Services, Medical Imaging Techniques, Medical Laboratory Techniques, Medical Promotion and Marketing, and Elderly Care. At the Kazım Karabekir School of Technical Sciences, technical programs include Computer-Aided Design and Animation, Electrical Engineering, Art Conservation, Machinery, and Architectural Restoration. The Kars Vocational School offers departments such as Laboratory and Veterinary Health and Dairy and Beef Cattle Husbandry.

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International Activities

The university conducts international academic collaborations through national and international exchange programs such as Erasmus+, Mevlana, and Farabi. These programs provide mobility opportunities for students and academic staff at both national and international levels. The institution establishes bilateral agreements particularly with universities in the Caucasus region and neighboring countries to strengthen academic and cultural ties.

Awards and Achievements

Academic Awards: Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Rahime Özgün Kehya, a faculty member in the Radio-Television and Cinema Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts, received the “Best Female Director Award” at the Asian Talent International Film Festival held in India in 2024. The film “Sessizler” also won an award in the Best Short Film category at the same festival.^【3】

International AI Data Scientist Award: Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Fatih Kalemkuş, a faculty member in the Electronic Commerce and Management Department, received the Best Researcher Award from ScientstFather under the International AI Data Scientist Awards.^【4】

Faculty Scientific Incentive Awards: A ceremony was held to evaluate and encourage academic staff’s scientific activities. These awards were presented to faculty members demonstrating the highest scientific performance in their respective fields.

• Basic Field of Natural Sciences and Mathematics: Prof. Dr. Ömür Deveci and Prof. Dr. Erhan Deniz from the Department of Mathematics (both with 80.00 points).

• Basic Field of Philology: Prof. Dr. İlkin Gulusoy and Doç. Dr. Afina Barmanbay from the Department of Contemporary Turkish Dialects and Literatures (both with 80.00 points).

• Basic Field of Social, Humanitarian and Administrative Sciences: Prof. Dr. Selçuk Ural from the Department of History (71.20 points).^【5】

Success in the Turkish University Folk Dance Championships: The University Folk Dance Group, participating in the Turkish University Folk Dance Championships organized by the Turkish University Sports Federation (TÜSF) under the Ünilig program, achieved rankings in two categories. The group won second place nationally in the artistic category and third place nationally in the stylized category.^【6】

Student Life

Dining halls and cafeterias are regularly provided across all campuses. Accommodation options include dormitories operated by the Credit and Hostels Institution (KYK), private dormitories, and a 200-bed female student dormitory located within the campus.

Physical and Social Facilities

• Technological Infrastructure: Laboratories, computer labs, and internet access are available across all university units to enhance teaching, learning, and research opportunities for students and researchers in their respective fields.

• Sports Activities: Indoor sports halls, artificial turf fields, outdoor sports areas, and the Sarıkamış Ski Facilities are available for student use. Students with the potential to represent the university in national and international sports competitions receive support, and inter-unit sports tournaments are organized.

• Cultural Activities: The university hosts over a thousand student clubs, including those in Biology, Mountaineering, Theater, Chess, Equestrianism, and Horsemanship, with active participation from students. Throughout the year, scientific and cultural events such as conferences, seminars, panels, and exhibitions are held.