Trakya University (TÜ)

Trakya University (TÜ) is a public university located in the city of Edirne, Türkiye. It was established on 20 July 1982. The university conducts its educational and academic activities across multiple campuses in Edirne and its surrounding areas.

History

The foundations of Trakya University trace back to units that began admitting students under the Faculty of Medicine of Istanbul University. The university was officially established on 20 July 1982 by Decree-Law No. 41. Following its establishment, new faculties, schools and institutes were gradually added to its structure, expanding its academic framework. During this process, some existing academic units were restructured or split to form new faculties.

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Campuses

Trakya University carries out its educational and research activities across several campuses located in Edirne and its vicinity. Major campuses include the Balkan Campus, Ayşekadın Campus, İsmail Hakkı Tonguç Campus, Kosovo Campus and Prof. Dr. Ahmet Karadeniz Campus. These campuses house various academic units, student dormitories, libraries, sports facilities and social amenities.

Academic Units

The academic structure of Trakya University consists of faculties, institutes and schools. These units offer a range of undergraduate and associate degree programs in the fields of Health Sciences, Engineering and Architecture, Social and Human Sciences, Art, Design and Education.

Faculties

• State Conservatory
• Faculty of Dentistry
• Faculty of Pharmacy
• Faculty of Letters
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Fine Arts
• Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
• Faculty of Theology
• Kırkpınar Faculty of Sports Sciences
• Faculty of Architecture
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Applied Sciences

Institutes

• Balkan Research Institute
• Institute for Romanian Language and Culture Studies

Schools

• Keşan Hakkı Yörük Health School
• Keşan Yusuf Çapraz Applied Sciences School
• Uzunköprü Applied Sciences School
• Foreign Languages School

Professional Schools

• Arda Professional School
• Edirne Social Sciences Professional School
• Edirne Technical Sciences Professional School
• Havsa Professional School
• İpsala Professional School
• Keşan Professional School
• Health Services Professional School
• Martyr Painter Hasan Rıza Fine Arts Professional School
• Tunca Professional School

Student Profile

A total of 41,587 students are currently enrolled at Trakya University.^【1】 Turkish citizens are placed in programs based on their scores in the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS) organized by the Measurement, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM). International students are admitted based on the Foreign Student Examination (YÖS) and their international diploma grades.

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Departments

Trakya University offers undergraduate and associate degree programs through its faculties and schools.

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate programs are offered by faculties and schools. Health-related programs are provided by the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry and Faculty of Pharmacy, as well as by the Faculty of Health Sciences, which includes programs in Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Nursing, Audiology and Health Administration.

Programs under the Faculty of Letters include Archaeology, Art History, History, Turkish Language and Literature, and translation programs in German, Bulgarian and English. Additionally, programs focused on Balkan languages are available in Albanian, Bosnian and Contemporary Greek Language and Literature. The Faculty of Education offers programs in German Language Teaching, Science Education, Primary Mathematics Education, English Language Teaching, Preschool Education, Special Education, Guidance and Psychological Counseling, Classroom Teaching, Social Studies and Turkish Language Teaching.

The Faculty of Science houses departments in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Information Security Technology and Software Development. The Faculty of Engineering offers programs in Computer Engineering, Electrical-Electronics Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering, Food Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The Faculty of Architecture provides education in Interior Architecture, Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences offers programs in Labor Economics, Econometrics, Economics, Business Administration, Finance, Political Science and Public Administration, and International Relations. The Faculty of Applied Sciences includes programs in Finance and Banking, Tourism Management and Management Information Systems. The Faculty of Fine Arts offers a program in Communication and Design; the Kırkpınar Faculty of Sports Sciences offers a program in Sports Management; and the Faculty of Theology offers a program in Theology. At the school level, programs such as Nursing, Emergency Aid and Disaster Management, Banking and Insurance, Customs Operations, Public Relations and Advertising, and International Trade and Finance are offered at the Keşan and Uzunköprü schools.

Associate Degree Programs

Associate degree programs are delivered through professional schools. The Health Services Professional School offers programs in Oral and Dental Health, Operating Room Services, Anesthesia, Disinfection Sterilization and Antisepsis, Digital Health Systems, Electroneurophysiology, Physiotherapy, First Aid and Emergency Care, Audiometry, Orthopedic Prosthetics and Orthotics, Pathology, Radiotherapy, Medical Documentation, Medical Imaging and Medical Laboratory Techniques.

The Edirne Technical Sciences Professional School offers technical programs in Computer Programming, Biomedical Devices, Digital Agriculture, Electricity, Electronics, Garment Production, Cartography and Cadastre, Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, Unmanned Vehicle Technology, Occupational Health and Safety, Mechanical Engineering, Mobile Technologies, Radio and Television, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, and Aircraft Technology.

The Edirne Social Sciences Professional School offers programs in Banking and Insurance, Office Management, Foreign Trade, Public Relations and Promotion, Logistics, Accounting and Tax Applications, Marketing, Social Services and Tourism and Hotel Management. The Arda Professional School provides training in Culinary Arts, Pharmacy Services, Food, Chemistry and Laboratory Technology, and the Oil Industry.

The Martyr Painter Hasan Rıza Fine Arts Professional School includes departments in Traditional Handicrafts, Graphic Design, Jewelry Making, Architectural Decorative Arts, Architectural Restoration, and Ceramics and Glass Design. The professional schools located in the districts of Havsa, İpsala, Keşan and Uzunköprü offer programs in Justice, Child Development, Mechatronics, Automotive Technology, Local Administration, Finance and Business Management. The Tunca Professional School provides Computer Programming and Web Design and Coding education through distance learning.

International Activities

Trakya University implements international exchange programs as part of its internationalization goals. Student and staff mobility is promoted through the Erasmus+ and Mevlana Exchange Programs. Additionally, the university establishes bilateral cooperation agreements with universities in various countries to carry out joint research projects and academic events.

Awards and Achievements

Academic and scientific work conducted at Trakya University has been recognized by various institutions.

Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü "Best Thesis Awards": The university has awarded prizes for graduate theses that have resulted in high-impact publications (Q1, Q2, Q3) and patents. Graduate students Deniz Kızılkaya and Hakan Çamoğlu, supervised by Prof. Dr. Gökhan Kaçar, received certificates of appreciation for their Q1 publications. Doctoral student Nebiye Pelin Türker, supervised by Prof. Dr. Elvan Bakar, received a certificate for her patent application. The 2022 Best Master’s Thesis Award was won by İlker Selvi (Mechanical Engineering), supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinçer Akal; the Best Doctoral Thesis Award was won by Engin Şenel (Mathematics), supervised by Prof. Dr. Figen Öke. The 2023 Best Doctoral Thesis Award was awarded to Ozan Yörük (Chemistry), supervised by Prof. Dr. Yüksel Bayrak.^【2】

YÖK Outstanding Achievement Award: At the 2021-2022 Academic Year Opening Ceremony, Arş. Gör. Dr. Çağatay Akdoğan and his thesis supervisor Prof. Dr. Ayşe Akyol were awarded the YÖK Outstanding Achievement Award for their study titled "Analysis of Advertising Effectiveness Based on Functional, Cognitive and Genetic Responses of Subjects Exposed to Different Advertising Content." Additionally, Dr. Houman Bahmani Jalali and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedat Nizamoğlu received awards in the field of Science and Engineering; Dr. Sema Arısoy and Prof. Dr. Tansel Çomoğlu received awards in the field of Health Sciences.^【3】

THE Impact Ranking: In the Times Higher Education (THE) 2024 Impact Ranking, Trakya University scored 52.8 points in the category of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals), placing it in the global 1001+ band.^【4】

Accessible University: As part of the university’s digital transformation vision, the "Campus 4.0" mobile application has been enhanced with features for people with disabilities: voice commands for the visually impaired, real-time subtitles for the hearing impaired, and accessible route maps for people with physical disabilities.^【5】

TEKNOFEST Finalist: The "Tekno Trakya" team, composed of students from the Faculty of Science’s Physics Department, became a finalist in the 2024 TEKNOFEST Assistive Technology category with their eye-controlled wheelchair project. Their project was exhibited at TEKNOFEST Akdeniz.^【6】