Ataturk University

Atatürk University’s history is one of the dreams that came true for the Republic of Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, spoke about the necessity of establishing a large university in Eastern Anatolia at his Grand National Assembly inauguration speech on 1st November 1937 and also gave instructions for the start of the proceedings. After the death of Atatürk a break was taken from these proceedings for twelve years until when in 1950 this issue was put back on the agenda. A committee, which was formed in 1951, proposed that the university to be established in the East be in the Erzurum province. Atatürk University was decided on as the name for the university upon the 6373 law coming into force in 1954.

Atatürk University was decided on as the name for the university upon the 6373 law coming into force in 1954.  In the same year, Atatürk University was twinned with the University of Nebraska with the intervention of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and an Agreement of Cooperation between the two institutions was signed. A report was prepared by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln delegation to Turkey on the development of Atatürk University dated 1st November 1954.  The delegation agreed that initially a college of Agriculture, Letters and Science, Engineering and Architecture should be established and additional colleges may be added when needed. 

Why Atatürk University?

The linkage envisioned a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas among the faculties of the two universities.  Nebraska and Eastern Turkey had a number of shared interests.  Both regions are highly dependant upon agricultural economies of mixed grain and livestock operations.  Nebraska, like Eastern Turkey, was interested in developing food processing industries and addressing potential problems associated with irrigated agriculture.  Researchers in Turkey challenged with developing the agricultural economy of Eastern Turkey.  Nebraska researchers were challenged with sustaining the viability of an agricultural based economy.  Faculty at both universities needed to respond to the need for well trained and educated young scientists, educators and business managers to help Turkey and Nebraska reach their full economic potentials.

Atatürk University took advantage of technical and academic assistance from the sister university, which also initially offered its junior teaching staff a variety of research opportunities in the USA.  From the University's establishment date, 1957, and the following 14 years, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funding supported 50 long-term assignments filled by Nebraska personnel.  By 1968, most of the faculty positions were filled by Turkish personnel and the time had come for the Nebraska personnel, who had given so much time to the development of Atatürk University to let go so as to let the University grow into maturity as a truly Turkish Institution. Great strides have been made since the establishment of the University, today Atatürk University, is a shining torch with its 42.000 students, 2446 faculty staff, 17 faculties, 20 high schools, 6 institutes, 15 research centers and over 113 thousand graduates.

Academic Units

Atatürk University consists of 17 faculties, 5 high schools, 15 vocational high schools, 6 institutes and 16 research centers. These are listed below:

Faculties: Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry,  Kâzým Karabekir Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Fine Arts, Faculty of Communication and Journalism, Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Veterinary Sciences.

Aðrý Faculty of Education, Bayburt Faculty of Education, Erzincan Faculty of Law, Erzincan Faculty of Education and Erzincan Faculty of Arts & Sciences.

High Schools: School of Nursing, School of Physical Education and Sports, Erzurum School of Health Services, Erzincan School of Health Services, Aðrý School of Health Services.

Vocational High Schools: Erzurum Vocational High School, Erzurum Vocational High School of Health Services, Aðrý Vocational High School, Aþkale Vocational High School, Bayburt Vocational High School, Erzincan Vocational High School of Theology, Erzincan Vocational High School, Hýnýs Vocational High School, Ýspir Hamza Polat Vocational High School, Kelkit Aydýn Doðan Vocational High School, Narman Vocational High School, Oltu Vocational High School, Pasinler Vocational High School, Refahiye Vocational High School and Tercan Vocational High School.

Institutes: Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Institute of Social Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, Institute of Modern Turkish History and Principles of Atatürk, Institute of Fine Arts, Institute of Turkish Studies.

Research Centers and Establishment Dates: Medical Center (1978), Environmental Studies Research Center (1978), Computer Sciences Research and Application Center (1997), Development Center for Academic Industrial Cooperation (1988), Center for Earthquake Research (1989), Research Center for European Union Relations (1989), Language Education Application and Research Center (1993), Biotechnology Research Center (1995), Medical Experimental Practice and Research Center (1996), Medical and Aromatic Plants and Drug Research Center (1998), Turkish-Armenian Relations Research Center (2000), Strategic Research Center (2002), Entrepreneurship Research and Application Center (2005),  Carpet Workshop (1962), Organ Transplanting Training and Application Center (2005), Research and Application Center for Turkish Culture (2005), Ýbrahim Hakký Research Center (1993).

Location

Atatürk University's main campus is in Erzurum city and is located to the north of Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey.  With its 402,000 urban population, it is the region's largest city.  The average altitude of the main campus is 1850 meters above the sea level

The university, which owns approximately 33.000 decares (8150 acres) land in the main campus in Erzurum, has also faculty and high school campuses in the neighboring provinces and districts.  There are 11 faculties, 2 high schools and one vocational high school in the Erzurum main campus; 1 faculty, 1 high school and 1 vocational high school in the Erzurum city center, outside of the main campus; one vocational high school in each districts of Erzurum, namely Pasinler, Oltu, Hýnýs, Narman, Ýspir and Aþkale; 1 faculty, 1 high school and 1 vocational high school in Aðrý city center; 1 faculty and 1 vocational high school in the Bayburt city center; 3 faculties, 1 high school and 2 vocational high schools in Erzincan city center; a vocational high school each in Tercan and Refahiye districts of the Erzincan Province; 1 vocational high school in the Kelkit district of the city of Gümüþhane

Atatürk University is now one of the city's most significant resources.  Since its establishment, it has served as a hub of educational and cultural excellence for the eastern region.

We remember with gratitude those who showed enthusiasm, excitement and effort in lighting this torch:

Our Presidents:                                 Our great leader, Ghazi Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK
                Celal BAYAR

Prime Minister:                                  Adnan MENDERES

Ministers of Education:                       Tevfik ILERI
                 Professor Rýfký Salim BURÇAK
                 Celal YARDIMCI  

President of University of
Nebraska-Lincoln:Professor:                 Clifford M. HARDIN


Also all persons who sold their land at symbolic prices or donated them for the establishment of
Atatürk University and organizations, committees and everyone who contributed along side
the people of Erzurum.

From Left to right
  • Prof. Bedri Gürsoy - Dean of Faculty of Political Science University of Ankara
  • Prof. Celal Tariman - Faculty of Agriculture University of Ankara
  • Prof. Abdullah Türkmen - Professor of Construction Istanbul Technical University
  • Ýbrahim Sargut - Undersectretary - Ministry of Agriculture
  • Osman Faruk Verimer - Undersecretary - Ministry of Education
  • Emin Hekimgil - Educational Attache
  • Dr. Ismail Þener - Grand National Assembly Deputy from Trabzon Province
  • Akif Tuncel - Private Secretary - Ministry of Education
  • Celal Yardýmcý - Minister of Education
  • Prof. Clifford M. Hardin - President of University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Atatürk University's history is one of the dreams that came true for the Republic of Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, spoke about the necessity of establishing a large university in Eastern Anatolia at his Grand National Assembly inauguration speech on 1st November 1937 and also gave instructions for the start of the proceedings. After the death of Atatürk a break was taken from these proceedings for twelve years until when in 1950 this issue was put back on the agenda. A committee, which was formed in 1951, proposed that the university to be established in the East be in the Erzurum province. Atatürk University was decided on as the name for the university upon the 6373 law coming into force in 1954. In the same year, Atatürk University was twinned with the University of Nebraska with the intervention of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and an Agreement of Cooperation between the two institutions was signed. A report was prepared by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln delegation to Turkey on the development of Atatürk University dated 1st November 1954. The delegation agreed that initially a college of Agriculture, Letters and Science, Engineering and Architecture should be established and additional colleges may be added when needed.

Why Atatürk University?

The linkage envisioned a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas among the faculties of the two universities. Nebraska and Eastern Turkey had a number of shared interests. Both regions are highly dependant upon agricultural economies of mixed grain and livestock operations. Nebraska, like Eastern Turkey, was interested in developing food processing industries and addressing potential problems associated with irrigated agriculture. Researchers in Turkey challenged with developing the agricultural economy of Eastern Turkey. Nebraska researchers were challenged with sustaining the viability of an agricultural based economy. Faculty at both universities needed to respond to the need for well trained and educated young scientists, educators and business managers to help Turkey and Nebraska reach their full economic potentials.

Atatürk University took advantage of technical and academic assistance from the sister university, which also initially offered its junior teaching staff a variety of research opportunities in the USA. From the University's establishment date, 1957, and the following 14 years, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funding supported 50 long-term assignments filled by Nebraska personnel. By 1968, most of the faculty positions were filled by Turkish personnel and the time had come for the Nebraska personnel, who had given so much time to the development of Atatürk University to let go so as to let the University grow into maturity as a truly Turkish Institution. Great strides have been made since the establishment of the University, today Atatürk University, is a shining torch with its 42.000 students, 2446 faculty staff, 17 faculties, 20 high schools, 6 institutes, 15 research centers and over 113 thousand graduates.

Academic Units

Atatürk University consists of 17 faculties, 5 high schools, 15 vocational high schools, 6 institutes and 16 research centers. These are listed below:

Faculties: Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Kâzým Karabekir Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Fine Arts, Faculty of Communication and Journalism, Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Veterinary Sciences.

Aðrý Faculty of Education, Bayburt Faculty of Education, Erzincan Faculty of Law, Erzincan Faculty of Education and Erzincan Faculty of Arts & Sciences.

High Schools: School of Nursing, School of Physical Education and Sports, Erzurum School of Health Services, Erzincan School of Health Services, Aðrý School of Health Services.

Vocational High Schools: Erzurum Vocational High School, Erzurum Vocational High School of Health Services, Aðrý Vocational High School, Aþkale Vocational High School, Bayburt Vocational High School, Erzincan Vocational High School of Theology, Erzincan Vocational High School, Hýnýs Vocational High School, Ýspir Hamza Polat Vocational High School, Kelkit Aydýn Doðan Vocational High School, Narman Vocational High School, Oltu Vocational High School, Pasinler Vocational High School, Refahiye Vocational High School and Tercan Vocational High School.

Institutes: Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Institute of Social Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, Institute of Modern Turkish History and Principles of Atatürk, Institute of Fine Arts, Institute of Turkish Studies.

Research Centers and Establishment Dates: Medical Center (1978), Environmental Studies Research Center (1978), Computer Sciences Research and Application Center (1997), Development Center for Academic Industrial Cooperation (1988), Center for Earthquake Research (1989), Research Center for European Union Relations (1989), Language Education Application and Research Center (1993), Biotechnology Research Center (1995), Medical Experimental Practice and Research Center (1996), Medical and Aromatic Plants and Drug Research Center (1998), Turkish-Armenian Relations Research Center (2000), Strategic Research Center (2002), Entrepreneurship Research and Application Center (2005), Carpet Workshop (1962), Organ Transplanting Training and Application Center (2005), Research and Application Center for Turkish Culture (2005), Ýbrahim Hakký Research Center (1993).

Location

Atatürk University's main campus is in Erzurum city and is located to the north of Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. With its 402,000 urban population, it is the region's largest city. The average altitude of the main campus is 1850 meters above the sea level

The university, which owns approximately 33.000 decares (8150 acres) land in the main campus in Erzurum, has also faculty and high school campuses in the neighboring provinces and districts. There are 11 faculties, 2 high schools and one vocational high school in the Erzurum main campus; 1 faculty, 1 high school and 1 vocational high school in the Erzurum city center, outside of the main campus; one vocational high school in each districts of Erzurum, namely Pasinler, Oltu, Hýnýs, Narman, Ýspir and Aþkale; 1 faculty, 1 high school and 1 vocational high school in Aðrý city center; 1 faculty and 1 vocational high school in the Bayburt city center; 3 faculties, 1 high school and 2 vocational high schools in Erzincan city center; a vocational high school each in Tercan and Refahiye districts of the Erzincan Province; 1 vocational high school in the Kelkit district of the city of Gümüþhane Atatürk University is now one of the city's most significant resources. Since its establishment, it has served as a hub of educational and cultural excellence for the eastern region.

We remember with gratitude those who showed enthusiasm, excitement and effort in lighting this torch:

Our Presidents: Celal BAYAR
Our great leader, Ghazi Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK

Prime Minister: Adnan MENDERES
Ministers of Education: Tevfik ILERI
Professor Rýfký Salim BURÇAK
Celal YARDIMCI

President of University of Nebraska-Lincoln:Professor:
Clifford M. HARDIN

Also all persons who sold their land at symbolic prices or donated them for the establishment of Atatürk University and organizations, committees and everyone who contributed along side the people of Erzurum.

From Left to right
  • Prof. Bedri Gürsoy - Dean of Faculty of Political Science University of Ankara
  • Prof. Celal Tariman - Faculty of Agriculture University of Ankara
  • Prof. Abdullah Türkmen - Professor of Construction Istanbul Technical University
  • Ýbrahim Sargut - Undersectretary - Ministry of Agriculture
  • Osman Faruk Verimer - Undersecretary - Ministry of Education
  • Emin Hekimgil - Educational Attache
  • Dr. Ismail Þener - Grand National Assembly Deputy from Trabzon Province
  • Akif Tuncel - Private Secretary - Ministry of Education
  • Celal Yardýmcý - Minister of Education
  • Prof. Clifford M. Hardin - President of University of Nebraska-Lincoln