Abdullah Gül University

About

Abdullah Gül University (AGU) is a public university located in Kayseri, Turkey. Established in 2010, Abdullah Gül University (AGU) the university began admitting students in the 2013–2014 academic year. offers twelve undergraduate and eleven graduate programs across five schools. The university’s primary language of instruction is English, a characteristic shared with a limited number of other public universities in Turkey, including Middle East Technical University, Boğaziçi University and İzmir Institute of Technology. The main campus, known as the Sümer Campus, functions as the center for academic and student activities. In 2022, Abdullah Gül University (AGU) was included among the top 300 institutions in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which evaluate universities’ performance in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The university ranked 29th worldwide in the “Quality Education” category and received notable scores in “Sustainable Cities and Communities,” “Responsible Consumption and Production,” and “Partnerships for the Goals.” AGU has also been reported as ranking first among Turkish public universities in the National University Satisfaction Survey for three consecutive years. In the World’s Universities with Real Impact (WURI) 2023 rankings, AGU was listed 15th globally and was the only institution from Turkey included in that year’s ranking.

The establishment of Abdullah Gül University began in 2007 as a collaborative initiative by the Kayseri City Council and local community leaders, with the objective of expanding higher education opportunities in the region. The university was named after Abdullah Gül, the 11th President of Turkey, with his consent to use his name. AGU was officially founded on 21 July 2010 as Turkey’s first public university supported by a philanthropic foundation. The institution admitted its first cohort of students in the 2013–2014 academic year. The university’s main campus occupies the site of Turkey’s first industrial complex, which has been redeveloped for educational use. The Abdullah Gül University Foundation was established on 13 July 2011 to provide financial support for students and to contribute to the university’s academic and infrastructural development. The foundation’s activities include offering scholarships, supporting cultural and social initiatives, and funding improvements in physical, technical, and technological resources. İhsan Sabuncuoğlu, formerly affiliated with Bilkent University and Carnegie Mellon University, served as the university’s founding rector. The Abdullah Gül University Foundation is supported by a group of business leaders and organizations in Turkey. Abdullah Gül, the 11th President of Turkey, serves as the Foundation’s Honorary President. Mustafa Çıkrıkçıoğlu is the President of the Foundation and a member of its Board of Directors. The Board of Trustees includes Ahmet Kamil Erciyas, Ali Doğramacı, Ali Kibar (Kibar Holding), Bekir Yıldız, Emin Bayraktar, Güler Sabancı (Sabancı Holding), Halit Narin, Hamdi Akın, Hüseyin Bayraktar, İzzet Bayraktar, Mehmet Özhaseki, Mehmet Sayım Tekelioğlu, Memduh Büyükkılıç, Murat Dedeman (Dedeman Group), Mustafa Çelik, Mustafa Çıkrıkçıoğlu, Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu (Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey), Süleyman Çetinsaya, Taner Yıldız, Tuncay Özilhan, and Yaşar Küçükçalık. The Board of Directors includes Ali İsmail Sabancı (Esas Holding), Candan Karlıtekin, Hamdi Akın (Akfen Holding), Mehmet Macit Gül, Mustafa Çıkrıkçıoğlu, and Süleyman Çetinsaya (Çetinsaya Group). The Supervisory Board consists of Emin Bayraktar, Hüseyin Bayraktar, and Tuncay Özilhan (Anadolu Group).

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.