Bilkent University

Bilkent University
Bilkent Üniversitesi
Motto Veritas
Motto in English
 Truth
Established 1984
Type Private
President Prof. Dr. Abdullah Atalar
Provost Prof. Dr. Adnan Akay
Academic staff
 1,000[1]
Students 13,000[1]
Location Ankara, Turkey
Campus Urban, 5,000 acres (20 km2)[1]
Newspaper Bilkent News
Colors Royal blue and crimson         
Affiliations 34
Website www.bilkent.edu

Bilkent University, or Bilkent, is the first private university of Turkey, located in Ankara, with the fundamental aim of creating a center of excellence in higher education and research. The name "Bilkent" exemplifies this aim, since it is an acronym of "bilim kenti": Turkish for "city of science". Bilkent University is among the 226th to 250th best universities in the world and 1st in Turkey according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings of the world's top universities for 2012.[2] Bilkent is ranked as the 32nd best university in the world for 2012 in the category "100 best universities under the age of 50" by Times Higher Education, making it one of the best educational institutions in Eurasia.[3] It is also the only university in Turkey that is ranked in top 100 in a subject list, being ranked 98th in the World in Engineering and Technology in 2014.[4]

Faculties, departments and schools

Undergraduate programs

In addition, the School of English Language offers a vocational degree in English and Translation Studies for students registered in this two-year program.

Graduate programs

The graduate programs include:

Campus

The university campus is located off the main highway to Eskişehir about 12 km. (10 miles) west of the center of Ankara, and covers an area of more than 5000 acres. University consists of three campuses all next to each other. East campus has English preparation schools, some dormitories, CTIS, THM departments and middle campus has lodgings and FMPA, and the rest (also the biggest campus) is Main campus.

Library

The university library has a rich collection of books with annual acquisitions valued at over 3 million U.S. dollars. Today, Bilkent University Library is the largest university library of Turkey, and it is the only university library to take place at the Top 10 libraries ranking of Turkey.[5]

In addition to books, the collection includes periodical subscriptions, microforms, CD-ROMS, access to numerous online databases and electronic journals, DVD videos and audio/video cassettes. Music scores and sound recordings are available in the music rooms. Various open private collections and an exhibition hall also take place in the library.

Bilkent University Library is opening its doors to the students and faculty of the other universities. The computer automation system (BLISS) made for the use of Bilkent University Library is now being used by many other Turkish university libraries, again by permission of Bilkent University.

Sports and recreation

Students can participate in many sports courses and be trained by university staff, mostly for free. The university presents many individuals and teams in different sports in varsity competitions.

The two most famous sport teams of the university are Bilkent Goats and Bilkent Judges, the ultimate team and the football team, respectively.

Societies and leisure activities

Bilkent University claims to be a leader in music and performing arts in Turkey. The university also sponsors frequent lectures, art exhibitions, and literary evenings throughout the academic year.

The board, and the departmental members of the Bilkent Student Union are annually chosen among the students by the entire registered students of that academic year. Student Union is the main sponsor and the organizer of the Mayfest, the traditional Bilkent University summer festival. Mayfest is held at the first week of May each year and is famous with the huge number of activities goes on all day long, as well as the open-air concerts where the most popular Turkish pop and rock bands and singers take stage every night throughout the festival.

The student clubs organize regular activities every day in the campus, mostly open to everyone. All students are allowed to join, or participate in the events and activities of any club they wish to.

Rankings

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings[6] ranked Bilkent University as follows:

Year Turkey In Asia In the World
2012 2nd 27th 226-250th
2013 4th 31st 226-250th
2014 5th 31st 201-225th

The same organization listed Bilkent among Best 100 Universities Under the Age of 50 Years[7] as follows:

Year Turkey In the world
2012 1st 32nd
2013 2nd 39th
2014 1st 31st

THE powered by Thomson Reuters ranked Bilkent in the category BRICS & Emerging Economies[8] as follows:

Year Turkey In the world
2013 4th 12th
2014 4th 12th

Bilkent University is particularly noted for the quality of its Faculty of Engineering. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings rank Bilkent among the top 100 universities for Engineering and Technology,[9] which makes it the only university in Turkey to make it to the top 100 in a subject list, as follows:

Year Turkey In the world
2013 1st 98th

The Faculty of Business Administration of Bilkent University was the first business school in Turkey to be accredited by AACSB; less than 5% of the business schools around the world have received this accreditation.[10] The business school has been ranked by Eduniversal among the best business schools of the Eurasia region for international influence.[11]

According to the QS - Top Universities Rankings of 2012 and 2013 the university lies on 151-200th rank in terms of "Economics & Econometrics".[12]

Notable faculty members

Notable alumni

Organizations and institutions associated with the university

Centers

Institutes

See also

Notes and references

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bilkent University.

Coordinates: 39°52′04.80″N 32°44′55.32″E / 39.8680000°N 32.7487000°E