Bilkent University was founded on October 20, 1984 by Ihsan Dogramaci, through the joint resolution of Ihsan Dogramaci Education Foundation, Ihsan Dogramaci Science and Research Foundation and Ihsan Dogramaci Health Foundation. The establishment of this private university was later approved by an act of Parliament. The aim was to create a center of excellence in higher education and research.
The name “Bilkent”‘ exemplifies the founder’s aim, since it is an acronym of “bilim kenti” in Turkish for “city of science and knowledge.”
The educational philosophy rests on the premise that those who produce new knowledge also have the best potential to impart it. Scholarly research at Bilkent extends across a wide spectrum. From nanoscience and nanotechnology to political science, from electronics to economics, from fine arts to management and industrial engineering, from philosophy to computer engineering, and in many other areas of science, letters and the performing arts, our academic staff and resources provide a uniquely integrated environment.
Chief among the factors that ensure a high standard of education are a remarkably productive body of faculty members, and a dynamic scholarly and scientific environment that fosters high-quality research. According to ISI Citation Indexes, Bilkent ranks high not only in Turkey but also internationally in the number of published papers per faculty member. Many faculty members actively engaged in research also receive external funding from TÜBITAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), the European Union, and other public institutions or private companies.
The Career Center, another service established at the incentive of Bilkent’s founder early in the University’s development, helps final-year students to acquire the skills necessary to apply successfully for a job. The Center arranges interviews between representatives of major corporations and students seeking employment.
The Office of International Students plays a significant role on the internationalization path of Bilkent University by promoting its programs and providing support for all international academic affairs.
In order to ensure easy transition of the students, the Office provides assistance and guidance to both international degree-seeking students and incoming/outgoing exchange students through all phases of their academic and social conduct.
As well as providing information on procedural matters, such as application process, course selection and accommodation opportunities, via orientation programs and cultural trips, the Office of International Students offers ongoing help to all international students.
Bilkent University’s safe and lively campus has plenty of social and academic services to make your stay comfortable.
On our Main and East Campuses and the nearby Bilkent Center shopping area, there are branches and ATMs of a number of banks.
Amongst the items provided for every student are: mattress, bedsheet, pillow, pillowcase, quiltcase, blanket, and quilt. Throughout our students' stays in our dorms, these items are laundered on a regular basis for no extra charge.
All areas of our dorms, including student rooms, are cleaned on a frequent and regular basis by our ISO certificated contractors, according to health and hygiene regulations.
The Bilkent University Library contains a large book and periodical collection, music listening booths, CDs, records, audio and videocassettes, music scores and microfilms.
The Library receives periodicals from numerous institutions, scientific articles and technical reports from prominent research institutions in Europe and the USA, and subscribes to major foreign newspapers.
The Bilkent Computer Center (BCC) provides a variety of computing resources and services to meet the administrative, educational and research computing requirements in the university community. These services include providing computational equipment, their hardware and software maintenance, maintenance of software resources such as language compilers, utilities and application programs.
The Health Centers , located on the Main and East Campuses, provide health services to students and faculty members. The basic and urgent services are provided free of charge to all Bilkent graduate and undergraduate students by the University Health Centers.
University dormitories consist of 26 buildings with various designs and features providing a peaceful, secure, comfortable, pleasant and clean housing facilities for more than 4,000 Turkish and international students, who have chosen to take advantage of both academic and social opportunities provided by Bilkent University.
Located on both Main and East campus areas, our special and standard dormitories offer single, double, triple, quadruple and suite accommodation alternatives for our students at varying price ranges.
Physical Education and Sports Center
Our Mission is to provide the Bilkent University students with quality physical education, sports and fitness programs and an environment in which they can participate in variety of activities, team and individual sports and games while getting in shape and staying active all year long.
The Student Union organizes students’ social and cultural activities. Student representatives are elected by the student body; they are responsible for managing the Student Union and creating a program of activities. Located in the center of the Main Campus, the Student Union building houses a music room, video room, meeting rooms, offices and a conference hall.
Some of these clubs are:
Bilkent University has been ranked 46th in the inaugural Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings, and among the top three universities in Turkey on the list.
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