RANKINGS: Middle East Technical University (METU), founded in 1956, is an international research university, which seeks excellence in serving the country, region and the world. METU was ranked 1st among Turkish universities, 124th among European Universities and 336th among all world universities according to the QS Rankings 2024, while ranking in the 351-400 band in the World University Rankings 2024 of Times Higher Education (THE). Additionally, METU has been selected the “Most Entrepreneurial and Innovative University” in Türkiye in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 consecutively.
CAMPUSES: While METU is mainly based in Ankara, its Institute of Marine Sciences is located in METU’s second campus on the Mediterranean coastal city of Mersin. METU has one of the largest campuses in Türkiye including two extremely rich libraries, a Cultural and Convention Centre, Technopark and 30 research centres. Last but not least, METU has a Central Laboratory consisting of two sub-centers;
- R&D Center for Education & Measurement: Provides analysis and measurements for investigation in the chemical and physical properties of the materials. (Properties such as; thermal, electrical, magnetical, optical, mechanical, rheological, morphological, elemental, and surface spectroscopical analysis);
- R&D Center for Molecular Biology & Biotechnology: Provides Recombinant DNA investigations, microscopy/imaging analysis, fermenter experiments, and biomolecule analysis with the help of high-tech methods and instruments.
EDUCATION & RESEARCH: Education, the language of which is English, is enabled via 5 faculties and 5 graduate schools with 41, 107, 72 and 47 undergraduate, Master’s, doctoral and interdisciplinary programs, respectively.
METU’s well-deserved reputation is partly a reflection of its leading position in terms of international scientific publications and share of research funds from national scientific research funding agencies, primarily The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), among the most prominent universities of Türkiye. Moreover, METU – as an international research-intensive university – is among the leading universities in Türkiye in terms of depth and breadth of international research projects and the amount of funds generated from research activities. Research revenues account for 20-25% on average of annual METU expenditures, including all payroll costs.
METU has actively taken part in and managed various projects under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), especially the Framework Programmes (FP) as well as other international projects, such as COST, Erasmus, Newton-Katip Çelebi Fund, etc. In this context, METU has 460+ international projects, 220+ of which are supported by the EU Framework Programmes since FP5 to the recent Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe Programmes. Moreover, METU currently ranks first in FP7 and second in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe among Turkish universities.
Moreover, METU is committed to intensify and accelerate the alignment of the European Research Area (ERA) and Turkish Research Area (TARAL). In this context, METU has been a EURAXESS Service Centre since 2015, has endorsed its commitment to the 40 principles of the “European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers” in October 2018, has submitted its GAP Analysis and Action Plan for the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) for assessment by the European Commission in December 2019 and become the first university in Türkiye to be qualified to obtain the Human Resources Excellence in Research Award in August, 2020.
SOCIAL LIFE: In terms of technical infrastructure, METU is one of the leading universities in Türkiye with its highly competent IT Centre equipped with required quantitative and qualitative analysis software programmes for research. METU has a unique campus that researchers can meet all their needs. Food, accommodation, health and counselling services, and sports and cultural activities are offered at METU. The Cafeteria serves lunch and dinner to its members. The Medical Centre provides health – including emergency and laboratory testing – and counselling services with 16 medical doctors, 3 physiotherapists, 12 nurses, 6 psychologists, and 3 psychological counsellors. METU campuses host 40,000 square meters of outdoor, 5,000 square meters of indoor sports activity area; and 3,500 square meters of closed and 2,700 square meters open swimming pool. There are 43 sports teams and 15 sports communities and The Office of Cultural Affairs hosts 87 student clubs and societies. The campus area is 4500 hectares and the forest area is 3043 hectares, including Lake Eymir, which is available to METU students and staff for rowing, fishing, picnicking and general recreational activities. METU has a Culture and Convention Centre (CCC), with meetings and cultural events going on year-round.