Introduction
Bilkent University (In
Turkish: Bilkent �niversitesi) was founded on
October 20,
1984 by
İhsan Doğramacı through the resolution of the
foundations which had earlier been established by him. 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, Turkish for city of
science and knowledge.
History
İhsan Doğramacı, an academic by profession, had
previously contributed to the establishment of numerous
public institutions of higher education and served as rector
of
Ankara University, chairman of the Board of Trustees of
the
Middle East Technical University and founder and first
rector of
Hacettepe University.
Preparations for Bilkent University had begun as early as
1967, with the purchase of a large tract of land to the west
of
Ankara. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the above
mentioned foundations undertook construction, on the future
site of Bilkent, of the buildings which now house
administrative offices, the Faculty of Engineering, and the
library. Construction of residences for academic staff,
cafeterias, student dormitories, the Student Union building
and various academic buildings followed in rapid succession.
In October 1986 Bilkent University admitted its first
students. That year there were 386 undergraduate and
graduate students. Currently there are over 10,000 students
in nine faculties, two four-year professional schools, two
two-year vocational schools and the School of English
Language plus six graduate schools (called institutes).
Among them are foreign students from 72 countries. With
funds from the endowments provided by the founder, the
university each year awards full scholarships to over 2,500
students of high academic achievement.
From the outset, the design of the university structure
provided for student union representatives to be members of
the administrative committees of various schools, as well as
of the University Senate. Beginning in the second year of
instruction, the practice of student evaluation of courses
and instructors, at the time not a common practice in
Turkey, was instituted.
To promote the enrichment of teaching and research
programs, Bilkent University entered into collaborative
projects and exchange programs with many universities
abroad. Bilkent has student exchange agreements with the
University of California system,
Purdue,
Johns Hopkins,
University of Maine, Iowa State University,
University of Texas at Austin,
University of Missouri,
Bowling Green State University,
Iowa State University,
Georgia Institute of Technology,
Carthage College,
Franklin and Marshall College in the
U.S.;
University of Laval and
McGill University in
Canada; and
Tel-Aviv University in
Israel. Bilkent is a member of NIBES (Network of
International Business and Economic Schools) and exchange
programs are established with
Pforzheim University in
Germany and the
Ecole Sup�rieure de Commerce de Clarmont and the
Ecole Sup�rieure de Commerce de Lille of
France. The university also has a communications office
at 600 Madison Avenue in
New York City, equipped with interactive video
conferencing capabilities. A number of courses are delivered
through this office via satellite connection.
To meet the expanding needs of the university,
construction has continued throughout the years since the
admission of the first students. New buildings and
facilities include two gymnasiums; the Faculties of
Humanities and Letters, Economics, Administrative and Social
Sciences, Art, Design and Architecture, Science, the
Computer Center, and Music and Performing Arts; a Concert
Hall for the Bilkent Academic Symphony Orchestra; a
secondary school, a preschool and nursery; new dining
facilities; two health centers and a pharmacy; and the East
Campus which has additional classroom space, catering
facilities, and student and faculty housing.
The faculty is comprised of an academic staff from 43
different countries. Most of them were working in prominent
universities in North America and Europe when they received
offers from Bilkent University. According to ISI Citation
Indexes, Bilkent continues to be first in Turkey in number
of published papers per faculty member and ranks high
internationally.
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