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Middle East Technical University

Coordinates: 39°53′29″N 32°47′05″E / 39.89139°N 32.78472°E / 39.89139; 32.78472
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Middle East Technical University
Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi
Motto
Scientia Dux Vitae Certissimus (Latin)
Motto in English
Science is the truest guide in life
TypePublic
Established15 November 1956; 68 years ago (1956-11-15)
Budget$134 million (2024)[1]
PresidentAhmet Yozgatlıgil[2]
Academic staff
1,892
Students25,089[3]
Undergraduates19,202[3]
Postgraduates5,530[3]
Location
CampusSuburban, 11,100 acres (4,500 ha, 45 km²)
LanguageEnglish
Other campuses
ColorsRed White
NicknameMETU Falcons
(American football)
Affiliations
Websitemetu.edu.tr
metu.edu
University rankings
Global – Overall
QS World[5]285 (2025)
THE World[6]351–400 (2025)
National – Overall
QS National[7]1 (2025)
THE National[8]1 (2025)

Middle East Technical University (commonly referred to as METU; in Turkish, Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, ODTÜ) is a public technical university located in Ankara, Turkey. The university focuses on research and education in engineering, natural sciences and social sciences, offering 41 undergraduate programs across five faculties and 105 master's and 70 doctoral programs through five graduate schools.[3][9] The main campus of METU spans an area of 11,100 acres (4,500 ha), comprising, in addition to academic and auxiliary facilities, a forest area of 7,500 acres (3,000 ha), and the natural Lake Eymir. METU has more than 120,000 alumni worldwide.[10] The official language of instruction at METU is English.[3]

Over one third of the 1,000 highest scoring students in the national university entrance examination choose to enroll in METU; and most of its departments accept the top 0.1% of the nearly 3 million applicants.[3] METU had the greatest share in national research funding by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) in the last five years, and it is the leading university in Turkey in terms of the number of European Union Framework Programme (FP) projects participation.[11][12] Over 40% of METU's undergraduate alumni choose to pursue graduate studies.[3]

History

[edit]

Middle East Technical University was founded under the name "Orta Doğu Teknoloji Enstitüsü" (Middle East Institute of Technology) on November 15, 1956, to contribute to the development of Turkey and the surrounding countries of the Middle East, Balkans, and Caucasus, by creating a skilled workforce in the natural and social sciences. "Arrangements and Procedures as for the Foundation of METU, Law No 6213" was enacted on January 22, 1957, whereby the current name "Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi" (ODTÜ) was adopted. Finally, the "Foundation Act No 7907", setting forth the particular standing of METU and establishing it as a juridical entity, was enacted on May 27, 1959.[13][14]

In the early years immediately following its foundation, METU was temporarily hosted in a small building that previously belonged to the Social Security Office of Retirees in Kızılay and another building near the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. In 1963, the university moved to its current location west of Ankara city center, creating the first university campus of Turkey. In 1956, the Department of Architecture initiated the first academic program at METU, followed by the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the spring of 1957. At the start of the 1957–1958 academic year, the Faculty of Architecture, the Faculty of Engineering, and the Faculty of Administrative Sciences were established. In 1959, the establishment of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences was completed. The Faculty of Education launched its academic program in 1982.[13]

Organisation

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METU campus is an example of brutalist architecture designed by Behruz Çinici.
METU Library, 1961-1980

Faculties and departments

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METU has 42 academic departments, most of which are organised into 5 faculties.[15] These are responsible for the undergraduate programs.

  • Faculty of Architecture: Architecture, City and Regional Planning, Industrial Design
  • Faculty of Arts and Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, History, Mathematics, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Statistics
  • Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences: Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, Political Science and Public Administration
  • Faculty of Education: Computer Education and Instructional Technology, Educational Sciences, Elementary Education, Foreign Language Education, Physical Education and Sports, Secondary Science and Mathematics Education
  • Faculty of Engineering: Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Engineering Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Food Engineering, Geological Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Mining Engineering, Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering

In addition to these, there are the Department of Basic English and the Department of Modern Languages in the School of Foreign Languages; the Technical Vocational School of Higher Education; and, bound directly to the President's Office, the Department of Turkish Language and the Department of Music and Fine Arts.

METU Rectorate Building

Graduate schools

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The 5 graduate schools present in METU are responsible for the graduate programs.[15]

Academics

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Part of METU campus. METU Stadium, a portion of dormitories in the background

As of 2020, METU has approximately 27,000 students, of which 19,700 are enrolled in undergraduate programs, 4,700 in masters, and 3,000 in doctorate programs.[3] A further 1,500 students are attending programs in the new Northern Cyprus Campus.[16] Over 40% of METU's students go on to graduate school. Each academic year, METU hosts over 1,700 regular international students from 94 different countries; and through 168 Erasmus Programme agreements and 182 bilateral exchange and cooperation agreements with universities abroad (e.g. in Central Asia, Middle East, North America, Australia, Far East and Pacific Region), it sends 350 students and receives 300 students and 50 researchers annually.[3] As of 2023, the university employs 2,603 faculty (professors and associate professors), 479 academic instructors, and over 708 research assistants. The number of the alumni exceeds 500,000 (about 350,000 having completed undergraduate programs).[17]

Three-part lecture hall, rear view, 1961-1980, SALT Research
METU Faculty of Architecture was the first building of the campus.

METU has about 40 undergraduate programs within the faculties of Engineering, Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Economic and Administrative Sciences, and Education, and there are 97 masters and 62 doctorate programs available in the graduate schools of Natural and Applied Sciences, Social Sciences, Informatics, Applied Mathematics, and Marine Sciences.[3] METU commonly ranks close to the top among research universities in Turkey,[18] with over one third of the 1,000 highest scoring students in the national university entrance examination choosing to enroll; and most of its departments accepting the top 0.1% of the nearly 1.5 million applicants.[3] In the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities published in July 2009, aiming to measure through web-based publications the institution size, research output, and impact,[19] METU ranked as the world's 435th (1st place within Turkey) among 15,000 universities, being the only university from Turkey to get included among the top 500.[11][20][21] Recently, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings published in September 2016 placed METU at the 501–600th position worldwide based on indicators of teaching, research, influence, innovation, and international character,[22][23] making it one of the six universities from Turkey listed among the top 600 (the other being Bilkent University at number 351–400).[22] The QS World University Rankings 2010 by Quacquarelli Symonds ranked METU as 185th worldwide in the field of engineering and technology,[24] and as 333rd in the field of natural sciences.[25]

The language of instruction at METU is English.[3] All enrolled students are required to have a degree of proficiency in English for academic purposes, and this is assured by a proficiency examination before the commence of studies. Students with unsatisfactory knowledge of English follow a preparatory English education for one year, given by the METU School of Foreign Languages. Two exceptions instructed in Turkish are the Turkish language and the history of Turkish revolution courses mandated by the Council of Higher Education.

Tree of Science statue (Turkish: Bilim Ağacı) by the main entrance to METU campus

International perspective

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University rankings
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Times Higher Education World Ranking[26] 276–300[27] 201–225[27] 201–225[28] 85[29] 501–600[30] 601–800 601–800 601–800 601–800 801–1000 601–800 501–600 351-400 351-400
THE Reputation 91–100 51–60 71–80 [31] N/A[32] N/A[33] N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Not yet published Not yet published
THE Arts & Humanities (History & Philosophy)[34] N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 301-400 401+ 301-400 301-400 301-400 251-300 251-300 Not yet published
QS World University Rankings Overall[35] 451–500 N/A 431–440 401–410 431–440 471–480 471–480 551–560 591–600 601–650 551–560 501-510 336 285
QS World University Rankings Engineering 185[36] 204[37] 118[38] 184 184 259 216 243 193 183 142 133 117 Not yet published
QS World University Rankings Arts & Humanities (History & Philosophy)[39] N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 451-500 451-500 N/A 401-450 400 401-450 364 240 Not yet published
ARWU World Ranking[40] N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 701–800 801–900 701–800 801–900 901-1000 901-1000 N/A N/A Not yet published
CWTS Leiden World Ranking 381[41] 418[42] 570[43] 596[44] 501[45] 540[46] 565[47] 598[48] 585[49] 600 654 697 755 Not yet published
CWUR World Ranking N/A N/A 396[50] 470[51] 525[52] 498[53] 596[54] 582[55] 571[56] 573 595 627 685 Not yet published

Researchers from METU actively take part in many COST, EUREKA, NASA, NATO, NSF, UN, World Bank, Jean Monnet, Erasmus Mundus, Leonardo and SOCRATES projects.[3][11] METU has been involved in 56 European Union 6th Framework Programme (FP6) projects, including the coordination of 12 FP6 and 3 Networks of Excellence projects.[57] Within the 7th Framework Programme (FP7), 33 research projects involve participation of METU, since 2007.[58]

METU main road view from Physics Department
METU Interior of Faculty of Architecture


As of 2020, METU has 22 international joint degree programmes with European and American universities at the undergraduate and graduate levels.[3] METU is a member of various associations and networks dealing with international education and exchange, including EUA, EAIE, IIE, GE3, SEFI, and CIEE.[3] The university also actively participates in AIESEC and IAESTE summer internship programs. English as the language of instruction in all its degree programs has greatly facilitated METU's international involvements and accommodation of international students and researchers.

METU continually goes through external assessment, accreditation, and certification by international organizations. In 1991, METU initiated a long-term program to have its engineering programs evaluated by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the recognized U.S. accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. This process was concluded with the Faculty of Engineering having all its thirteen undergraduate programs declared as "substantially equivalent" to the ABET accredited programs in the USA.[59] The university has completed the evaluation process of Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) of the European University Association (EUA) in 2002.[60]

Because of METU's effort to maintain international standards, the Faculty of Engineering was awarded in 1977 the "Silver Badge of Honor" by the UNESCO International Center for Engineering Education and the "Meritorious Achievement Award in Accreditation Activities" by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). METU was awarded the international Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1995 for its forestation program.

Being the pioneer institution of the country to connect to the Internet backbone in the early 1990s, METU also manages Turkey's Country Code Top-level Domain (ccTLD) (the ".tr" domain).[61]

METU library

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METU Library Building, 1961-1980

The METU Main Library has one of the largest collections in Turkey,[62] containing over 500,000 books[63] classified according to the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) scheme.[64] The library subscribes to 1,500 print journals (170,270 volumes) and it provides access to 76,671 electronic journals, 587,493 electronic books, and 66 electronic reference sources.[63] The library collections also hold over 1,780 book and serial CDs, 1,300 doctoral dissertations and 11,600 masters theses. Abstracts for doctoral dissertations and some master theses from North American colleges and universities and some accredited international universities are also provided, starting from 1861, with full texts available from the year 1997.[65] The library's collections are predominantly in English, but there are also items in Turkish, German, and French.

Campuses

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Part of METU campus, as seen from the MM Building (Turkish: Mühendislik Merkez Binası).

Ankara campus

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METU main campus in Ankara, used by the university since 1963, is the first university campus of Turkey. It is situated about 10 km west of central Ankara and encompasses an area of 11,100 acres (4,500 ha), of which 7,500 acres (3,000 ha) constitute the METU Forest.[3] The campus grounds was transformed into a forest with the continuing help of students and volunteers since the foundation of the university.[66] The creation of this distinctive campus with its forest was spearheaded by the METU rector from 1961 to 1969, Kemal Kurdaş.

Lake Eymir near Gölbaşı, located 15 kilometers from the academic portion of the campus, is used by the students and faculty for rowing and recreational activities. The campus is accessible by several types of public transport, and the construction of METU subway station of the Ankara Metro on the main entrance to the campus (gate A1) was completed in 2014.

Triple Lecture Hall near the Department of Physics
Lecture Hall in the Department of Architecture

Northern Cyprus campus

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The METU Northern Cyprus Campus, the first overseas campus of a Turkish university, 50 km west of North Nicosia in Northern Cyprus, admitted its first students during the academic year 2002–2003, but the doors were officially opened in Northern Cyprus in September 2005.[67]

Erdemli campus

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The METU Erdemli campus in Mersin Province on the Mediterranean coast, used by the Middle East Technical University Institute of Marine Sciences since 1975, is the first campus of METU outside of Ankara. It is situated about 45 km from Mersin. The campus area is 660,000 m2, close to the shore and surrounded by lemon trees. The laboratory space is about 700 m2. METU-IMS Harbor is an important shelter for marine biological diversity on the Mersin coast. The harbor is the only intact rocky habitat along the long sandy coast.

Live footage from all campuses can be accessed via METU-CAM, a collection of six webcams in METU main campus, one in METU Northern Cyprus Campus, and one in the Graduate School of Marine Sciences, in Erdemli, Mersin.

METU Teknokent

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METU Teknokent,[68] or ODTÜ Teknokent, is the first science and research park in Turkey.[69] Founded within the campus, it aims to facilitate the development of companies that conduct substantial research and development to produce high-tech products and services through benefiting from METU's research capacity and information pool. Priority is given to companies executing research and development work on information technologies, advanced materials, energy, automotive, chemistry, biology and environment technologies.

As of 2009, the METU Teknokent project employs about 3,300 personnel, approximately 2,700 of whom are researchers (86% of the total staff are university graduates, and 23% have MSc, MA, or PhD degrees), working in 240 firms.[70] Around 90% of the firms are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), 65% of these are specialized in information and communication technologies, 25% in electronics, and 15% in other sectors such as aerospace, environment, bio-technology, nanotechnology, and advanced materials.[70] The company profile also includes multinationals such as SBS, MAN, Cisco, and Siemens. To promote entrepreneurship and innovation, the incubation center at the METU Teknokent serves 38 start-ups and micro sized companies, most of which start their life as spin-offs from METU research projects.

METU Teknokent hosts partners to several European Union Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) projects,[69] such as NICE, SINCERE,[71] ReSIST,[72] SmeInnov8gate[73] and IP4INNO.[73]

Student life and culture

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A view from 17th METU Spring Festival (Turkish: Bahar Şenliği), May 2003
METU Sports Hall

The student life at METU is marked with activities of student societies, frequent political protests, and festivals. The Cultural and Convention Center continually hosts a wide spectrum of cultural events and also regular occurrences such as the METU Jazz Days and METU Art Festival. The event with the largest number of participants is the annual METU Spring Festival, a five-day-long series of open-air concerts and exhibitions held at the main campus.

There are various traits shared by METU students, including the usage of an English–Turkish jargon (METUrkish, ODTÜrkçe as once named by an alumnus artist in an art project) which apparently stems from the fact that English is the language of instruction covering academic processes and student life (and blending into campus language similar to Persian, Arabic and later French in the past blended into Turkish to form Ottoman technical language), which reputedly is not liked much by the students of other universities; and the omnipresent word "Hocam" (meaning "My Teacher"), which is used by METU students to address anyone from bus drivers to senior faculty members. Underneath this phrase lies the philosophy that everyone has something to learn from each other.

The main campus has dormitory capacity for nearly 7,000 students who benefit from the shopping center, banks, post office, and a wide variety of sports facilities, including gymnasiums, tennis courts, basketball and football fields, jogging trails, Olympic-size indoor swimming pool, and an outdoor swimming pool.[3]

Student organizations

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There are numerous student organizations active in METU.[74] Some of these are:

Abbreviation Full name Founded Description External link
METU Aikido METU Aikido Society (Turkish: ODTÜ Aikido Topluluğu) 2001 METU Aikido Society is dedicated to the Japanese martial art of Aikido. It boasts the largest Aikido dojo in Turkey. Annually, the society organizes the International Aikido Festival, held at METU, attracting practitioners and enthusiasts from around the world. [1]
OCİT METU First Aid and Life Saving Society (Turkish: ODTÜ Cankurtarma ve İlkyardım Topluluğu) 1992 OCIT is an organization dedicated to teaching first aid and emergency response techniques. Its primary goal is to raise awareness about first aid practices and equip individuals with the skills necessary to save lives in emergency situations. [2]
METU MECH METU Mechanical Engineering and Innovation Society (Turkish: ODTÜ Makina ve İnovasyon Topluluğu) 2009 METU MECH is a technical and social student society at Middle East Technical University. The society's activities range from engineering projects to free lectures across various disciplines. Its primary objective is to enhance scientific knowledge within METU and to foster a space for undergraduate-level research and development. Annually, the society hosts 'ODTÜ Sanayi Günleri (OSG)' an event featuring presentations from major companies as well as seminars. [3]
OTTO METU History Society (Turkish: ODTÜ Tarih Topluluğu) 1986 The METU History Society, affiliated with the METU Department of History, is one of the most active societies on campus, with a 30-year tradition. It offers a wide range of academic and social events, including weekly seminars, trips, international conferences, alumni talks, and collaborations with other academic societies. Notable past participants include scholars from Princeton, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, and Cambridge University. [4]
BIYOGEN METU Biology and Genetics Society 2004 METU BIYOGEN is a student society dedicated to enhancing the understanding of basic sciences, with a particular emphasis on Biology and related fields such as Evolutionary Biology. The society utilizes various subgroups, including Evrim Ağacı, Yaşam Ağacı (English: Tree of Life) magazine, and the AIDS Day Committee, to organize public events that promote advancements in basic sciences and provide educational outreach to the public. Additionally, the society engages in academic research in basic sciences. One of its key events is the Aykut Kence Evolution Conference, the largest evolutionary biology conference in Turkey, which annually attracts over 1200 international participants and is open to the public. [5] Archived 2012-01-30 at the Wayback Machine
HUT METU Aerospace Students Society (EUROAVIA Ankara) The Aerospace Interested Students Society is one of the largest members of the European Association of Aerospace Students (EUROAVIA). This society organizes a variety of local events, including seminars, parties, barbecues, speeches, scaled-model aircraft courses, and lectures on aviation history. Additionally, it participates in international EUROAVIA events, such as congresses, fly-ins, and symposia, enhancing its role within the aerospace student community in Europe. [6]
HAT METU Aviation Society Paragliding Group 1992 The group has trained hundreds of enthusiasts in aviation and paragliding, achieving several records in Turkey. Their primary training location is Racon Hill in Ankara. For more advanced training sessions, the group organizes trips to various other provinces across the country. [7]
CCLUB METU Computer Society 1989 The Computer Society is dedicated to educating its members about computer technologies and increasing the availability of resources on computer science written in Turkish. Since 1997, the society, also known as CClub, has hosted the Traditional Programming Contest annually. [8]
IEEE IEEE METU Student Branch The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) METU Student Branch is one of the most active student societies on campus. It includes twelve student sub-branches and engages in a variety of technical and social activities. The society is also involved in Europe-wide projects and organizations, such as the Electrical Engineering Students' European Association (EESTEC). Additionally, IEEE METU publishes 'Biltek,' a magazine that is issued four times a year. [9]
VT METU Productivity Society (Turkish: ODTÜ Verimlilik Topluluğu) 1992 The METU Productivity Society is an active organization dedicated to fostering relationships among students, academics, and the business world. With 70 enthusiastic members and numerous beneficial projects, the society reaches a broad student demographic, particularly those in engineering and management disciplines. Established as the first Turkish member of the European Students of Industrial Engineering and Management (ESTIEM) in 1996, the society has maintained connections with European counterparts, enhancing its profile and influence. [10]
SDT METU Socialist Thought Society (Turkish: Sosyalist Düşünce Topluluğu) 1965 One of the oldest societies at METU, the society was founded in 1965 by 12 socialist students. By the early 1970s, it had grown to over 400 members. However, in 1971, it was shut down by the university's rectorship as part of the oppressive policies leading up to a military coup in the country. The society was re-established in 2002 by students, marking its return with significant events on campus. [11]
KGT METU Classical Guitar Society (Turkish: Klasik Gitar Topluluğu) 1975 Founded by Ahmet Kanneci in 1975, this organization is recognized as Turkey's first guitar society and Ankara's inaugural serious guitar education organization. The society is dedicated to promoting and disseminating classical music culture. It has nurtured several renowned artists, including Ahmet Kanneci, Cem Duruöz, Orhan Anafarta, Emre Sabuncuoğlu, and Gutay Yıldıran. The society actively supports classical music through voluntary guitar lessons, ongoing musical activities, and hosting the annual International Classical Guitar Festival, which is the longest-running event of its kind in Turkey. [12]
METU Capoeira Society 2002 Founded by Şeyda Kavak in 2002, this student society is dedicated to the martial art of capoeira and broader aspects of Brazilian culture. Its primary focus is on teaching and promoting capoeira, but it also explores other elements of Brazilian cultural heritage.
THBT Turkish Folklore Society (Turkish: Türk Halk Bilimi Topluluğu) 1961 One of the oldest student societies at METU is primarily focused on folk dance and folk music. The society offers free courses in Turkish folk instruments and folk dances, aiming to preserve and promote traditional Anatolian culture. It organizes annual events such as the Anatolian Musical Festival and Folklore Days, which celebrate and showcase the rich heritage of Turkish folk arts. [13]
ORT METU Robotic Society (Turkish: ODTÜ Robot Topluluğu) 2000 The Robotic Society is a technical student group that offers free technical courses to students at METU. Annually, the society participates in the Formula-G competition in Turkey. Notably, MEŞ-e, a solar car designed and built by the Robotic Society, won the Formula-G in 2005. Additionally, the society hosts the International METU Robotics Days event each year, promoting advancements in robotics and fostering a community of innovation. [14]
ADT Atatürk's Thought Society 1989 This student society is actively engaged in political activities and facilitates intellectual discourse within the student community. It organizes panel discussions and debates, focusing on a wide range of political topics. [15]
FPIRC/DPUİT METU Foreign Policy and International Relations Society 1992 The society is composed of five sub-groups, each with a specific focus within the realm of international relations and diplomacy. 'Hariciye' is a biannual magazine published in Turkish that covers foreign affairs. 'News Report' is a weekly journal that features world news and student perspectives on foreign affairs. The 'METU Model United Nations Society' is recognized as one of Turkey's most successful university-level debate teams. 'EUROsimA' (abbreviation for 'European Union Simulation in Ankara') is an annual conference that simulates European Union proceedings; its tenth session occurred in 2014. Lastly, the Conference & Public Relations group organizes professional discussions and visits to ministries, in addition to coordinating the activities of the five sub-groups. [16]
ILKYAR First Aid Society The society is dedicated to introducing the concepts of moral and material aid to elementary and high school students. To support this mission, it organizes fundraising activities and collaborates with various companies and charitable organizations. These partnerships and events help provide both moral support and material assistance to those in need. [17]
DKSK Mountaineering & Winter Sports Society 1963 This sports society at METU gained prominence following their successful expedition to the summit of Mount Everest. The society is notable for including Eylem Elif Maviş, the first Turkish female to summit Everest, among its members. [18]
KTMT Turkish Classical Music Society (Turkish: Klasik Türk Müziği Topluluğu) KTMT is a music society primarily focused on classical Turkish music instruments. Similar to THBT, KTMT offers free courses to students, promoting the study and appreciation of traditional Turkish music through hands-on learning and cultural engagement.
Book Society 1996 This student society is dedicated to literature, books, and reading. It organizes regular reading sessions each term to broaden students' reading horizons and enhance their intellectual capabilities. Additionally, the society arranges seminars on various writers and literary topics and hosts panels featuring renowned authors. [19]
SFFS Science Fiction and Fantasy Society (Turkish: Bilim Kurgu ve Fantazi Topluluğu) This student society brings together enthusiasts of science fiction and fantasy across various mediums, including literature, cinema, comic books, and role-playing games. The society's two major events include the Treasure Hunt, a longstanding and popular feature of the METU Spring Fest, and METUCON, an annual science fiction and fantasy convention. In addition to these flagship activities, the society regularly organizes seminars, reading groups focused on the science fiction and fantasy genres, and film screenings. The members have also established a library dedicated to science fiction and fantasy literature, which is available for use by the entire university community. [20]
Chess Society This student society is composed of dedicated chess enthusiasts. The society organizes multiple chess tournaments and related activities, providing a platform for members to compete, learn, and share their passion for the game. [21]
KDO METU Karate-Do Society 1984 This branch of the METU Sports Club has been training in the Shotokan style of Karate-Do since 1984. It is affiliated with both the World Karate Federation (WKF) and the World Shotokan Karate-Do Federation (WSKF). The society actively participates in seminars and competitions worldwide. Notably, it secured a gold medal at the 2004 WSKF World Championships held in Tokyo, Japan.[75] [22]
METU Bridge Society This student society at METU is dedicated to promoting the game of bridge among students, with the goal of developing competent players. Over the past decade, the society has been a significant contributor to the Turkish Youth Bridge Teams, including the U21, U26, and Girls teams, by supplying a considerable number of young, skilled players.
ODTÜ MT METU Music Societies Since the late 1980s, this student society has been committed to supporting amateur music, particularly focusing on rock and related genres. Known as one of the most active societies at METU, it organizes several key events including the Lake Festival, Metal Days, Amateur Music Days, Rock'n Blues Days, and a Rock Festival, all of which are integral parts of the METU Spring Festival. These events are notable for being organized without major sponsorship, relying solely on the voluntary efforts of society members. The society also functions as a school for amateur musicians, primarily in the genres of rock, metal, and blues. [23]
METU Classical Music Society This society is dedicated to organizing concerts and recitals that focus on classical music. Its primary goal is to promote appreciation for this genre among the community through these live music events.
ODO METU Players (Turkish: ODTÜ Oyuncuları) 1960 METU Players is a university theatre society that focuses on staging various theatrical productions and promoting the performing arts within the university community. [24]
METU Musical Society or The Company (Turkish: ODTÜ Müzikal Topluluğu) 1997 This student society specializes in performing musicals at various venues across the country, bringing theatrical productions to a wide audience and promoting the arts within and beyond their academic community. [25]
METU Debating Society (Turkish: ODTÜ Münazara Topluluğu) 2007 This society focuses on British Parliamentary debating and actively participates in both national and international tournaments. It also hosts debating events, fostering rhetorical skills and critical thinking among its members. [26]
AAT METU Amateur Astronomy Society (Turkish: ODTÜ Amatör Astronomi Topluluğu) 1986 This society brings together amateur astronomy enthusiasts to share the latest developments in the field and to organize seminars for other students, promoting interest and knowledge in astronomy. [27]

METU Pride march

[edit]

METU Pride march has been held annually since 2011.[76] The 2022 Pride march was banned by the university, and the university threatened to summon police if it should proceed.[77] The 9th annual Pride march held 2019 found students and faculty met with pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets used by police. Some were dragged on the ground and others sustained head injuries. 18 students and an academic were arrested and released late in the night on the same day. Following a letter from the Ankara Security Office, arrested students had their KYK scholarships and credits terminated. The arrested were prosecuted, and they were acquitted October 2021, with the university's ban found lacking legal basis.[77][76][78]

Notable people

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Faculty

[edit]

Alumni

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2024 Yılı Maddi Durum ve Beklentiler Raporu" (PDF).
  2. ^ "University Administration". METU - Middle East Technical University. 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "METU at a Glance: General Information". Middle East Technical University. 15 November 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25.
  4. ^ "Home". Archived from the original on 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  5. ^ "Middle East Technical University". Top Universities. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  6. ^ "World University Rankings". Times Higher Education (THE). 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  7. ^ "QS World University Rankings 2025: Turkey". Top Universities. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  8. ^ "World University Rankings: Turkey". Times Higher Education (THE). 2024-11-14. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  9. ^ "History". METU - Middle East Technical University. 2011-05-05. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  10. ^ "METU: History". Middle East Technical University. July 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-07-09. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
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39°53′29″N 32°47′05″E / 39.89139°N 32.78472°E / 39.89139; 32.78472