Sakarya University (), frequently referred to simply as SAU, is a public research university located in the city of Serdivan, Sakarya.
Considered one of the largest universities in Turkey with more than 85,000 students, Sakarya University has very high research activity and its comprehensive graduate program offers doctoral degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Humanities, as well as professional degrees in business, medicine, law, nursing, social work and dentistry. It hosts five different institutes: Educational Sciences, Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Social Sciences, and Middle East Institute.
In Turkey, Sakarya University is the first and only public university receiving the ISO-2002 Quality Certificate and "the EFQM Excellence Quality Certificate of Competency Level".
Sakarya University traces its origins back to the establishment of the School of Engineering and Architecture in 1970, initially affiliated with Istanbul Technical University. In 1971, this institution was restructured as the Sakarya State Academy of Engineering and Architecture. By 1982, it was reorganized as a faculty within ðTàand began offering Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy programs, administered by the ðTàInstitute of Pure and Applied Sciences. During the same period, vocational schools in Sakarya and Düzce were integrated into its structure. Efforts to elevate the institution to university status date back to the 1970s, with Sakarya Deputy Hayrettin Uysal introducing a parliamentary bill to establish a university named "Sakarya University." Despite its inclusion in the legislative agenda, the proposal did not succeed at the time.
In 1992, Sakarya University was officially established through Law No. 3837, enacted on July 3. Concurrently, the Düzce Vocational School was detached and affiliated with Abant ðzzet Baysal University. Early discussions regarding the university's name included a proposal to honor Fevzi ÃÂakmak, a prominent military leader and statesman, by naming the institution "Fevzi ÃÂakmak University." However, this suggestion was not adopted, and the university was ultimately named after the Sakarya region. In November 1992, Ramazan Evren, a professor from ðTÃÂ's Department of Industrial Engineering, was appointed as the founding rector.
In May 1993, a tragic accident involving a Sakarya University bus claimed the lives of 17 individuals, leaving the university and its community in deep sorrow. The bus, carrying students from the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture on a trip to Bodrum, collided with a truck on the Karacabey-Bursa highway. Among the victims were several students and young individuals, whose untimely deaths left an indelible mark on the institution. Later, another devastating event deeply impacted Sakarya University. During the Marmara Earthquake in 1999, which struck the region, the university lost three faculty members and three administrative staff. The faculty members who died were Dr. Eyüp Sabri Türker from the Faculty of Science and Letters Mathematics Department, Zuhal ÃÂztürk from the Social Sciences Institute, and Sevda Pekak from the Faculty of Theology.
In 2023, Sakarya University was selected by the Council of Higher Education (YÃÂK) for the Research Universities Candidate Monitoring Program.
Sakarya University faculties received Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey and Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÃÂBA) research awards. Notably, four faculty members, Ali Balcñ (2019), Ozan Yñlmaz (2019), Gamze Güney Eskiler (2022), and TuÃÂrul ÃÂetinkaya (2024), were recipients of the TÃÂBA-GEBðP Awards, reflecting the university's contributions to cutting-edge research and innovation. Additionally, Mahmut ÃÂzaçar received a TÃÂBðTAK Incentive Award in 2010, and Yalçñn Solak, while a member of the Faculty of Medicine, received the BAGEP Award in 2016.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked Sakarya University as follows:
The University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) ranked Sakarya University among Turkish universities as follows:
It is the first and founding faculty of Sakarya University. Originally established as âÂÂSakarya School of Engineering and Architectureâ in 1970, the school was named as âÂÂSakarya Faculty of Engineeringâ in 1992. It includes eight different departments, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geophysical Engineering, and Food Engineering.
Established in 1997, the Faculty of Education sustains its academic activity in Hendek Campus. It is the largest faculty locating outside of the main campus.
Originally established as Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences in July 1992, the faculty was reorganized under the name Faculty of Political Sciences in May 2014 including five different departments, Political Science and Public Administration, International Relations, Economics, Labor Economics and Industrial Relations, Public Finance, and Financial Econometrics.
Established in 1997, the faculty hosts three departments as Painting, Ceramics and Traditional Turkish Handicrafts.
Established in 1992, it is located outside of the main campus. With its more than 80 academic staff, Faculty Of Theology provides undergraduate and graduate education to around 3500 students.
Established in 2012, it hosts four departments, Public Relations and Advertising, Journalism, Radio-Television and Cinema and Communication Sciences.
The Faculty of Technology has opened its door to the students since the academic year 2010-2011 and there are currently five engineering departments in the faculty: Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. The education and teaching methods of the Faculty of Technology differ from other faculties. The faculty practices 7+1 educational model which is based on university-industry collaboration. One of the purposes of this model is to help its undergraduate students to become as an engineer with good practical skills. In this model students take theoretical and applied courses and before graduation students have a chance to practice their theoretical knowledge in the related field of the industry. For this purpose the curriculum is set as: Theoretical and applied courses for 7 semesters, application in the industrial corporations for 1 semester.
Sakarya University Library comprises nearly 10 individual libraries. Of them, the Suleyman Demirel Library is the largest single library in the Sakarya University Library System, and is one of the largest buildings on the campus. In 1995, the Suleyman Demirel Library moved into its current building, which covers a 7000 m2 section and it is located in an area of 5000 m2. In 2014, an additional building was opened, containing many study spaces, and reading rooms.
The Sakarya University Library, together with faculty libraries and vocational school libraries, have more than 710,000 pieces of information source (more than 700,000 books, 7.620 thesis papers, 3.717 CDs and DVDs) and 1.766 printed journals in total. In the classification of the books and journals, Dewey Classification System is utilized. It is also possible to use inter library loan facility when required. Through electronic database subscriptions, a through electronic access to numerous books and journals, and two-century-old archive of renowned journal, âÂÂTimeâÂÂ, has also been made possible to users.
Sakarya University hosts also Ibn-i Haldun Library located at the building of the Middle East Institute. Hosting books mostly on Middle Eastern politics, society and culture, this library provides basic materials for graduate student and academic researchers. Added to this Middle East-focused library, libraries in the Faculty of Theology and Faculty of Education host area-focused reading materials.