Sabancı University

Sabancı University executes numerous future-shaping strategic initiatives in pursuit of its vision of becoming a leading global research university. The University is committed to educating self-confident individuals who embrace universal values, show compassion for the needs of society while focusing on creating solutions, internalize cooperation in creation and development, are learners of learning, and are open to continuous development.

One of only three foundation universities in Türkiye officially recognized as a “Research University” by the Presidency of Strategy and Budget and the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), Sabancı University conducts research in faculties, centers, and forums, with an interdisciplinary approach in the fields of science, technology, and art. The University has 10 different centers and forums to contribute to scientific research, economic development, and society. Embracing research as its focus since its founding, Sabancı University has issued more than 7,800 publications* and obtained more than 290 patents*** to date. As of end-November 2022, the University has 291 active research projects with external funding with a total budget of TL 652 million**. According to the YÖK 2022 University Monitoring and Evaluation Report, Sabancı University ranked first among all universities in the country at 30.66% in terms of the share of its budget spent on R&D.

In 2022 alone, Sabancı University faculty members published more than 640 scientific publications* and obtained 31 patents***.

A globally recognized university

In the listings of the world’s best universities, including Times Higher Education (THE) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Sabancı University regularly ranks among the top universities in Türkiye.

• Sabancı University appears in the 401-500 band in THE World Universities 2023 rankings. While ranking 251-300 globally in the field of engineering, the University ranks first among all universities in Türkiye in the “International Outlook” and “Industry Income” categories.
• Sabancı University ranks first among Turkish universities in THE 2022 Best Universities in Emerging Economies.
• Sabancı University ranks 78th in THE 2022 Best Universities in Asia rankings and 108th in THE Young Universities 2022 rankings.
• Sabancı University appears in the 531-540 band in 2023 QS World Universities and the 81-90 band in the 2021 QS Universities Under 50, and ranks 21st in the 2022 QS Emerging Europe and Central Asian Countries rankings.

* Data updated: 27.12.2022 (Scopus)
** Data updated: 30.11.2022
*** Data updated: 08.12.2022

Türkiye’s most entrepreneurial and innovative foundation university

Sabancı University ranks first among foundation universities in the Inter-University Entrepreneurship and Innovation Index 2021 ranking compiled by the Turkish Republic Ministry of Industry and Technology and TÜBİTAK.

Türkiye’s top university for graduate employability

Sabancı University was included in the top 250 universities in the world in the 2022-2023 Global Employability University Ranking and Survey published by Times Higher Education. One of two universities from Türkiye included in the rankings, Sabancı University climbed four places in this year’s rankings to become 205th globally – and the top-ranking university in Türkiye.

According to the latest data, 94% of Sabancı University alumni are placed in a job within one year of graduation. Some 22% of alumni continue their graduate studies or their professional careers overseas. In the last three years, Sabancı University recruited 58 full-time faculty members, of whom 85% obtained their PhD from universities outside Türkiye. Of these, 33 are academics who joined the university directly from abroad.

University-industry collaborations

Since its founding, Sabancı University has emphasized university-industry collaborations. The University has developed pioneering business models and completed many successful projects in partnership with leading companies and institutions. In 2022, Sabancı University initiated new collaborations with Ericsson Research to develop network architectures for use in 6G communications systems in addition to the algorithms and infrastructures necessary to protect the security of these systems. The University also partnered with ASELSAN to introduce groundbreaking innovative technologies to Türkiye. This year, Sabancı University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center (SU-IMC) started collaborating with Boeing and TEI to develop and increase cooperation on advanced composite technologies in aviation. Sabancı University signed the Digital Innovation Collaboration Platform protocol, implemented in 2022 under the leadership of the Presidency’s Digital Transformation Office, with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This protocol aims to strengthen cooperation between academia, the public sector and industry in digital technologies. In 2022, Digital Hub (D-Hub), established jointly with SabancıDX to support pioneering work in digital technologies, software, and cybersecurity, started its activities with a budget of USD 1.5 million. A pilot study in Electric and Smart Vehicle Technologies was also initiated on the Sabancı University campus in cooperation with TEMSA and Netaş.

Home to the country’s best students

More than 5,300 students are enrolled at Sabancı University with 80% engaged in undergraduate study and 20% in graduate programs. In the 2022 Higher Education Institutions Exam, the University’s quota of 790 was 100% filled by the country’s best students. The student ranking first nationwide in the 2022 Core Proficiency Test of the Higher Education Institutions Exam was admitted to Sabancı University’s Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences with a full scholarship. In addition, the student ranking seventh in Türkiye according to the equal weighting score was placed at Sabancı Business School. Meanwhile, the eighth ranked student in the country by numerical score was placed in the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences with a full scholarship.

According to the 2022 Higher Education Institutions Exam results, Sabancı University admitted students with full scholarship to the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and to the Sabancı Business School with highest scores. As a result, the University successfully attracted and enrolled a significant portion of the top students in Türkiye.

Additionally, 139 students in the top 1,000, 210 students in the top 5,000, 320 students in the top 10,000, and 515 students in the top 50,000 in the country preferred to study at Sabancı University.

“Make a Promise for the Future” Scholarship Program

Sabancı University established a scholarship program to enable a greater number of successful students in need to benefit from its unique and innovative educational experience. The Make a Promise for the Future Scholarship Program was inspired by young people’s promises to solve problems for a stronger future and a better world. The new scholarship program was introduced at a major event on the Sabancı University campus with the participation of alumni and representatives from the business world.

2022 Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards

The Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards have been granted for 17 years following the will of Sabancı University Honorary President Sakıp Sabancı to recognize value-adding studies in the social sciences. In 2022, the theme of the Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards was “The Future of Globalization: The Return of the State?” This year, the Special Jury Prize was presented to Professor Pippa Norris, who has taught at Harvard for three decades as the Paul F. McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics.

Türkiye’s first campus to announce a net zero target

Since its founding, Sabancı University has given priority to energy and climate issues. Now, the University aims to achieve the net zero energy target on its Tuzla campus. Sabancı University is a green campus and features a significant solar energy infrastructure. With the Green Energy Agreement signed with Enerjisa Enerji, the University aims to meet all its energy needs from renewable energy sources. In 2022, 14,029 MWh of electrical energy consumed by the University was obtained from renewable energy sources. The Tuzla campus has a solar power plant and cogeneration system, which was installed in conjunction with Enerjisa. This system meets 60% of the University’s total electricity need. In addition, Sabancı University plans to install solar panels on all building roofs of the Tuzla campus with the target of boosting its total solar energy capacity to 1 MW. The University has a green campus with over 170,000 plants and a natural pond. Currently, 100% of the electrical energy consumed on the Tuzla campus is green energy obtained from sustainable sources.

The Sabancı University campus is included in the Smart Campus Project, an effort implemented under the European Commission EuroGia Energy Cluster and coordinated by Enerjisa.

Pioneering work in social contribution

A panel entitled “Türkiye-EU/Germany Relations: Then, Now and Future” was held as part of the 10th anniversary of the İstanbul Policy Center - Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative. Through the Mercator–IPC Research Fellowship Program realized as part of this initiative, researchers conduct academic studies in a wide range of subjects – from climate change to social cohesion of refugees, cultural policies to gender.

Focusing on the current issues of the global energy and climate agenda, Sabancı University İstanbul International Center for Energy and Climate (IICEC) addressed the world’s challenging issues of energy crisis and renewable energy at a conference entitled “Global Energy Crisis: Solutions & The Role of Renewable Energy” held in İstanbul. The ways out of the energy crisis and the importance of renewable energy for a sustainable future were discussed at the conference. In addition, a launch presentation was made for the “Türkiye Renewable Energy Outlook 2022 Report” prepared by IICEC – a pioneering study and the first report of its kind in the sector.