ODTÜ Mimarlık - METU Architecture 4.36

As distinct from other schools for higher education in Turkey fashioned after European models, METU established in 1956 as the Middle East Institute of Technology, has an academic system akin to those of the Anglo-American universities in United States. Supported by UN through UNESCO its primary mission had been the training of professionals required for urbanism, housing, construction and planning in developing countries. Conceived as an international university to be in pace with the changing and growing world of knowledge, the language of instruction is English ever since. Learning to reach sources worldwide, to evaluate critically what has been reached and to be creative and innovative have been permanent motives.

Together with Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Administrative Sciences, and the recent Educational Sciences, Architecture is one of the five faculties of the University. Along with the Department of Architecture, it comprises the departments of City and Regional Planning and Industrial Design. Department of Architecture, which is one of the two initial departments of the University in 1956, from the very first years on has been the most preferred school of architecture in Turkey.

Undergraduate admissions were initially through an examination which was given by the University. Later, examinations for admission became centralized and were transferred to the Council of Higher Education, on behalf of all universities, to qualify applicants at home (ÖSS) and abroad (YÖS). Each year about seventy students who rank among those in the uppermost scale enroll at the Department. The total number of undergraduate students is 376; currently there are 170 master's and 121 Ph.D. students. About 10% of the students enrolled at the department are international.

Numerous visiting professors have run design studios and given lecture courses for one or more academic years including those in the very beginning who acted as founding fathers. Godfrey, Perkins, Cox, Sevely, Amano, Jordan, Sprechelsen, Kaikonnen, Janeba, Corbelletti, Vidor, May, Stonyer, Westphal, Abel, Polonyi, Highlands and many others can be mentioned. Rasmussen, Fathy, Oliver, Rapoport, Broadbent, De Carlo, Smithsons are other significant names who have given much in relatively short but memorable visits. There has been a noticeable increase observed in student and staff exchange programs and joint work with other institutions in the recent years. Summer and winter schools provide an opportunity for joint work. There have been joint ventures with universities abroad (e.g. Columbia University, Rensellaer Polytechnic, University of Quebec) in the past of the department.