Foreign Relations Application and Research Center

I am Professor Doctor Murat Türkyılmaz. I am the vice dean of Trakya University. At the same time, I am the director of the Foreign Relations Application and Research Center. I graduated from Trakya University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry in 1994. I am still working as a faculty member of the same department. Trakya University has been recruiting students for a long time based on their diploma grades. As Trakya University, we do not conduct the Foreign Student Exam (YÖS). Our students do not need to take an entrance examination. When they receive their diploma, they can apply to our university with a diploma’s grade point average. Trakya University requires its international students to take a Turkish language exam after they are admitted to our university. If the student passes the exam, he/she starts his/her education. In case a student does not speak Turkish or is not at the required level of Turkish, we send them to Trakya University Language Center for 1 year. First of all, we teach Turkish for 1 year. Our university also has optional preparatory classes for English. Even if the student's department is not in English, if he/she wants to learn English, he/she can apply and can attend an English preparatory program for one year. In addition we have free courses in 9 different languages, especially English, at our own university's Language Center. Our students can take advantage of them. Trakya University Erasmus Office is perhaps one of the best and most effective offices in Turkey. I am the Erasmus Coordinator. Until now, we have agreements with many universities in Europe, especially in Germany, and with all universities in the Balkans. We send our students to countries with which we have agreements. Students study a semester with our support. If they want, they can extend it to two semesters. We use Erasmus in the most active way. Trakya University Mevlana Office is also an actively working office. The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) has announced that it is currently the seventh office with the most mobility in Turkey. At Mevlana Office, we usually send students to countries outside the European Union, or we accept students and teachers from countries outside the European Union, African countries, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Farabi program provides our university with internal mobility with other universities in Turkey. Our university has agreements with universities all over Turkey. If our students wish, they can go and study at other universities in Turkey for 1 or 2 semesters on the condition of mutual agreement between the two universities. Most of the departments of Trakya University are internationally accredited. Some departments have applied for accreditation, but of course, it is a continuous process that does not end once you get it. Even if you get it, the accreditation can be canceled as soon as you fail to meet the criteria. Almost all of our departments have applied for accreditation. Many of our departments are internationally accredited. All departments at Trakya University are subject to the Bologna Process. Therefore, the probability of problems arising when going abroad is very low. We have a label at Trakya University's called “blue diploma”. In other words, together with the diploma, we give an additional diploma that will enable it to be accepted abroad. In this way, our students can use it very easily if they want to do postgraduate education abroad or if they want to use their diplomas in some other way.
Edirne is one of the cheapest cities in terms of cost of living. Edirne is a city with a quarter of its population consisting of students. Rents, dormitories and transportation fees in Edirne are very affordable. Trakya University has been constantly increasing the number of students since it was founded in 1982. Especially in the last period, the number of students now makes up about a quarter of the city. Therefore, the dynamics of the city are determined according to the needs of the students. After the establishment of Trakya University, we can call Edirne a student city. We can say that it is a student city just like Eskişehir and İzmir. Students can find all kinds of artistic, sports or cultural activities in Edirne. At the same time, they can organize such activities with the support of our university. Living is cheap because it's a small, compact city. Transportation is cheap, rents are almost half the price compared to big cities. Students can come together and rent a house, there are state dormitories, there are private dormitories.We can say that it is one of the most suitable cities for students to study in. Dormitories in Edirne are within our university campuses. We have 14 campuses in total. The biggest Campus is the Balkan Campus. We have a large state dormitory in the Balkan Campus. From here, they can go to the faculties very easily, there is almost 24-hour transportation. The library of our university is also in this campus and is open 24 hours a day. Students can easily access both the dormitory, the library and their departments. We support students in need. Our Rector has created a system called “Take Part in a Student’s Education”. If they apply, we provide a small scholarship to our children in need, who do not have a mother or father, who are relatives of martyrs, or whose mothers and fathers are separated. We try to care for our students as if they are our children. We welcome our students the same way we bid farewell with the best of intentions. In a survey conducted with 5 international students studying at different universities in Turkey, Trakya University and Edirne were chosen as the most peaceful, happiest and the second most fit for education. If you want to receive a peaceful, happy, accredited, quality education, we are waiting for you in Edirne.