Turkish research universities rise in 2026 performance rankings

The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) has released the 2026 Research Universities Performance Evaluation results, highlighting significant advancements for several Turkish institutions.

Atatürk University demonstrated a notable rise in the rankings, climbing three positions from 16th to 13th place. This movement positions it as the highest-ranking university outside of Ankara and Istanbul. The university's progress is attributed to enhanced scientific research capacity, increased academic productivity, and the strengthening of national and international collaborations.

Fırat University also saw an improvement in its standing, moving up one spot from 21st to 20th place among the 23 research universities evaluated. Fırat University officials stated that the rise reflects ongoing efforts to bolster research capacity, scientific output, and university-industry cooperation.