Atatürk University's Global Brilliance in 2026 Rankings

Stunning Leap in the 2026 RUR Rankings In mid-June 2026, the Round University Ranking (RUR) institute released its annual results, showing extraordinary progress for Atatürk University. The university climbed 127 places compared to last year, reaching 649th globally [1]. Nationally, this scientific center rose eight places, moving from 20th to 12th among Turkish universities. A notable point in this report is the 262-place jump in the Teaching Ranking index, placing Atatürk University at 806th globally and 31st in the country [1]. ## Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (THE Impact Rankings) One of the university's most brilliant achievements occurred on June 26, 2026, in the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings report. Based on this report, which is structured around the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Atatürk University ranked among the top 10 universities in the world in 3 different fields [2]. Additionally, the university secured the first rank in Turkey across 9 different categories. In the overall impact ranking, Atatürk University made a historic leap from the 1001-1500 range to the 101-200 global range and ranked 3rd nationally [4]. ## Improving Position in the 2025-2026 URAP Rankings Reports published on June 23, 2026, by the URAP institute also confirm the university's academic growth. Atatürk University rose 42 places compared to the previous year, reaching 879th globally [3]. In the domestic Turkish rankings, the university succeeded in surpassing many competitors to become the 8th best university in the country [5]. Criteria such as the number of articles, citation impact, and international collaborations were cited as the main factors for this success. ## 'New Generation University' Vision and Future Goals Professor Dr. Ahmet Hacımüftüoğlu, Rector of Atatürk University, attributed these successes to the 'New Generation University' strategy and the round-the-clock efforts of the academic and research staff [1]. He emphasized that the university's ultimate goal is to enter the top 500 universities in the world across all indicators. Investing in digital infrastructure, increasing graduate education capacity, and focusing on international projects are among the programs the university is pursuing to maintain and improve its position in the coming years [5]. These successes are considered a great honor not only for the city of Erzurum but for the entire Turkish higher education system.