Ankara University, founded in 1946, was the first institute of higher education to be established in the modern Turkish Republic. A public university with more than 60,000 students, it offers a large academic portfolio with courses in a number of scientific disciplines, including social, medical, natural and applied sciences, as well as arts and sports. It also offers associate, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral level programmes. Distance and continuing education courses are also available. The university is situated on a main campus near the centre of Ankara, Turkey’s capital and the country’s second largest city after Istanbul. It is organised across 14 faculties, nine graduate schools and various research institutes within the city. The campus itself offers a variety of academic and recreational facilities, as well as providing accommodation for undergraduate students. Facilities include a sports centre, a swimming pool and gymnasium, as well as a number of student societies. Ankara has been a member of the Erasmus programme since 2004, and boasts a multitude of partnerships. Other memberships include IAU, EUA and UNICA. Its alumni includes Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener, Istanbul Governer Muammer Guler and former CEO of the Turkish Stock Exchange Osman Birsen. Ankara itself is an ancient city and students of the university have easy access to a vast array of religious and cultural sites, and the city’s museums. As a major metropolis, Ankara also possesses all the trappings of a modern European city with extensive retail parks, nightlife and a modern transport network.