Galatasaray University information

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Galatasaray University

Galatasaray Üniversitesi Université Galatasaray
Latin: Universitas Galatasarensis
Type	Public university
Established	c. 1481 (Enderûn) 14 April 1992 (University)
Founder	Bayezid II (1481) Turgut Özal & François Mitterrand (1992)
Rector	Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Muhammed Uludağ
Administrative staff	200
Undergraduates	2,000
Postgraduates	500
Location	Istanbul , Turkey 41°02′44.70″N 29°1′13.8″E / 41.0457500°N 29.020500°E / 41.0457500; 29.020500
Campus	Ortaköy
Colors	Red   and Yellow
Mascot	Lion
Website	gsu.edu.tr

Galatasaray University (Turkish: Galatasaray Üniversitesi, French: Université Galatasaray) is a Turkish university established in Istanbul, Turkey in 1992, following an agreement signed in the presence of President François Mitterrand of France and President Turgut Özal of Turkey during a ceremony at Galatasaray High School, the mother school of the university. Turkey's Ambassador to France, Coşkun Kırca, played an important role in organizing the agreement. Galatasaray University is one of the most important members of the Galatasaray Community as Galatasaray High School and Galatasaray Sports Club, and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and notable universities in Turkey.

The establishment has five faculties (Economic and Administrative Sciences, Law, Communications, Natural Sciences and Literature, Engineering and Technology); two institutes (Social Sciences, Applied Sciences), 200 teachers and 2,500 students.

As a participant in the European exchange programs Erasmus and Socrates, Galatasaray University accommodates around 50 European students. Meanwhile, 100 students of Galatasaray University travel each year to France within the framework of these exchange programs.

In essence, Galatasaray University represents a secular tradition of teaching. Courses at Galatasaray University are tri-lingual: in Turkish, French and English. Apart from French which is the primary foreign language, fluency in English as the secondary foreign language is also required. Also, the students have to follow a third language course during their studies, which is either Spanish or German according to their choice. For the Faculty of Engineering, the preparatory period includes only one year of linguistic training.

Galatasaray University is located at Ortaköy within the borough of Beşiktaş, a populous central district on the European side of Istanbul. The building that accommodates Galatasaray University was originally the Feriye Palace, a coastal summer palace on the Bosphorus built in 1871.

Galatasaray University is heir to the centuries-old traditions of Galatasaray High School which was established in 1481 as the Galata Sarayı Enderun-u Hümayunu (Galata Palace Imperial School).