On its 250. Anniversary and with its 25+1 ABET EAC Accredited Engineering Undergraduate Programs, ITU is Among the World’s Leaders in Educational Quality and Accreditation

by Ali İzzet Cengiz | Dec 14, 2023

In fall 2023, as we start the academic year for the 251st time, Istanbul Technical University offering 25+1 ABET EAC accredited engineering undergraduate programs, continues to be among the world’s leaders with its internationally recognized educational quality. ITU improves and maintains its title of being one of the leading universities “with the highest number of ABET EAC accredited engineering undergraduate programs offered on one campus/in one city” in Türkiye, in its region and in the world, and it continues to be among the leaders of the higher education institutions with educational quality assurance and accreditation at a global scale. While celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye and the 250th anniversary of our university, we as the members of ITU’s Civil Engineering Faculty, have the well-deserved pride of being the academicians, students, and administrators of the ABET EAC accredited Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Geomatics Engineering undergraduate programs of our faculty.

ITU MEMBERS FOR 250 YEARS, WITH PROUD FOR THE 251st TIME…

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İTÜ Faculty of Civil Engineering

It can be accepted that the history of ITU Civil Engineering Faculty was commenced in 1727 by the establishment of Humbarahane during the era of Damat İbrahim Paşa. However, this attempt was to no avail due to the martyrization of the studwents of this school by the Janissaries.

In 1734, during the grand viziership of Topal Osman Paşa, classes related to Civil Engineering was being taught in Hendesehane, which was founded in Üsküdar. Similarly, this school was also closed after three years due to the opposition of the Janissaries. The reasons of the tragedy that occured in Battle of Chesma, 1770 were inadequacy of the ships and the ignorance of the Ottoman Navy.

Although the Atlantic Map (1513) and the Map of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea (1523) by Piri Reis were the leading pieces of the era, Ottoman viziers were so ignorant that they claimed it was impossible for the Russian Baltic Fleet to reach the Mediterranean Sea assuming that there were no sea connection. With the proposal from Gazi Hasan Paşa and Baron de Tott, Mühendishane-i Bahri-i Humayun was established during the time of Sultan Mustafa III, aiming to train naval construction engineers. Since Ottoman Empire did not have any engineering schools at the time, military engineering classes were taught by French engineers beginning from 1784. French lecturers had to return to their country in 1788 with the increasing suppression from Austria and Russia, which were unwilling for the development and thriving of Ottoman Empire. In 1759, during the Grand Viziership of Koca Ragıp Paşa, Humbarahane was reopened in Karaağaç, Haliç (Golden Horn) and continued to teach even though it was incompetent. In 1792, Lağımcı Ocağı and Humbaracı Ocağı (Guild of Sappers) were established.