Hacettepe University

The history of Hacettepe University dates back to the establishment of the Institute of Child Health on 8 July 1958, along with the inauguration of the Hacettepe Children's Hospital, founded by Prof. Dr. İhsan Doğramacı. In 1961, the School of Health Sciences was established, encompassing divisions of Nursing, Medical Technology, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, and Nutrition, all centered around the Institute of Child Health.

On 15 June 1963, the Faculty of Medicine at Hacettepe University was founded, accompanied by the construction of a general teaching hospital. Three months later, the School of Dentistry was established. In the summer of 1964, the School of Basic Sciences opened, offering courses in natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. During this period, all teaching institutions of Hacettepe were affiliated with Ankara University and collectively referred to as the "Hacettepe Science Center."

Hacettepe University was officially established through Act No. 892 of the Turkish Parliament on 8 July 1967. The core institutions of Hacettepe University were the Hacettepe Institutes of Higher Education, and the Faculties of Medicine, Science and Engineering, and Social and Administrative Sciences were founded. In 1969, the School of Pharmacy and the School of Health Administration were established. In 1971, a reorganization led to the elevation of these schools to faculty status, resulting in the creation of the Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Faculty of Science. The School of Technology was established in 1973.

In 1982, a further reorganization led to the formation of the Faculty of Letters, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Fine Arts, and Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences. Additionally, the Ankara State Conservatory was affiliated with Hacettepe University. In 1984, the School of Health Services was founded, followed by the establishment of the School of Sport Sciences and Technology in 1989. More recently, in 1998, the two vocational schools in Polatlı and the Kaman Vocational School were founded.

Official Seal

The emblem of the university was designed in 1967 by Dr. Yücel Tanyeri, then a second year medical student, in the likeness of a stag, the symbol of a Hittite deity discovered at the royal tombs in Alacahöyük. Inspired by this archeological symbol common to the region, the Stag was chosen as the symbol of the university, and was abstracted to represent a lowercase "h" – the first letter of the university's name.