Featured Research Project
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) continues to strengthen its research and innovation ecosystem through scientific research, technology transfer and international academic engagement.
YTU Rocket Team Readies ARTAM‑III for a Flight Beyond Mach 3
The Yıldız Rocket Team has developed the two-stage ARTAM‑III rocket after about a year of work. The team aims to take the rocket beyond three times the speed of sound and to an altitude of approximately 20 kilometers.
The students designed and manufactured many of the rocket’s components themselves, from the motor and fuel to the insulation and avionics. The first stage is powered by a hybrid rocket motor, and the rocket’s flight performance has been tested through engineering analyses and six-degree-of-freedom (6‑DOF) simulations
YTU Develops Compact Modular Seismic Isolators
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) has developed a palm-sized modular seismic isolator with support from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK). Unlike large conventional isolators, the modular system can be adapted to buildings of any size or type, from hospitals to homes and commercial premises. It is designed to minimize structural damage by reducing the seismic energy and acceleration transmitted from the ground.
The isolator was designed and tested in YTU’s Civil Engineering Structural Laboratory in a project led by Prof. Dr. Serkan Bekiroğlu. Its standardized design is expected to speed up production, and Yıldız TTO, the university’s technology transfer office, is partnering with Ferge Engineering to bring it into practical use.
Technology Transfer & Innovation
YTU Co-Develops an AI-Supported Quality Management System
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) and Kırşehir Ahi Evran University have introduced IQMS, a next-generation quality management system that uses AI to support decision-making in higher education. Rather than simply recording data and producing periodic reports, IQMS is designed to bring strategic planning, performance, risk, stakeholder and accreditation data onto a single platform, flag deviations from targets, provide early warning of risks and highlight priority areas for action.
It is also intended to manage quality assurance, accreditation, ISO management systems and the EFQM Model through shared data, reducing duplicate reporting. Future plans include a national rollout and a multilingual version for international use.
YTU Startup House and NVIDIA Launch the AI Engineer Bootcamp
In collaboration with NVIDIA, YTU Startup House is running the AI Engineer Bootcamp, a free, three-week program held in English in October 2026. Designed as an AI 201 course, it is aimed at young entrepreneurs, developers and software engineers who already write code and know the basics of large language models (LLMs).
Across nine modules, NVIDIA engineers guide participants through the building blocks of a modern AI application, from inference, prompting and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to tool calling, agent loops, evaluation, security and deployment. The program will close in November with Inspiration Day, bringing participants together with NVIDIA engineers and other AI professionals.
International Events & Conferences
YTU Unveils Its Model for an AI-Supported Autonomous University
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) unveiled its model for an AI-supported autonomous university at the 2nd International Conference on Quality Assurance and Accreditation, which it hosted on September 14–15 for participants from 171 universities. The model links quality management, teaching, research and industry collaboration through four AI-supported platforms under one principle: “AI recommends, the expert evaluates, the institution decides.” Its quality management platform brings together data from 72 digital systems and is planned for use at more than 40 universities. YTU also introduced YTU Publishing, a platform that starts with its 12 academic journals and is planned to operate globally, and YTU Certification Hub, which aims to develop new standards rather than only apply them.
YTU Expands Its Academic Partnerships in Pakistan
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) has partnered with Pakistani universities: Bahria University, Air University, the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Riphah International University, the University of Rawalpindi, the University of the Punjab and the National University of Sciences and Technology.
The cooperation protocols were signed in Islamabad at the Türkiye–Pakistan Universities Forum, where a delegation of ten Turkish universities led by Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education met representatives of Pakistani universities. They cover student and faculty mobility, joint research, dual-degree programs and short-term training, and talks also explored joint projects in AI and cybersecurity.
Researchers Explore Horizon Europe MSCA Opportunities at YTU
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) held a Horizon Europe – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Information Day on September 23, in the 30th year of MSCA. Speakers from TÜBİTAK and the European Research Executive Agency presented the Doctoral Networks, Postdoctoral Fellowships, Staff Exchanges and COFUND calls.
The event also highlighted YTU’s own MSCA record: the university coordinates ECO‑SPHERE, a COFUND program with Dokuz Eylül University that has brought international postdoctoral researchers to Türkiye, leads BBGNight‑TR, and has taken part in the ESPERANTO and TEAM Doctoral Networks and the ICE‑LINK Staff Exchanges project.
YTU Advances to the Top Tier of Türkiye’s Research Universities
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) has entered the A1 category, the top tier of the 2026 Research Universities Ranking published by Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK), for the first time. YTU now ranks fifth among the country’s 23 research universities and third among state universities. As the ranking assesses research capacity, quality and collaboration, the result confirms YTU’s place among Türkiye’s five leading research universities and reflects the steady growth of its research performance.
YTU Rises to 45th in the World in UI GreenMetric 2026
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) has placed 45th among more than 2,000 universities in the 2026 UI GreenMetric Sustainable University Rankings, up from 48th in 2025, consolidating its place among the world’s top 50. At the results ceremony in Baku, Azerbaijan, the UI GreenMetric Network also recognized YTU as the Most Active University in Türkiye. YTU’s progress reflects an approach that treats sustainability as part of research, teaching, campus operations and governance, from energy efficiency and climate action to sustainable transportation and efficient water use.
