[4] Ankara University was established by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first president of Turkey, and is one of the country’s leading educational institutions.

The university's history dates back to the founding of the Faculty of Political Science in 1859, which was originally established in Istanbul as an institution to educate the Ottoman Empire's bureaucracy.

Ankara University hosts a variety of research, application, and education centers that support its academic and scientific mission.

As of the latest data, the university operates 41 such centers, each dedicated to specialized research and public service.

[17] The Ankara University Kreiken Observatory, which began construction in 1959 and opened officially in 1963, is another key center.

It provides significant contributions to astronomy, offering both scientific research opportunities and educational events for children, students, and the general public.

It engages in interdisciplinary research and training, contributing to a deeper understanding of the political and economic dynamics of the EU and its member states.

[28] In addition to these, the university operates the Center for the Research of Turkish Geography (TÜCAUM), which began its activities in 1990.

TÜCAUM supports research on Turkish geography, compiles relevant data, and maintains an archive of materials related to Turkey's geographical studies.