Kocaeli University (KOU) is a state university in Kocaeli, Turkey. The first step for the Kocaeli University was the Academy of Engineering and Architecture of Kocaeli founded in 1976. Electrical and mechanical engineering departments, basic sciences and department of modern languages were the departments of the academy. The Academy was develop as a faculty and became a part of Yıldız University with in 1982. On July 1992, the Turkish Government has decided to build twenty-two universities nationwide including Kocaeli University . Before the 1999 İzmit earthquake, which can be regarded as the turning point for the rebirth of the university, Kocaeli University had approximately 20.000 students, 1150 educational staff and a campus of 650,000 square meter. Kocaeli University had lost nearly 75% of its physical structure and its prior expansion site Arslanbey Campus compensated its losses rapidly and moved to Umuttepe Campus 2004. Kocaeli University's central Umuttepe Campus is located just outside of Izmit in the region of Kocaeli, the most heavily industrialized region of Turkey.