The Gaziantep University (Turkish Gaziantep Üniversitesi) is a state research university located in Gaziantep, Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. University of Gaziantep has 10 faculties, containing a total of 22 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological research. Gaziantep is the largest trade and industrial center in the west of Southeastern Turkey. Culturally and socio-economically, it is the most developed city in the region. The University of Gaziantep was founded as a state university on 27 June 1987, but higher education on campus began as early as 1973 when the institute was an extension campus of the Middle East Technical University. The main campus is located at Gaziantep, which is close to the city centre, with its extension campuses situated in the neighbouring cities. The University of Gaziantep has always tried to train its students as enlightened, research-minded, scientifically-oriented graduates of good character. The main objectives of the University are: The University of Gaziantep enrolled 24,406 undergraduates, 482 postgraduate students, and employed 1,048 faculty members in the 2008/09 school year.