18/09/2026
The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) has announced the 2026 performance rankings for research universities. Sabancı University improved its performance in the "Research Capacity" category compared to the previous year while maintaining its position as the second-ranked university in Türkiye overall. With its strong performance across the areas of Research Capacity, Research Quality, and Collaboration, the University upheld its leading role in Türkiye’s research ecosystem.
Strong Performance in Research Capacity
In the 2026 assessment, Sabancı University further strengthened its performance in Research Capacity by increasing its score by 2.44 points compared to the previous year. The rise recorded in this category—which comprises metrics such as the number of scientific publications and citations, the volume and number of national and international projects, and intellectual property outputs—served as a key indicator of the momentum the University has achieved in research productivity.
According to data from the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), Sabancı University recorded increases across a total of 17 indicators compared to the previous year, achieving remarkable momentum—particularly in intellectual property outputs. Increases of 700% in university-to-university collaborative patents, 150% in university-industry collaborative patents, 150% in international patents, and 118% in national patents were recorded.
This result demonstrates the impact of Sabancı University’s strong scientific productivity—which underpins its identity as a research university—within Türkiye’s research ecosystem, while also reinforcing the University’s vision of playing a pioneering role in the future of scientific research.
In the ranking that evaluates research universities of varying scales, Sabancı University maintained its position in the top category (A1) and its ranking as second in Türkiye—ahead of universities that are far larger and more comprehensive in size—thereby once again highlighting the impact of the University’s focused research model and high research intensity.
A Research Vision Shaping the Future
Sabancı University President Prof. Dr. Yusuf Leblebici summarizes the University’s research vision as follows: “Sabancı University’s research vision is grounded in the goal of becoming a scientific hub of attraction that leads on a global scale in strategic research areas, creates value for society through interdisciplinary and high-impact research, and produces innovative solutions and technologies ready for commercialization.”
In line with this vision, our University continues to develop high-impact strategic partnerships with the world’s leading research institutions and universities. The 2026 performance results announced by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) not only demonstrate the momentum Sabancı University has achieved in its research capacity but also underscore the significant standing of its identity as a research university—built upon high-impact scientific output, innovative research, and strategic collaborations—within Türkiye’s research ecosystem.
The Global Reflection of Research Strength
Sabancı University’s strong performance in research is also reflected in its rise in international university rankings. Bolstered by high-quality scientific output, an interdisciplinary research culture, and international collaborations, this performance continues to enhance the University’s global academic visibility and scientific impact.
