History
Girne American University was founded in 1985 and has grown from its small beginnings with just seven students to being the 6,000 strong university that it is today only 27 years later. From its very inception, the University has maintained close contractual ties with universities in North America and Europe. Girne American University was one of the first university in Cyprus to receive recognition from YOK (the Turkish Higher Education Council). This was followed by recognition from YODAK (the Higher Education Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation and Coordination Council). These required national accreditations were followed by a number of program accreditations and international recognitions. In June 2012 we will celebrate our 26th graduation commencement when almost 600 graduates will earn their degrees, who will go on to advanced studies or to excellent jobs in Europe, the region and the World.
In 1995 Girne American University started its expansion into the international higher education sector. Since then educational partnerships have been developed in India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, the USA, the UK, the Czech Republic and Hong Kong. These partnerships include student and faculty exchanges and the opportunity for students to experience different cultures and learning experiences.
The initial vision of the founders was to establish Girne American University as the pre-eminent institution of higher learning for the professions. The university now includes degree offerings in Business, Banking and Finance, Marketing, International Relations, Political Science and Public Administration, Engineering, Education, Communication, Humanities, Law, Architecture, Sports, Aviation, Tourism, Performing Arts, Marine and Health Scienes.
In the year 2010 the GAU Ten Year Strategic Plan was published. It envisions a campus with 10,000 students by the 2020. They will be supported by a balanced set of facilities and faculty. Throughout its 21 years of development the management, faculty and staff of the university have balanced the requirements for growth, with the need for high levels of quality, both in teaching and in the overall experience of each student.
Throughout its 27 year history, Girne American University has sought to optimize its use of the latest in technology and teaching methods. While we have one of the highest Ph.D. to student ratios, we also have the highest computer to student ratio. For the past five years the GAU library has been at the forefront of the revolution in library science; the implementation of digital library resources. Many classes now include Power Point presentations and MP-4 download versions of the lectures. The entire campus and all dormitories have WiFi throughout. GAU TV and Radio also broadcast selected lectures and seminars for student and faculty viewing.
The next ten years will be ones of further growth. The degree offerings will continue to expand. The University has established its fourth campus in Istanbul, Turkey following the GAU-Canterbury, GAU-Singapore and GAU-USA campuses. At the main campus in Cyprus, the expansion plans include a new building for the Architecture faculty, a multi-purpose congress center, new accommodation for the faculty and new storages all to be completed by 2015.
The future is indeed bright.