NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY


    About Us // History of the Army War College

     

    The history of the Turkish Army War College has begun with the classes named as “Mekteb-i Fünun-u Harbiye-i Şahâne Erkân-ı Harbiye” (Ottoman Military Academy) that started education and training in 1848 in Harbiye/Istanbul. Army War College, which was constituted from the third and fourth classes of the Military Academy, moved to the current Istanbul Technical University building known as “Taşkışla” in 1852, to the Military Hospital in Gülhane/İstanbul in late 1858, and to the building in Harbiye in 1862.

    Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, is the pride of the 57th period of “Erkân-ı Harbiye” (Ottoman Staff Officer College). In 1905, ATATÜRK graduated from the Erkân-ı Harbiye Mektebi (Ottoman Staff Officer College) in Pangaltı, which he started in 1902 and is now used as a Military Museum.

    Erkân-ı Harbiye Classes were renamed as “Erkân-ı Harbiye Mektebi” (Ottoman Staff Officer College) in Şehzadeler (Sultans’ Sons) Department located in Yıldız Palace, where it was moved in 1909. As of 28 January 1919, the school continued its education and training in Şerif Paşa Mansion in Teşvikiye, Istanbul and was temporarily closed in early 1921 as administrators and students moved to Anatolia to join the War of Independence.

    The Army War College, which resumed its activities under the name “Mekteb-i Alî-yi Askeri” (Superior Military School) in a building which is now the rectorate building of Istanbul University in Beyazıt/İstanbul on 13 October 1923, was renamed as “Erkân-ı Harbiye Mektebi Müdürlüğü” (Directorate of the Staff Officer College) on 24 March 1924 and was transferred to the Yıldız Palace. In 1927, the name was “War College Directorate”. When the Higher Command Course was included in the War Colleges academic activities, the school was named “Military Colleges Command”, and education and training has continued at Yıldız Palace until 1975.

    Army War College resumed its education activities at its new facilities in Yenilevent/ISTANBUL on 1 October 1975. Graduate education was inaugurated in the Army War College in 2003 and the graduates of 2007 class were awarded with a “M.A. Diploma” in addition to their “Staff Officer Diploma” for the first time.

    Within the scope of the restructuring of the Turkish military education system, the Turkish War Colleges Command was abrogated and Turkish National Defence University (TNDU) was established with the Decree Law numbered 669 and dated 31 July 2016. According to this regulation, which was then enacted by the Law Numbered 6756 and dated 9 November 2016, Service War Colleges were established in place of the former War Colleges. Cabinet Decree numbered 2016/9522 and dated 14 November 2016 established the academic units of the Turkish National Defence University (TNDU) and Army/Naval/Air War Colleges started their activities as subordinates to the TNDU.

    With their renewed personnel and organizational structure within the TNDU organization, Army/Naval/Air War Colleges continues their education activities in Yenilevent/İSTANBUL campus of the university.