Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Canbay Türkyılmaz is an forward-looking academic leader, architect, and researcher currently serving as Rector of Samarkand State Architecture and Construction University (SamSACU), Uzbekistan, where she leads institutional strategy, academic development, internationalisation, and campus transformation initiatives. With a strong background in architectural design education and cultural heritage conservation, she has played a pivotal role in modernising curricula, expanding research capacity, and strengthening global engagement.
Since assuming the rectorship in 2021, Prof. Dr.Türkyılmaz has led significant structural and academic reforms, positioning SamSACU within an international development trajectory. Under her leadership, the university established 22 new academic programs aligned with international standards, expanded English-medium education for both faculty and students, and launched multiple institutional innovation units, including a Graduate School, Technology Transfer Office, Design Factory Uzbekistan, Incubation Centre, Design Office, Youth Academy, and Professional Development Centre.
She also initiated the creation of eight new research centers, strengthening the university’s research capacity and interdisciplinary collaboration. Among her key academic initiatives is the launch of the international master’s program “Preservation and Use of Cultural Heritage Objects,” developed within an EU-funded Erasmus+ project focused on environmental risk assessment and cultural heritage protection in Central Asia. Her work has contributed to SamSACU’s inclusion in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
Prof. Dr. Türkyılmaz has overseen strategic governance reforms, including the implementation of a performance-based Academic Appointment and Key Performance Indicator system, modernization of organizational structures, and enhancement of international academic partnerships through multiple Memoranda of Understanding and joint programs. She also guided the approval of the university’s new campus master plan and the initiation of major campus development projects.
Previously, she served as Associate Professor at Yıldız Technical University, Turkey, where she contributed extensively to architectural design education, program coordination, and accreditation processes. Dr. Türkyılmaz’s work centers on academic excellence, ethical leadership, internationalization, and innovation-driven higher education development.
