Recep Tayyip Erdogan University was firstly founded under the name of Rize University by Law No. 5467, enacted on March 17, 2006 and then renamed as “Recep Tayyip Erdogan University” by Official Gazette No. 28261 on April 11, 2012.
The history of our university dates back to Rize Vocational School, founded on March 1, 1976. Began its educational activities in 1976, the university has later continued to grow by the foundation of Faculty of Theology and Faculty of Fisheries in 1992; and then Fındıklı Vocational School In 1996, and lastly Faculty of Education and Faculty of Science and Literature in 1997.
Being part of Karadeniz Technical University, the university was later chartered as Rize University with its Faculties of Fisheries, Theology, Science and Literature, Education, and Rize Vocational School (later divided into two schools as Technical and Social Sciences), which began educational activities with Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture, Ardeşen Faculty of Tourism, Faculty of Maritime, School of Health, Güneysu School of Physical Treatment and Rehabilitation, School of Foreign Languages, School of Physical Education and Sports, Fındıklı School of Applied Sciences, Ardeşen Vocational School, Pazar Vocational School, Vocational School of Health Services, Vocational School of Justice, Institute of Health Sciences, Institute of Social Sciences, Institute of Applied Sciences.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan University continues its activities with 3 Institutes, 13 Faculties, 5 Schools, 7 Vocational Schools, 7 Research and Application Centre, and 6 departments within Rectorate. The university is predominantly science and health oriented.