Türkiye,one of the first countries to apply for membership in the European Economic Community, as it was known at that time, in 1959, commenced the membership process to the Union with the Ankara Agreement signed in 1963. After a long preparation period, an application for full membership to the European Community was submitted in 1987 under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Turgut Özal and State Minister Ali Bozer. Immediately after this application, the European Community Institute was established under the Rectorate of Marmara University in order to provide training to the personnel that will be needed during the accession process to the Union and to carry out scientific research on issues related to the European Communities. With the support of the Founding Rector of the University, Prof. Dr.  Orhan Oğuz, and with the efforts of the Founding Director of the Institute of Prof. Dr. Haluk Kabaalioğlu, more than 50 foreign faculty members have taught at the Institute to date.