Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) is a major state university founded in 1975 in Samsun, Turkey. The university bears the name “19 May”, which marks the date when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, came to Samsun in order to start the War of Independence. OMU consists of 16 Faculties, 1 Conservatoire, 3 Schools, 11 Vocational Schools and 5 Institutes. Its 2,175-acre main campus is centred on Atakum municipality in Samsun. Based on University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) data, OMU ranks 14th among Turkish universities with medical schools.

Samsun, historically known as Sampsounta and Amisos, is a city on the north coast of Turkey and a major Black Sea port. Over 700,000 people live in the city. The city is the capital of Samsun Province which has a population of over 1,350,000. The city is home to Ondokuz Mayıs University, several hospitals, three large shopping malls, Samsunspor football club, an opera house and a large and modern manufacturing district. A former Greek settlement, the city is best known as the place where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk began the Turkish War of Independence in 1919.