One of four state universities created by the Turkish government in 1975, Selcuk University began life in the city of Konya. It subsequently known as one of the "Anatolian Tigers" for rapid economic development drive by former Small and Medium Enterprises from the 1980s onwards. Starting with 327 students in faculties of science and literature, it grew out of a local campaign for a university in the city whose previous success was the creation of Konya School of Architecture and Engineering. The key year in its growth was 1982 when it incorporated several city institutions including the schools of architecture and engineering, formed faculties of law, agriculture, medicine and veterinary science and three graduate schools. By 2011 it was one of the largest universities in Turkey with 24 faculties, but was divided – with some faculties going to Konya University, the city’s other state institution, and Necmettin Erbakan University. Growth has continued since, leading in 2018 to a government proposal to divide it again as part of its plan to create 15 new universities. Its vision is to be "a research university that aims at continuous worldwide improvement" with a mission to "raise competent and virtuous individuals for the future with an enterprising and innovative approach, and to do sustainable progress-oriented research". In 2018 it had around 70,000 students, the majority in 23 faculties at its modern campus at Karatay, but with most of its 22 vocational schools spread across Konya state. Facilities on campus include a 934-bed teaching hospital, a practice hotel run by the Department of Tourism and an Olympic swimming pool. Recent research achievements include computer scientists devising gloves which translate sign language into text and medics finding new cancer diagnosis techniques using laser beams.