The history of the International Affairs Office dates back to 2003, when activities on the LLP / Erasmus Programme under the European Union Education and Youth Programme started to be conducted extensively in Bulent Ecevit University. Bulent Ecevit University (Former name was Zonguldak Karaelmas University) was awarded Erasmus Charter in 2004. All activities related with international affairs, staff and student exchange were conducted in International Affairs office until 2010. Then, Student and Staff Exchange Programmes Coordination Office was established in order to focus on exchange activities more intensively. Until 2010, exchange and international affairs were being conducted in these two different but cooperating offices. Due to the recent increase in the number of universities contacted and universities with which protocols have been signed and the massive workload on different fields of cooperation, External Relations Head Office was established on 08.01.2015 with the decision of the Rectorship numbered 836. International Affairs Office has been conducting activities under External Relations Head Office since then.