July 11, 1992, with Law No. 3837 published in Official Gazette No. 21281, Zonguldak Karaelmas University was established. With this law, the Zonguldak School of Economics and Administrative Sciences and the Çaycuma School of Economics and Administrative Sciences, which were affiliated with Hacettepe University, underwent a name change and became affiliated with our Rectorate. Additionally, under the same law, faculties such as the Devrek Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Karabük Faculty of Technical Education, and Bartın Faculty of Forestry were established. Subsequently, on January 18, 1995, with the Council of Ministers Decision No. 95/6413 published in Official Gazette No. 22175, the Zonguldak Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and the Devrek Faculty of Arts and Sciences had their names changed to the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, respectively.

On November 2, 1996, with Council of Ministers Decision No. 96/8655 published in Official Gazette No. 22805, the Karabük School of Health Sciences and Zonguldak School of Health Sciences were established, with the latter commencing education in the 1997-1998 academic year. Additionally, on October 12, 2005, with Council of Ministers Decision No. 9466 published in Official Gazette No. 25349, the Maritime Business and Management School was established. The State Conservatory was established during the Higher Education General Assembly meeting on March 5, 2004. The Zonguldak Vocational School, Alaplı Vocational School, Safranbolu Vocational School, and subsequently opened Bartın Vocational School, Çaycuma Vocational School, Devrek Vocational School, Karabük Vocational School, along with the Zonguldak School of Health Services, Bartın School of Health Services, and Karabük School of Health Services, which were established through a protocol between the Ministry of Health and the Council of Higher Education, are currently operational, and the Zonguldak School of Health Services continues its education. Also, with the decision taken at the Higher Education General Assembly on May 5, 2006, the Gökçebey Mithat-Mehmet Çanakçı Vocational School was established. On the other hand, the Institute of Natural Sciences, Institute of Social Sciences, and Institute of Health Sciences, established by this law, are currently operational and have started postgraduate and doctoral education. With Law No. 5662 published in the Official Gazette dated May 29, 2007, Karabük University was established, and with this law, the Karabük Campus's Karabük Faculty of Technical Education, Fethi Toker Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Karabük Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Karabük Faculty of Engineering, Safranbolu Vocational School, and Karabük Vocational School were consolidated under the newly established Karabük University. On May 31, 2008, with Law No. 5765 published in the Official Gazette No. 26892, Bartın University was established, and the Bartın Faculty of Forestry, Bartın Vocational School, School of Physical Education and Sports, and Bartın School of Health Services were brought together under Bartın University.

With Article 6 of Law No. 7141, published and put into effect on May 18, 2018, the phrases "Bülent Ecevit University" in the title and the first paragraph of this article were changed to "Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University". Situated in the Western Black Sea Region, our university continues its education and training with its structure consisting of 15 faculties, 3 institutes, 4 vocational schools, 9 vocational schools, and 1 State Conservatory, along with the province of Zonguldak and its surrounding districts.