Graduated from the Middle East Technical University Department of Public Administration in 1972, Atilla Eralp holds a MA and a PhD in International Relations from the University of Southern California.

During 1981-82 academic year, Eralp was the Assistant Chairman of Department of Public Administration of the Middle East Technical University. He worked as an academic visitor in London School of Economics and Political Science (England) in 1985 and visiting fellow as a Fulbright Scholar in Princeton University (USA) in 1992-93. Between 1993 and 2005, he was the Chair of the Department of International Relations, Middle East Technical University. Eralp was awarded the professor title in 1995.

During his career, Prof. Eralp has written and edited numerous publications and advised for many MA and PhD theses. Atilla Eralp worked in a wide array of projects as a coordinator or researcher. Among these projects funded by the SPO, TÜBİTAK and the EU were framework programs on R&D and lifelong learning. In 2002, he was awarded the Jean Monnet Chair title by the European Commission. Eralp is the Chair of the European Studies Center, Middle East Technical University since 1997.

Atila Eralp worked at TEPAV from 2011 to 2013 as the Director of the International Policy Research Institute.