Durmuş Günay graduated bachelor from Istanbul Technical University. He became a Mechanical Engineer in 1976. In 1987-2000, he worked at Sakarya, ITU Sakarya Engineering Faculty and Sakarya University. In 1999, he became a professor at Zonguldak Karaelmas University. In addition to being a faculty member, he worked as Minister Advisor in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2003-2006 and in the Ministry of Transport in 2006-2008. He was appointed as a member of YÖK on February 5, 2008 and was elected as a member of YÖK Executive Board on March 13, 2008 and still continues the same duties. He was also appointed as a member of YÖK on February 6, 2012. He is married and has four children. He was also re-elected as a member of the Executive Board. He is currently working as a lecturer at Maltepe University.