Istanbul witnessed a momentous occasion as Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, convened for the second EU-Türkiye High-Level Dialogue on science, research, technology, and innovation. This event signifies a noteworthy achievement in the collaborative efforts between the EU and Türkiye in the fields of research and innovation.
The two parties have declared that three innovation programs from Turkey are now officially recognized to participate in the European Innovation Council (EIC) Plug-in scheme, allowing them to directly submit projects from their portfolio to the full application stage of the EIC Accelerator.
Furthermore, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will establish a Community Hub in Turkey by the end of the year. Additionally, the Commission’s Joint Research Centre has assisted in the launch of Turkey’s initial roadmap to aid in the development of regional Smart Specialization Strategies. Commissioner Ivanova and Minister Kacır engaged in discussions regarding the science, technology, and innovation policies of the EU and Turkey, emphasizing the crucial role of a skilled workforce in facilitating innovation and technology transfer.
They reiterated their dedication to enhancing cooperation in these areas, with the goal of further integrating Turkey into the European Research Area, including EU Missions and Partnerships under Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation program. The meeting served as a significant opportunity to evaluate the ongoing collaboration in key sectors and explore future prospects for cooperation between academia and industry.
Both the EU and Turkey agreed that a more robust integration of research and innovation capabilities, along with technology transfer activities and human capital development, are essential for success in the current green and digital transitions. The remarkable achievement of Turkish scientist Rana Sanyal, the recipient of the 2023-2024 European Prize for Women Innovators, was highlighted as a successful outcome of the EU-Turkey innovation partnership. Later today, Commissioner Ivanova and Minister Kacır will inaugurate the Boğaziçi University Life Science Centre. This center has been enhanced with nearly €8 million in support from EU programs and will conduct cutting-edge research on protein sequencing and cancer therapy.