Dear Researchers,
Our university has launched a call for the submission of project proposals eligible for support under the Investment Programme of the Presidency of Strategy and Budget (SBB).
Projects supported under this call are expected to develop into research centres aligned with the priorities of Türkiye's National Technology Initiative. These centres should be led by strong interdisciplinary teams, possess the capacity to conduct ground-breaking research and provide solutions to the concrete problems of their stakeholders.
Following the initial investment, the proposed centres are expected to have the potential to become self-sustaining through a viable revenue model.
Key qualities sought in proposals
Alignment with the National Technology Initiative and Türkiye's priority technology areas
A strong interdisciplinary research team with the capacity to conduct ground-breaking research
The presence of significant and genuine stakeholders and the ability to address their needs
The ability to obtain Letters of Support from stakeholders during the second stage
Feasibility of infrastructure establishment, staff recruitment and long-term operational planning
A sustainable business and revenue model enabling self-sufficiency after the initial investment
Support period and sustainability
Investment Programme support may be continued by SBB for up to five years, depending on the centre's success, and may be discontinued following a performance evaluation. Proposals must therefore present a long-term outlook, measurable outputs and a realistic sustainability plan.
Centres established at our university under this model include ROMER, İVME-R, RÜZGEM, BIOMATEN, DİMER, the Design Factory and DEKOSİM. Proposals are expected to target the maturity and impact demonstrated by these examples.
Two-stage application process
Applicants submit a Preliminary Application Form of no more than five pages. Letters of Support are not required at this stage; however, discussions with relevant stakeholders are expected to have begun.
Proposals passing the preliminary evaluation proceed to an oral presentation before a jury and submit stakeholder Letters of Support. The final ranking is based on the combined application and presentation scores.
The Preliminary Application Form template and the full call text (available in Turkish) are available through the buttons below.
The form must be prepared in accordance with the template and sent to sbeygu@metu.edu.tr by 30 September 2026.