Türkiye's interim presidency of EUREKA will boost the country's visibility and presence in the field of science and technology, Hasan Mandal, president of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBITAK), noted recently.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Mandal discussed his Brussels meetings and Türkiye's presidency of EUREKA, a structure established in 1985 to enhance R&D and technology-based collaborations between important industrial organizations in Europe, especially those in the European Union. The EUREKA agreement was signed between 18 countries and the European Commission to foster competitiveness and market integration.

Pointing to Türkiye's active participation in the platform's programs, Mandal stated Türkiye has already held the office of the one-year term presidency twice and that this term will commence on July 1.

He mentioned that they met with the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), in which Türkiye ranked among the top three countries, to evaluate the current situation and discuss potential future collaborations.

As part of the Brussels meeting, the representatives of Türkiye also met with the European Commission's research and innovation officials, Mandal noted.

Increasing visibility

"We have evaluated Türkiye's current situation. Indeed, especially since 2019, Türkiye has interlinked its own programs with Europe's within the scope of the Horizon Europe program," he said.

He added that the European Commission acknowledged and appreciated Türkiye's achievements, using them as examples for other countries.

Recalling the high-level cooperation meeting on science and research held in Brussels in November 2022, Mandal said: "We discussed the continuation of that event. This year, the second high-level cooperation meeting will take place in Türkiye in November."

Mandal also noted he held a meeting with Ambassador Zeki Levent Gümrükçü, the permanent representative of Türkiye to NATO.

While security used to be the most crucial element in NATO, nowadays, technology and technology-based collaborations also play a significant role in triggering security concerns, Mandal said.

Evaluating the country's progress in the scientific field, Mandal said: "When we look at the past, Türkiye had limited visibility. But now we are truly pleased with the country's visibility, both in terms of our approach and collaborations, as well as the potential of what we have achieved and will achieve in the fields of science and technology. We are striving to turn this into even more opportunities."

EUREKA

Mandal explained that EUREKA is essentially a collaboration platform focusing on the development of innovation and technology in the future of European industry.

Stating that Türkiye previously held the presidency of EUREKA in 1998-1999 and 2012-2013, Mandal said: "The presidency does not rotate in a predetermined order. You apply for it. I am pleased to express that Türkiye was unanimously elected for the EUREKA presidency. This is highly valuable for our country in terms of its recognition, visibility and potential."

Reiterating that the country's presidency will last for one year, Mandal unveiled four main priorities during this period. Declaring the green and digital transformation as the first priority, Mandal also noted that the second priority is emphasizing EUREKA's potential for further expansion, stating Türkiye's friendly relations with the Western Balkans and that the region should be more actively involved in the process.

In addition, Mandal also announced that many committee meetings are expected to take place in the coming period and said, "A great innovation congress will be held in Türkiye in June 2024."