1003 - Primary Subjects R&D Funding Program

The purpose of this programme is to support R&D projects conducted in Turkey, having focused and trackable objectives in the scope of National Science Tecnology and Innovation Strategy and compatible with dynamics of science/technology. This programme also aims to provide coordination between such research activities.

PROJECT DURATION

• Small Scale Projects: max. 24 months
• Medium & Large Scale Projects: max. 36 months

PROJECT BUDGET

Budget limits (including bursaries; except project ıncentive bonus and institutional share) are as follows:

• Small Scale Projects: 750.000 TRY
• Medium Scale Projects: 1.500.000 TRY (750.001-1.500.000)
• Large Scale Projects: 3.750.000 TRY (1.500.001-3.750.000)

Upper limits for bursaries are as follows:

* If postdoctoral researchers are employed in projects, the scholarship upper limit is 43,200 TRY/month.

Budgets requested for machinary and equipment should have a balanced proportion with regard to the total budget. Project proposals aiming setting up research infrastructure are not supported in the scope of this programme.

TÜBİTAK establishes the Call Program Advisory Board (ÇPDK) consisted of relevant ARDEB Group Governing Board (GYK) members, Group Advisory Board (DK) members, public and private sector representatives, and TÜBİTAK experts. This board is responsible for making suggestions to TÜBİTAK on the following issues:

• Establishing the call program with its aims and objectives, and determining the subjects and specific issues for the project support call,

- In the evaluation and monitoring process of the projects, the preparation of the annual call program reports and their submission to TUBITAK

• Evaluation of the call program, determination for the continuation or the termination of the program, determination of new call topics if necessary.

Project proposals are evaluated by the relevant Group within the framework of the project evaluation criteria determined by TUBITAK. When considered necessary during the evaluation process, on-site inspection is carried out by TUBITAK.

Moreover, The PI (s) may be invited to a meeting to discuss about the project. The scope of this meeting may cover the purpose, method, schedule, success criteria, expected social and economic benefits of the project, the content of the financial support requested from TUBITAK and other necessary issues.

In the first stage;

• The first stage application form of the project proposal and other necessary documents are subject to a preliminary examination (*) by the ARDEB Directorate.
• Project proposals that comply with the specified conditions and specified format are forwarded to the ÇPDK. After the preliminary evaluation made by the ÇPDK, the project proposals to be taken into the second stage are determined.
• The relevant Group asks the project proposers to prepare the second phase application form of the projects and send it by the due date.

In the second stage;

• Project owners who are eligible to enter this stage should fill in the second stage project proposal application form, apply within the due date and complete the e-signature application process.
• A preliminary examination is made by ARDEB and forwarded to the relevant Group (*).
• Project proposals are evaluated in panels formed by the relevant Group, by taking the opinion of the ÇPDK if necessary.
• Project proposals are put in order according to the scores they get from the panels and presented to the Presidency together with the GYK scores/opinions. The final decision is sent to the PI/manager together with the justifications.
• Projects decided to be supported are announced on the TUBITAK website.

Monitoring Process

Project activities are monitored by progress reports prepared by the PI, whether the project is carried out in accordance with the pre-determined project objectives and targets and compatible with relevant principles and TUBITAK legislation. When it is considered necessary during the monitoring process, on-site inspection is carried out by TUBITAK.
 

Progress report periods are determined in the contract, the report periods may not be less than six months and not more than one year. Progress reports and final report are sent to TUBITAK by the PI within the periods specified in the contract.

When it is considered necessary, TUBITAK may assign experts as project inspectors   to examine, supervise and evaluate the development of the project activities from scientific, technical, administrative and financial perspectives.

Intellectual and Industrial Property Rights

For the projects supported within the scope of this support program, the provisions of "Proje Teşvik ve Destekleme Esaslarına İlişkin Yönetmelik Uyarınca Desteklenen Projelerde Uygulanacak Fikri Haklar Esasları" are enforced. If a private organization takes part within the project, in proportion to the ratio of the personnel in the project team of the relevant private organization to the intellectual property ownership, intellectual property ownership belongs to the legal entity.

However, if the projects within the scope of this support program are executed jointly with different institutions and organizations, the provisions of cooperation protocols to be signed within the mentioned institutions and organizations are enforced.

(*) Project proposals that are not prepared in accordance with the determined criteria and do not meet any of these criteria are returned to the owner without being evaluated scientifically.

The following points should be considered during the application:

• The project team (executive, researcher, consultant and foreign researcher/consultant) must be registered in the TUBITAK - Researcher Information System (ARBIS) Database and their records must be up-to-date,
• The PI and researchers (excluding researchers from abroad) must reside within the borders of the Republic of Turkey (A foreign national can take part in the project as a PI/researcher, if he/she provides that he/she works in an institution/organization within the borders of Turkey.)
• The PI and researchers should not exceed the "Limits for Taking Part in Projects".
• Non-governmental organizations (foundations, associations, etc.), trade unions, chambers and commodity exchanges and their economic enterprises, cooperatives, unions, sole proprietorships and ordinary partnerships, shall not apply.
• Not applying for more than one project to the same program in the same period as the PI.
• Not applying for more than one program in the same period with the same project proposal (If more than one application is made, the first application will be considered, the other project application will not be evaluated and will be returned),
• Textual expressions in the project proposal should not contain textual similarity with the texts of the project proposals that previously submitted to TÜBİTAK (including the projects that are ongoing or have been completed),
• Project team members should have no project proposals with same/similar content submitted to TUBITAK or a different institution/organization that are ongoing or completed.
• If the project proposal is submitted to TUBITAK and after the evaluations the proposals had insufficient scores two times, the same project proposal should not be submitted for the third time.
• The application form should be downloaded from the web page of the relevant program for the usage of an updated form, all the sections in the form should be filled in completely and in Turkish (*) (except for the English abstract of the application form and references of international publications), the form should contain sufficient information for a scientific evaluation of the project, and should not contain more than 4 pages for the 1st stage, 25 pages for the 2nd stage (excluding “Annex-1 References” (Ek-1 Kaynaklar) and “Annex-2 Budget and Justification” (Ek-2 Bütçe ve Gerekçesi)). The final application form must be uploaded to the Electronic Application System.  
• The project proposal should be compatible with the criteria of the research projects, and should not be a routine study for data collection/due diligence.
• The project should not be aimed for building infrastructure,
• Reference list should be up-to-date, all the studies cited in the project proposal should be associated with the reference list.
• The project scope should not include field studies abroad (field studies abroad are only supported within the scope of projects to be carried out in the field of social and human sciences, according to the framework in the relevant legislation article.),
• The appropriate and up-to-date version of the "Annex-2 Budget and Justification” form should be filled in which can be downloaded from TUBITAK web site, the financial amounts within the “General Budget Tables” (Genel Bütçe Tablosu) should be coherent with the forms of detailed budget tables.  
• The funding amount requested from TUBITAK should not exceed the specific upper limit determined for the “1003 Program” (the funding amounts specified in the “General Budget Tables” which is a part of “Annex-2 Budget and Justification” form should not be different than the requested funding amounts submitted during the online application).
• Detailed technical specifications regarding the requested machinery-equipment and service procurement expenses should be included in the "Annex-2 Budget and Justification" and a detailed list for consumables should be prepared that allows the evaluation of the consumable requirements in the project,
• Domestic / international travel expenses to be made for project activities (excluding field studies) should not exceed the support upper limit determined for the relevant program,
• If the project proposal was previously submitted to TUBITAK and was not found eligible as a result of panel evaluation, “Project Proposal Change Notification Form” (Proje Önerisi Değişiklik Bildirim Formu) should be filled in according to the changes and corrections specified in the previous panel report. The template of this form is automatically created by the system in line with the information entered in the Electronic Application System.
• Project team members should enter the complete information of projects into the Project Application System which are ongoing or completed or applied for support of TÜBİTAK, universities or any other institutions/organizations ("Annex-3 Other Projects of the Project Team" (EK-3 Proje Ekibinin Diğer Projeleri) form is automatically created by the system in line with the information entered in the Electronic Application System).
• The application process steps in the Electronic Application System should be completed by the due date, applicants should be sure that the uploaded files are the correct documents, and they are not damaged. 
• E-signature process should be completed by the due date (People listed below should have a qualified electronic certificate: Members of the project team -PI, researcher, consultant-, intellectual right holders other than the project team, all executive or partner institution/organization officials, and also people who had property rights in the previously submitted and rejected/returned proposals but not included in the recent proposal with same/similar content -  for signing the intellectual property rights waiver form if necessary - )
• Below mentioned personnel should sign the documents as the Establishment Authority;
  • For universities and subordinated hospitals/institutions; Rector or the Vice-Chancellor authorized by him,
  • For hospitals with affiliation agreements with universities; Hospital Manager, Chief Physician or the Deputy Chief Physician authorized by him, free of the location of staff,
  • For non-university research centers/institutes; Headquarter President/Institute Manager,
  • For non-university hospitals; Hospital Manager, Chief Physician or the Deputy Chief Physician authorized by him,
  • For private institutions; the authorized person to represent the private company in the broadest sense according to the signature circulars and trade registry records
  • For Ministries; the relevant Deputy Minister
  • For the municipalities; The President, the Secretary General or the Deputy Secretary General authorized by him,
  • For the schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education; Provincial Director of National Education or the Deputy Provincial Director authorized by him,
  • For the central organizations of other public institutions; The General Director or the Deputy General Director/President or Vice President authorized by him,
  • For the provincial organization; The Provincial Director or Deputy Provincial Director authorized by him,
• It should be determined whether the project requires Ethics Committee Approval Certificate and Legal/Special Permission Document, (Etik Kurul Onay Belgesi Bilgi Notu, Yasal/Özel İzin Belgesi Bilgi Notu)
• If the project team includes a PI/researcher/consultant from TUBITAK Headquarter/Institutes, it is required to get permission from the TUBITAK President for the said personnel. During the application process, date and number information of the "Presidential Approval Letter" should be entered in the relevant field in the electronic application system, and the project should be medium or large scaled, not small scaled,
• In case of medium and large-scale projects includes subprojects, the main and sub-projects should be carried out in different institutions/organizations or in different faculties/institutes/technical schools of the same institution/organization.

IMPORTANT: Please click here for important issues to be considered within the scope of the 1003 Program.

(*) It is possible for foreign nationals to fill in the Application Form and its annexes in English; however, the language to be used in the Application Form and the language of the Progress Reports and Final Reports which are the outputs of the monitoring process should be the same.

A. Principal Investigators (PI), Researchers (excluding Researchers outside Türkiye) and Consultants:

Principal investigators;

• They must have a degree of doctorate / proficiency in art / specialty in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary. In projects which are carried out in public or higher education institutions, the principal investigator (excluding retirees) must be permanent staff of the institution in question.
• Principal investigator have to be employed at least for 6 months at the private corporation where the project will be carried out. Applications from charitable foundations, associations and their commercial enterprises, corporations, sole traders and ordinary partnerships are not accepted in the scope of this program.

Researchers and consultants in project team;

•  Should have a 4-year undergraduate degree at least and should be the permanent staff of the participant institution

Principal investigator and researchers (except for Researchers outside Türkiye) should reside in Türkiye. Non-Turkish citizens can be principal investigator or researcher in a project if they are working in an institution located in Türkiye.

A person who has a contribution less than 10% of the project workload cannot be researcher in projects but can be consultant. A consultant (*) is allowed if the project requires special expertise on a specific subject. The number of consultants in a project is limited to the number of specific subjects in the project. The role of consultant in the project should be explained in detail in the project proposal.

Retirees who do not work in any organization can take part in the project team as principal investigator, researcher or consultant, provided that they do not receive Project Incentive Bonus (PTI). (In accordance with paragraph 2 in Article 16 of The Law on the Establishment of The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye, only those who are permanent staff of public institutions or organizations can be paid PTI.) In order for the retirees to be principal investigator, it is necessary them to get approval on that they can take part in the project from the senior authority of the institution / organization where the project will be carried out.

Members of the Group Executive Board and Advisory Board working in ARDEB can take part as a PI or researcher while their duties continue during the application, but not as a consultant (**).

Project team members employed at TÜBİTAK headquarters/research institutions can participate in projects as principal investigator/researcher/consultant only if the proposal is a medium-scale or large-scale project.

Medium-scale or large-scale project proposals can be composed of sub-projects conducted at different institutions/organizations. At such project proposals one of the principal investigator of sub-projects is assigned as the project manager.

Medium-scale or large-scale project proposals are supposed to have private sector participation. Necessity of private sector participation is notified at the relevant call announcement.

B. Researchers outside Türkiye

The requirements for researchers outside Türkiye to take part in Project;

In supported projects, researchers outside Türkiye may take part as researchers, provided that they work in the project for 30 days or more including travel at each visit, provided that their legal obligations belong to the organization where the project is carried out.

The researchers outside Türkiye who will take part in the project must be qualified to carry out and lead/guide a part of the project, where the competence of researchers in our country is limited, with the project team in the institutions of our country.

The travel expenses of the researchers in question and 50% of the full-time monthly gross fees they receive abroad in the same period of time, for the time they take part in the Project, are covered as service cost from the project. If the 50% of the full-time monthly gross fee that the researcher receives abroad is less than the “2221-Konuk veya Akademik İzinli (Sabbatical) Bilim İnsanı Destekleme Programı” coordinated by BİDEB, the highest monthly fee provided under that program is used.

These researchers can take part in more than one project supported by TÜBİTAK however they can get fee only from one project. The number of researchers outside Türkiye that can take part in a project is limited to one.

C. Scholars

Undergraduate, graduate students (except for special students and prep students) and “Research Assistants” studying in higher education institutions in Türkiye (in the TRNC for projects submitted from TRNC) and post-doc researchers can take part as scholar in projects.

Undergraduate students who take part as a scholar in projects must be unemployed. In case the student fails the class, the scholarship ceases. At most 4 undergraduate students can take part in a project as an undergrad-scholar simultaneously.

The requirements to be a post-doc researcher scholar;

• Scholar should have a PhD but not work in any institution/organization,
• Scholar should not have an academic title of associate professor or higher,
• There should not be over 7 years between the date of getting PhD and the last submission date of the relevant funding program (within the time period mentioned above, if a woman reseacher take maternity leave; if the relevant maternity document or identity certificate of child is sent to deik@tubitak.gov.tr in the attachment of a relevant petition, 1 year is added to this time period for each birth.).

Who cannot be Principal Investigator?

The highest level managers of the public institutions/organizations, deputies and assistants of them (Rector, Vice Rector, Chief Physician, Deputy Chief Physician, Hospital Director, Minister, Deputy Minister, General Manager, Deputy General Manager, Provincial Director of National Education, etc.) cannot act as PI if they are still working in those positions during the application, but they can be researchers in 3 (***) projects at most.

Conditions to Apply for ARDEB-BİDEB Programs simultaneously (Table)

Limits for taking part in projects (Table)

 (*) Consultant: researcher or expert whose knowledge is used for a secondary subject of project, requiring special expertise.

(**)TÜBİTAK Governing Board and Advisory Board members can take part in projects applied to the calls under EU Framework Programs (calls where joint evaluation is carried out by international independent reviewers) as PI, researcher or consultant.

(***) International projects, 1000 and 1002 projects are not included in quota.

Each program call, opening in the scope of 1003 Priority Areas Related R&D Projects Funding Program have different application dates announced on related call texts.

First Stage Documentation

WARNING:

The most up-to-date versions of the forms listed below should be used while applying for the project. First Stage Application Form should be prepared in Arial 9 font and should not exceed 4 pages for the project proposal to be evaluated. Please note that if the specified terms are not provided, your project proposal will not be evaluated and will be returned!

• First Stage Project Proposal Application Form (Document that must be uploaded to the electronic application system)

Required Documents for the Second Stage Application

WARNING:

Some changes may have been made in the "Second Stage Project Proposal Application Form" document for the program you will apply for. The updated "Application Form and Annexes (Annex-1 References, Annex-2 Budget and Justification)" listed below should be filled and uploaded to the electronic application system.

NOTE:

Application Form should be prepared in Arial 9 font and should not exceed 25 pages (excluding Annex-1 and Annex-2) for the project proposal to be evaluated. The file size of each file to be uploaded to the system should not exceed 20 MB.

• Second Stage Application Form

(The document that should be uploaded to the electronic application system)

• Annex-1 References for the Application Form

(Document to be uploaded to the electronic application system)

• Annex-2 Budget and Justification for the Application Form

(Document to be uploaded to the electronic application system)

• For projects without subprojects: (.doc)
• For projects with subprojects: ( .doc )
• Annex-3 Other Projects and Current Publications of the Project Team

(It is automatically created by the system in line with the information entered in the electronic application system.)

• Data Management Plan (Document to be uploaded to the electronic application system | Detailed Information)
• Project Proposal Modification Form (If an application was made to TUBITAK with the same/similar project proposal and the project was not eligible as a result of scientific evaluation, the form to be filled is automatically created by the system in line with the information entered in the electronic application system.)
• Waiver Form

(It is automatically created by the system in in line with the information entered in the electronic application system. This form is prepared for the persons who were in the project team of the previously submitted project proposal that was not found eligible and signed the intellectual property right ownership document, but not involved in the newly submitted project proposal with the same/similar content. This form must be approved by the involved person via the link to be sent by e-mail.)

• Protocol

(It is automatically created by the system in line with the information entered in the electronic application system, for medium-scale and large-scale projects with sub-projects)

• Project Application Permission Form for University Faculty Members Working within Companies Operating within the Scope of Technology Development Zones Law No. 4691

(It is automatically created by the system in line with the information entered in the electronic application system. The form must be signed by the relevant persons (company and university officials) during the required electronic signature process).

• TÜBİTAK Presidency Approval Letter

(If the project team includes a PI/researcher/consultant from TÜBİTAK Headquarter/Institutes, Presidential Approval must be obtained for the said persons and the date and number of the "Presidential Approval Letter" must be entered in the relevant field in the electronic application system. | Detailed Information )

• Information Form for Researcher outside Türkiye (in case there is a researcher outside Türkiye in the project team) (Form is automatically created automatically by the system in line with the information entered to online application system.)
• Participation Letter of Researcher outside Türkiye (in case there is a researcher outside Türkiye in the project team) (Letter is automatically created automatically by the system in line with the information entered to online application system. The Participation Letter which will be sent via e-mail by system should be approved by the researcher outside Türkiye.
• Curriculum Vitae for Researcher/Consultant outside Türkiye (in case there is a researcher/consultant outside Türkiye in the project team, curriculum vitae of researcher/consultant is automatically created by the system in line with ARBİS information. In order to upload detailed CVs of the researcher/consultant outside Türkiye, a field is also opened in the system.)

If the project proposal is found eligible after the evaluation process and decided to get support, the following documents should be submitted completely and in the required format to our Institution by the deadline determined by the relevant Research Grant Group.  If the documents cannot be obtained until the deadline, the project will not be started.

• Intellectual Property Ownership Protocol
• Ethics Committee Approval Certificate (If Necessary | Detailed Information )
• Legal/Private Permission Document (If Necessary | Detailed Information )
• Support Letters (If Necessary)
• Proforma Invoices (If Necessary)
• SME Declaration

(In case the Principle Investigator (PI) of the project is also the manager or the partner of the SMEs or capital companies that have not met the conditions of being a SME)

Requested Documents for the Definition of the Authorized Person of Private Company  

(Detailed Information )

Trade Registry Gazette (The page with the current title and address of the company)

• Copy of Chamber Registry Registration
• Signature Circulars
• Certificate of Authorization

(Document taken from the relevant Trade Registry Office in which the person authorized to represent the company is specified)

In order to apply online, you can log in to http://ardeb-pbs.tubitak.gov.tr web site with your ARBIS account. If you do not have an ARBIS account, you can create one by using http://arbis.tubitak.gov.tr web site.

For any questions related wih ARDEB Project Application System (PBS) please e-mail to: ardeb-pbs@tubitak.gov.tr (Please start the subject line of your e-mail with  [1003] code)

Projects proposed to the second stage of application are assessed under following 5 criteria:

• Scientific Excellence
• Methodology
• Project Management
• Impact
• Contribution to the Objectives of the Call

Çağrı metni için tıklayınız.

1. Aşama Başvuru Formu

2. Aşama Başvuru Formu

Ek-1 Kaynaklar

1. Aşama Ek-2 Bütçe ve Gerekçesi Formu

2. Aşama Ek-2 Bütçe ve Gerekçesi Formu

İrtibat Bilgileri

Başvuru Koşulları ve Proje Başvuru Sistemi için:

TÜBİTAK Araştırma Destek Programları Başkanlığı (ARDEB)

Destek Programları İzleme ve Koordinasyon Müdürlüğü

ardeb-pbs@tubitak.gov.tr

ardeb.e-imza@tubitak.gov.tr

Çağrının Genel Çerçevesi, Amacı ve Kapsamına İlişkin Sorular için:

TÜBİTAK Araştırma Destek Programları Başkanlığı (ARDEB)

Sağlık Bilimleri Araştırma Destek Grubu

sbag.personel@tubitak.gov.tr

For dialing TUBITAK Call Center: 444 66 90

For your questions related wih ARDEB Project Application System (PBS): ardeb-pbs@tubitak.gov.tr (Please notify that the subject of your e-mail starts with  [1003] code)