Within the scope of our country's Eureka Chairship, in Seoul, the Capital of South Korea; He was the guest of honor at the Eureka Korea Day 2023 event, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), aiming to strengthen the international technological cooperation network between South Korea and Europe.
President of Eureka and Vice President of TÜBİTAK İsmail Doğan pointed out the importance of holding the event in the capital of Asia's most innovative economy and said, “The results obtained from the Eureka Global Cooperation Survey 2023 "By benefiting from valuable information, we aim to proactively explore and capture global opportunities by identifying countries that are compatible with our strategic goals and show potential for productive cooperation."
Underlining the goal of "Contributing to disaster-resistant societies" during Türkiye's Eureka Chairship, İsmail Doğan said, "Following the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, we have responded to the problems created by disasters, both man-made and natural disasters, with our knowledge and innovation capacities as the countries in the Eureka network." I have made the examination of finding solutions a Presidential priority. A working group focusing on R&D solutions for waste separation, repair of liveable buildings, tackling pollution and promoting the circular economy for the reconstruction of affected areas is currently in consultation.”
Excellence, Collaboration, Innovation and Passion…
Work plans during their chairship; Excellence, Business Formulating unity as Innovation and Passion, Doğan said, referring to the Scottish scientist, inventor and engineer Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, and said, “Bell; Although he is credited worldwide for inventing the first telephone, he did not do it alone. And he didn't just work with his fellow citizens to come up with an innovation that had such a monumental impact on lives around the world. Bell collaborated, shared his knowledge, sought talent in countries far from his own, and took risks. But above all, he understood that the path to excellence in innovation was passion and diversity. My message to you is that we need to encourage passion among our entrepreneurs. You need that passion because what we do is so hard. An essential partner of passion is diversity. People with different scientific and cultural backgrounds will bring different frames of reference to a problem, sparking an exciting and dynamic exchange of ideas.”
“Türkiye, innovation and has always recognized the importance of international cooperation in supporting economic growth. “Over the years, we have actively participated in all Eureka programs and contributed Turkish expertise and resources to promote groundbreaking solutions across multiple technologies.” Referring to Türkiye 's activities within the scope of Eureka, İsmail Doğan said, “As the current Eureka President, we have a unique opportunity to overcome global challenges through leadership, regional perspectives, cooperation and innovation. By leveraging Türkiye's expertise, establishing strategic partnerships, promoting sustainable development goals and involving small and medium-sized enterprises, large companies, research institutions and universities, we will play a significant role in addressing global challenges and contributing to a sustainable and resilient future through TÜBİTAK and Eureka. I believe it can make an impact. Our Chairship will be built on this foundation and “It will further strengthen cooperation between Eureka countries to overcome global challenges.”
On the first day of the event, where representatives and companies of some Eureka member countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Canada) participated, Korea-Eureka Innovation Forum, Eureka Academy and Thematic Project Ideas sharing sessions were held.
On the second day of the program, in addition to the K-TAG European session (Korea Technology Advisory Group in Europe), country sessions were held where active members of Eureka would introduce themselves. Türkiye held a session called "Meet Türkiye" under the coordination of TÜBİTAK, where information was shared about our country's innovation ecosystem, our country priorities and our Eureka Chairship goals. In addition, various Turkish companies also made presentations in accordance with the thematic areas of the event.
About EUREKA
Eureka is a global organization of industrial and research organizations in European countries. It is known as an important international cooperation platform established to encourage the research and development of advanced technologies, products, processes and services that will increase competitiveness in the markets, and the creation and execution of joint projects between countries.
Eureka was founded in 1985 by 18 European countries, including Türkiye, and the EU Commission. Over time, as the influence and functionality of the EUREKA network increased, countries from outside Europe such as Canada, South Korea, South Africa and Singapore joined the network and the number of members increased to 47.
Türkiye served as the Eureka Chair for two terms, between 1998-1999 and 2012-2013.
Türkiye's Activities within the Scope of Eureka
Türkiye, which has been actively operating in Eureka since 1985 and whose participation has increased relatively in recent years compared to other countries of the Eureka Network, has participated or is currently participating in 939 projects between 2008-2023. completed or Considering all ongoing approved projects, Türkiye ranks 14th in the country's overall ranking in terms of number of beneficiaries.
Representatives of Turkish companies are the presidents of two of the Eureka Clusters, one of the most important support mechanisms of Eureka, and the vice presidents of one. There are five clusters active under the umbrella of Eureka.
08.11.2023