2232 - B International Fellowship for Early Stage Researchers

2232-B International Early Stage Researchers Program 2024 1st Term Application Results Announced !

We continue to accelerate the efforts that will strengthen Türkiye's position as an independent and leading country in the field of science, technology, and innovation, and increase the competitiveness of our country around the world, with the great contributions of valuable scientists in our country. The initiated program 2232 continues to encourage successful researchers, particularly Turkish scientists, who have experience working abroad, to come to Türkiye with high-level scientific and/or technological studies in their fields in order to contribute to the projects to be carried out in areas of strategic value for our country. The evaluation process for 2024 calls for 2232-B International Early Stage Researchers Program has been completed. 

The result regarding your 2232 Program application status can be viewed in the "My Applications" section by logging in to BİDEB Application and Monitoring System (ebideb.tubitak.gov.tr).

2232 - B International Fellowship for Early Stage Researchers Program open for application.

Applications will be received through the TÜBİTAK Management Information System (TYBS) between 23 October 2024 and 13 December 2024 (17.30 GMT+3).

In order to contribute to projects that will be executed in research fields that are of strategic importance for our country within the scope of the programme, it is aimed to promote young researchers under the age of 40 who have come to the fore with their high-level science and/or technology-oriented research in their fields and who have experience to work in an international environment, to conduct their research in Türkiye, and to provide support for them to pursue their work in state or foundation universities, public institutions, research infrastructures deemed competent within the scope of Law no. 6550, TÜBİTAK Research Centers or Institutes, private sector companies with R&D or design centres, or equity companies settled in Türkiye operating within techno parks.

The programme will include:

• Scholarship for the coordinator, 

• Family allowance (if applicable), 

• Initial research grant, 

• Research project grant,

• Grant intended for establishing a research team (scholarship for up to 5 graduate students and post-doctoral researchers within the scope of the research to be conducted in Türkiye), 

• Project Incentive Bonus for researchers involved within the scope of the research project (up to 5 researchers),

• Institutional share allowance for host institution, 

• Health insurance for the coordinator and his/her family,

• Travel allowance for the coordinator and his/her family and

• Mentorship support, provided by 2232 project leaders.

*A maximum of two scholarship holders in the project team can be master’s student, and at most one can be a post-doctoral researcher.
Fellowship period is minimum 24 months and maximum 36 months.

• Researchers applying to the programme must be under the age of 40* as of the call opening date.
• As of the call opening date, researchers applying to the programme must not have resided in Türkiye for more than 1 year within the last 3 years and must not be be working in Türkiye. Force majeure accepted by the Group Executive Committee and compulsory military service are excluded from this period.
• As of the call opening date, any of the work experiences set forth below shall be met:
  • Early-stage researchers who, after completing their doctoral degrees within the last 4 years, have at least 1 year of postdoctoral research experience abroad.
  • Researchers who have 4 years of full-time research experience abroad, provided that, after completing their undergraduate education, they have worked in the private sector for at least 1 year (up to 1 year of a master’s degree with thesis completed abroad or up to 3 years of a doctoral degree completed abroad may be counted towards this research experience).
• Researchers applying must meet at least one of the following requirements:
  • Being on the "Highly Cited Researchers List" published by Thomson Reuters in any year within the last 5 years as of the call opening date
  • Having worked for at least 12 months in total at the institutions among those ranked below in the last 5 years as of the call opening date:
    • Top 150 universities in the field-based rankings according to QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) or THE (Times Higher Education) World University Rankings
    • World’s Top 2500 Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard published by the European Commission Joint Research Centre  
    • Top 250 institutions in the sub-fields of health, higher education, public and private sectors according to Scimago Institutions Ranking
    • Successful start-up and unicorn companies receiving the most investment
      • “Unicorn” companies list published by CB Insights and reached 1 billion USD and over valuation from its venture level  
      • Top 1000 companies founded within the last 5 years and received the most investment in the last 5 years according to databases of Crunchbase and CB Insights

• Researchers who have fellowship from any other public institution and already have compulsory service obligation cannot apply to this programme.

*For women applicants, one year is added up for each birth.

• Applications will be made online via TYBS within the dates indicated in the call announcement.

• The call text covers procedures and liabilities related to researchers who apply to the programme and/or who are supported by the programme. Before applying, the application conditions, the evaluation method and process should be read carefully.

• Documents to be uploaded to the application system must be in Turkish or English. Certified Turkish or English translations must be provided for any documents prepared in other languages.

• Uploading the required documents to the system will be sufficient during the application stage, additional submission of documents to BİDEB is not required.  

• Application can be withdrawn at any stage. For withdrawal, a petition must be submitted to BİDEB stating the application year and period. BİDEB will update the status of the application after receipt of the petition.

The coordinator must submit the documents to TÜBİTAK and initiate research within 12 months at the latest upon the notification of the fellowship decision. Once the documents are submitted, a contract regarding the support is prepared by TÜBİTAK.

• In line with the detailed work plan proposed during the application, the coordinator is responsible for submitting progress reports on the dates specified in the agreement as well as a final report covering project’s all scientific, technical, administrative, financial developments and outcomes by the end of fellowship period.

• Progress reports are expected to be submitted on the date specified in the agreement, while the final report is expected to be submitted within two months following the research completion date. Scholarship payments of the coordinator, who has not submitted progress reports until the specified date, are suspended. A financial report covering reasons and breakdown of expenses of such period should be included in the appendices of progress reports and final report. If the host institution is a private sector company or a foundation university, certified councillorship report is also sought.   

• Progress reports and final report are evaluated by expert counsellors assigned by TÜBİTAK.

• TÜBİTAK, if deems necessary, may invite the coordinator to inquire about the progress or assign person and/or persons it will determine to inspect and audit the research in scientific, technical, administrative and financial terms.

• Final reports are approved or rejected by Group Executive Committee decision as a result of the evaluation carried out by expert counsellors assigned by TÜBİTAK. The project whose final report is approved is deemed to be completed. For the project whose final report is rejected, abolition and cancellation provisions are applied, depending on the rejection reason.  After the project is completed, the outstanding balance in the project’s special account is returned to TÜBİTAK’s account.

• Regulation on Programmes Executed by TÜBİTAK Department of Science Fellowships and Grant Programmes

• Principles and Procedures on the Implementation of Scholarship and Fellowship Programmes of Department of Science Fellowships and Grant Programmes

• Directive on Evaluation and Monitoring of Applications and Reports in BİDEB Fellowship and Grant Programmes through Panel/Advisor/Advisory Board method

• Principles and Procedures on the Expenditure of the Amounts to be Transferred from TÜBİTAK Funds to General Budget Public Administrations and Special Budget Administrations in Return for Projects, and on the Expenses of Externally Supported Projects Carried out by TÜBİTAK

• Principles on the Transfer, Expenditure, Accounting and Audit of the Amounts to be Granted by TÜBİTAK to Private Institutions and Foundation Universities in Return for Projects 

• Principles on the Expenditure of the Amounts to be Transferred from TÜBİTAK Funds to Public Institutions and Organisations Falling Outside the Scope of General and Special Budget Administrations in Return for Projects  

Group Executive Committee decisions will be implemented in cases that are not specified in relevant legislations and programme call text and in avoiding doubts that may arise during the implementation of the programme.

TÜBİTAK - BİDEB 2232-B
2232-B International Fellowship for Early Stage Researchers

Adress: TÜBİTAK Başkanlık Binası
Tunus Caddesi No:80 Kavaklıdere
ÇANKAYA/ANKARA PK:06100

Phone: 444 6690

e-mail: bideb2232@tubitak.gov.tr