Breakdown of research funds in IZTECH (2024), Izmir, Turkiye.

At IZTECH, research funding is categorized into three primary sources: EU projects, grants from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), internal university funding through the Scientific Research Projects (BAP) fund, allocations from various governmental institutions, and private industry collaborations. These diverse funding sources support interdisciplinary research across a broad spectrum of departments, promoting innovation and sustainable development. The extensive range of projects at IZTECH spans numerous departments, showcasing the institution’s research capacity and the breadth of topics addressed. Departments such as Civil Engineering, Food Engineering, Architecture, Materials Science and Engineering, Bioengineering, and City and Regional Planning are key partners in EU-funded projects, actively participating in global research networks. In addition, departments like Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Molecular Biology and Genetics, and Energy Systems Engineering also contribute to projects funded by TÜBİTAK and other national bodies, advancing fields ranging from digital innovation to climate adaptation and sustainable energy solutions.  The large number and diversity of projects underscore IZTECH’s role as a hub for research and development in Turkey, with each project aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This wealth of funded projects not only fosters innovation but also enhances IZTECH’s capability to address complex social, environmental, and technological challenges on both local and global scales. By leveraging multiple funding sources, IZTECH supports a dynamic research environment that facilitates knowledge exchange, strengthens industry collaborations, and advances impactful solutions for a sustainable future.

 

IZTECH has a research ecosystem that is unique for Izmir as the campus area also includes a planned technology development zone, Technopark IZMİR, Innovation Center, Technology Transfer Office, and Research Centers. Also, the bureaucratic processes continue to open a research center titled “Center for Sustainability and Resiliency”. A new research center established in 2022, named “Wind Energy Meteorology and Environmental Application and Research Center” serves strongly for sustainability related research and activities as a whole (https://ruzmer.iyte.edu.tr/en/). This center provides connections and coordinations between IZTECH, Izmir Development Agency (İZKA) and  the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Industry and Technology. Geothermal Energy Research and Application Center (GEOCEN) is another and a former one continuing its activities at the Integrated Research Center (IRC). It serves in 3 laboratories: Modeling, Energy and Hydrogeology laboratories.

(https://geocen.iyte.edu.tr/en/)

Individual researchers as faculty members also conduct research and work with master and doctorate candidates. Sustainability research in IZTECH gets fund from EU projects, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUBİTAK) projects and our university (BAP). In 2023, total research funds are calculated as 102 706 146 USD, while the total research funds dedicated to sustainability research are calculated as 96 195 517 USD. However, In 2022, total research funds were calculated as 7 274 423 USD, while the total research funds dedicated to sustainability research were calculated as 5 427 008 USD. So, already representing a majority in the overall research, research funded dedicated to sustainability is expected to increase in the next years.

Samples of EU projects funded in 2023. (https://eyesheartshands.eu/; https://crm-geothermal.eu/; https://www.water4all-partnership.eu/; https://re-value-cities.eu/)

 

A variety of departments including Civil Engineering, Food Engineering, Architecture, Material Science and Engineering, Bioengineering and City Planning and Environmental Engineering have become partners of EU projects, and have got funding from other institutions. Sustainability research projects follow the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in general. That means, i.e., research about evaluations of agricultural and food waste in the discipline of Food Engineering can satisfy the SDG of “1-No Poverty”, “3-Good Health and Well being”, “9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure”, “15-Life on Land”. Besides, a EU funded project (Eyes Hearts Hands) in the Faculty of Architecture is about sustainable transformations of urban landscapes and green transitions of cities. Its target relates to the SDG of “11-sustainable cities and communities”, “13- Climate Action” and “15-Life on Land”.

 

IZTECH Sustainability Related Selected Samples of Research Projects List 2023