National ERC Synergy Grant Forum: Strategy & Evaluation
The “National ERC Synergy Grant Forum: Strategy & Evaluation,” jointly organized by TÜBİTAK and Koç University, will bring together researchers and leading experts in the field.
The event will take place on 4 May 2026, between 09:00 and 13:00, hosted by Koç University in a hybrid format.
As part of the forum, Agnes Kulcsár from the European Research Council Executive Agency, along with Principal Investigators funded under the ERC Synergy Grant Call and experienced panel members involved in the evaluation process, will share their insights and recommendations with participants.
The event aims to provide strategic guidance for researchers interested in ERC Synergy Grant applications and to offer a comprehensive perspective on the evaluation process.
Registration:
https://forms.gle/i6dSLiRDjYZ8qBaR9
For inquiries and suggestions regarding the event, please contact: ncperc@tubitak.gov.tr & oyozer@ku.edu.tr
| 09:00-09:30 | Welcome Coffee |
| 09:30-09:35 | Welcome Speeches: Prof. Metin SİTTİ, President of Koç University Prof. Hakan ÜREY, Vice President for Research and Innovation |
| 09:35-10:15 | Overview of the ERC Synergy Grant Call Agnes KULCSAR, ERCEA Call Coordinator |
| 10:15-10:45 | TÜBİTAK Supports and Guidance for ERC Synergy Grant Call Applicants Aslı VURAL, TÜBİTAK ERC National Contact Point |
| 10:45-11:00 | Evaluator’s view Prof. Murat TEKALP, Koç University, Former ERC SyG Panel Member |
| 11:00-11:15 | Evaluator’s view Prof. Attila GÖRSOY, Koç University, Dean of College of Engineering, Former ERC SyG Evaluator |
| 11:15-11:45 | Principal Investigator’s view: Zee-Zoom-Zap Project Asst. Prof. Çağlar ATAMAN, Freigburg University, Germany |
| 11:45-12:15 | Principal Investigator’s view: DISRUPT Project Prof. Anding ZHU, University College Dublin, Ireland |
| 12:15-13:00 | Q&A |
Moderators: Assoc. Prof. Elif Nur FIRAT KARALAR & Oya ÖZER
What is the ERC Synergy Grant?
The ERC Synergy Grant supports groups of 2 to 4 Principal Investigators working together by combining their complementary expertise, knowledge, and resources to jointly address ambitious and complex research problems across all fields of science. There is no requirement for the Principal Investigators to be based in different countries or institutions. In this context, the ERC Principal Investigator Development Programme (EBAG), implemented by TÜBİTAK, accepts applications to support researchers in their project preparation process. To be eligible, at least one of the Principal Investigators must be hosted by an institution based in Türkiye. Previously funded Synergy Grant projects can be explored in this link, while detailed information about the call is available on TÜBİTAK’s official website. Questions regarding the call may be directed to ncperc@tubitak.gov.tr