Bilkent TTO At One Of The World’s Leading Ip & Technology Transfer Programs
Our Intellectual Property Rights Specialist, Gökçe Erdem, represented Bilkent Technology Transfer Office (Bilkent TTO) at one of the world’s most prestigious international training programs in the field of intellectual property and technology transfer, jointly organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies (CEIPI) at the University of Strasbourg, and the French National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI).
Following a one-month online course delivered by the WIPO Academy, the advanced in-person program held in Strasbourg covered key topics including technology transfer, licensing strategies, intellectual property management, university–industry collaboration, startup and spin-off ecosystems, and the commercialization of research results, with lectures and workshops led by internationally recognized experts. The program brought together intellectual property and technology transfer professionals from 19 countries, providing a valuable platform for exchanging experiences and best practices.
As part of the program, participants also visited INSERM (The French National Institute of Health and Medical Research) to gain first-hand insights into technology transfer practices and innovation management in the life sciences sector.
At Bilkent TTO, we remain committed to closely following international best practices in intellectual property management and technology transfer, transferring this knowledge to our researchers and industry partners, and continuously strengthening our university’s technology transfer capacity.
Academia and Industry Came Together for New Beginnings
The event “New Beginnings for Collaboration: Academia–Industry Dialogues II”, organized by Bilkent University Technology Transfer Office (Bilkent TTO), was held on June 16, 2026.
The event brought together company representatives from various sectors and researchers from Bilkent University and Bilkent UNAM to strengthen university–industry collaboration, promote joint R&D and innovation projects, and establish new research partnerships. More than 80 participants attended the event.
Following the opening remarks by Ebru Başak Aköz, Director of Bilkent TTO, who emphasized the importance Bilkent University places on university–industry collaboration, thematic sessions were held as part of the program.
The first session focused on “Sustainability and Materials.” Representatives from Ford Otosan, Heliodor Tech, MİTAŞ Kompozit, Pepper Motion, Tepe Betopan, TÜPRAŞ, Yiğit Akü, and Zorlu Enerji introduced their organizations, presented their R&D activities, and highlighted potential areas for collaboration.
The second session addressed “Artificial Intelligence and Smart Systems.” Representatives from Akdoğan Teknoloji, Bilkent UNAM, Bozankaya, CMIT, Meteksan Savunma, OpenZeka, SimBT, Turkcell, and TUSAŞ shared information about their ongoing work as well as their research and technology development needs.
Through the concise and focused presentation format, participants gained valuable insights into the priority technology areas and R&D needs of different industries. During the networking session, academics and industry representatives engaged in one-on-one discussions and exchanged ideas on collaborative project development, knowledge transfer, and funding opportunities.
The event provided an opportunity to explore new avenues for collaboration and establish connections that may lead to future joint projects and research activities. Bilkent TTO will continue to strengthen the dialogue between academia and industry and serve as a bridge between institutions.
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“Navigating ERC Funding: Insights for Researchers” Event
The Bilkent University Technology Transfer Office (TTO) and the Middle East Technical University (METU) Project Development Office (PDO) successfully co-hosted “Navigating ERC Funding: Insights for Researchers” at the Bilkent UNAM Conference Hall on June 9, 2026.
The European Research Council (ERC) stands as the premier tier of frontier research funding in Europe. To support our research community in navigating this highly competitive landscape, the event focused heavily on strategic alignment. Specifically, insights were explored on how groundbreaking scientific concepts can be effectively translated into proposals that meet the rigorous standards of ERC evaluation panels.
The event featured a comprehensive program delivered by distinguished experts and grant recipients:
• Ms. Aslı VURAL (ERC National Contact Point, TÜBİTAK) delivered an essential briefing on ERC funding schemes, structural frameworks, and recent policy updates.
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Efe TOKDEMİR (Bilkent University, ERC 2025 Consolidator Grant Holder) shared his personal application journey alongside comprehensive reflections on navigating the evaluation process within the Social Sciences and Humanities (SH2) panel.
• Prof. Dr. Mustafa YÜCEL (METU Institute of Marine Sciences, ERC 2021 Consolidator Grant Holder & ERC Ambassador) shared his personal journey within the Physical Sciences and Engineering (PE10) domain, while highlighting the objectives of the newly established ERC Ambassadors Network.
The event concluded with “Beyond the Grant: ERC Conversations”, an open discussion that brought together grant holders, TÜBİTAK, and institutional specialists. In addition to analyzing the structural frameworks of the funding scheme itself, the session addressed the essential operational, administrative, and legal compliance mechanisms required across the entire project lifecycle.
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Bilkent TTO Hosts TÜBİTAK ARDEB 1001 Info Day
The TÜBİTAK ARDEB 1001 Program Info Day, organized by Bilkent University Technology Transfer Office (Bilkent TTO), was held online on February 12, 2026, bringing together researchers planning to apply to the 1001 funding program.
During the event, Bilkent TTO Project Development Expert Gizem Bürken provided an overview of the main components of a 1001 proposal, the application timeline, the steps to be followed in the online application system, and the overall evaluation process. Bilkent TTO Project Development Expert Deniz Alpinanç highlighted key points on writing a strong Original Value/Novelty section, ensuring methodological clarity and coherence, structuring work packages and timelines, defining expected impact and dissemination strategies, and preparing the project budget.
In the session focusing on the reviewer’s perspective, Assoc. Prof. Burcu Ayşen Ürgen from the Department of Neuroscience & Psychology and Prof. Uğur Doğrusöz from the Department of Computer Engineering shared critical insights into the TÜBİTAK evaluation process. They discussed how reviewers read and prioritize proposal sections, what makes a proposal appear “fundable” or “weak” at first glance, and common reasons for lower scores. Practical suggestions for enhancing clarity and feasibility were also presented.
The event concluded with an interactive Q&A session.
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Başkent University Visit
In the scope of health research collaboration between Başkent University and Bilkent University, a group of researchers from Bilkent together with Bilkent TTO visited Başkent University campus on March 28, 2018.
During the meeting, Bilkent University researchers had a chance to get to know Başkent University more closely and discuss possible collaboration opportunities.
This collaboration will continue with working group meetings.
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Başkent – Bilkent Health Research Collaboration Meeting
Health research collaboration between Başkent University and Bilkent University has been triggered with a pilot meeting on March 5th 2018.
During the meeting, researchers from both Universities had a chance to get together and discuss about possible collaboration opportunities.
This collaboration will continue with participation of other groups.
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Newton- Katip Çelebi Fund Info Day
Bilkent TTO in collaboration with the British Embassy organised Newton-Katip Çelebi Fund Info Day on 22 February 2018.
During the event, Pınar Çetin who is the Manager of Newton – Katip Çelebi Fund made a detailed presentation to academicians from the Bilkent University and the other universities and answered their questions.
Assoc. Prof. Dönüş Tuncel and Assist. Prof. Dr. Fitnat Banu Pakel shared their experiences related with their funded Newton Katip Çelebi Fund projects.
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Training on TUBITAK 4004-4005 Calls
In the scope of “4004 – Nature Education and Science Schools” and “4005 – Science and Society Innovative Education Implementation” calls, a training session organized by Bilkent TTO in collaboration with TUBITAK on October 24th at Bilkent University.
Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Kahraman who is Advisory Board Member for 4004 & 4005 Programs, made a detailed presentation to academicians from the Bilkent University.
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H2020 Marie Curie IF Training and Experience-sharing Panels
A training and experience sharing panel addressing the “H2020 Marie Curie IF” call organized by Bilkent Technology Transfer Office and ODTÜ Research Coordination Office on 15th of June, 2017.
In the panel, MSCA-IF grant candidates met and discuss their questions with experienced MSCA evaluators.
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Newton- Katip Çelebi Fund Info Day
Newton-Katip Çelebi Fund Info Day were organized on 30 January 2017, Monday between 11:00-12:00 by Bilkent TTO in collaboration with British Embassy.
Ilter Haliloğlu who is the head of Newton – Katip Çelebi Fund made a detailed presentation to academicians from the Bilkent University and the other universities. 21 participants participated the event and fund opportunities were mentioned to attentions by participants.
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TUBITAK R&D Project Supports Training
A lot of participants from Bilkent University and the other universities participated in the TÜBİTAK R&D Project Supports training which was organized on 30 June 2016. The event was held in English thus mainly captured the attention of foreign researchers.
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MSCA Individual Fellowship Panel
MSCA Individual Fellowship(IF) Panel is organized on 8 June 2016 by Bilkent TTO. In the panel, MSCA-IF grant holders and evaluators of MSCA-IF shared their experiences with the academicians who think to apply MSCA-IF calls.
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H2020 ICT, NMP & SME Info Day is organized!
In collaboration with Bilkent TTO and Cyberpark, an info day aimed at H2020, ICT, NMP & SME is organized. SMEs, stakeholders from universities and several experts participated the event and especially SME topic is attracted attention by participants.
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Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department 2nd Industrial Design Projects Fair
Senior students of EEE department created solutions to the project ideas of companies collaborating with leading corporations of our country. Project teams exhibited their 9 months lasted projects, which are supported by both academic and industrial mentors, in 2nd Industrial Design Projects Fair held on May 17, 2016. The projects developed with cooperation of leading companies such as Aselsan, BSH Home Appliances, Ford Otosan, Havelsan, Karel, Meteksan Defence, Otonom Technology, Polaran, Roketsan and TAI allow future engineers to experience the professional life by implementing their scientific knowledge on the projects and also give opportunity of working with young and dynamic brains to these companies. This year within the scope of Industrial Design Projects, 102 students achieved the following 18 projects:
Polaran Ltd. : Computer Based Ad Hoc Communication Network for Android Devices
Ford Otosan: Radar Target Simulator
TAI: Autonomous Space Rendezvous Simulator
Karel: Real-Time Object Tracking with Spherical Camera Array
Havelsan: Silhouette Based Ship Detection and Classification
Aselsan: Ad Hoc Networks for Vehicular Platoon Formation and Guidance
Karel: Wireless Health Monitoring System
Aselsan: Long Range Stereo Camera System
B/S/H: Freshness Monitoring System for Refrigerators
Karel: Coordinated Multi-Robot Maneuvers Based on Precise Position Estimation with a Multi-Camera System
Havelsan: Human Detection and Tracking with Multiple Cameras
Karel: Multipurpose Robotic Card Development with Hardware Abstraction Layer and Quadcopter Application
Karel: Led Based Indoor Positioning System
Meteksan Savunma: Energy Harvesting from Ambient Wi-Fi Transmitters
Aselsan: Efficient Harvesting of Solar Energy
Roketsan: Target Detection, Tracking and Engagement System
Otonom Teknoloji: Determination of Noise Source with Acoustic Sensors on Aerostat System
Aselsan: Landing System on Moving Platforms for Unmanned Air Vehicles
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Industrial Engineering Department 13th Industrial Design Projects Fair
22 years ago, Department of Industrial Engineering initiated close Industry-University collaboration through the capstone system design project course.
With the support of TTO and academic and industrial advisors, IE senior students work in groups of 5 to 6 in order to solve real life problems of the companies.
This year, 27 projects conducted in industries ranging from airlines, communication technologies, automotive to textile have taken place in the Project Fair Day. The best eight design project groups competed by presenting their work to a large audience. The first prize went to Zeynep Yaprak Beşik, Başak Erman, Deniz Berfin Karakoç, Yekta Jehat Mızraklı, Umut Müdüroğlu, and Egehan Yanık with their project titled “Logistics Optimization for the Hot Delivery System” conducted at ETİ A.Ş.
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A Round Table Discussion Session Organized in Collaboration with Bilkent TTO and British Council!
A joint round table discussion session organized by Bilkent TTO and the British Council took place February 16th at the university’s Main Campus.
Rector, Prof. Dr. Abdullah Atalar, Provost, Prof. Adnan Akay, along with more than 10 Bilkent Head of Departments, Deans, Assoc. Deans and faculty members participated the event, with the British Council represented by the Director Helen Silvester and 11 other chancellors, academicians and specialists from UK.
During the round table sessions, Bilkent researchers presented their collaboration experiences with their UK partners. Session participants received information regarding the opportunities for cooperation with the Council and were also briefed about challenging factors, previous and planned collaborations.
It is expected that the number of collaborative projects involving the British Council and Bilkent University will increase as a result of the round table discussion session.
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US Army Visit!
US Army RDECOM Forward Element Command – Atlantic (RFEC-A) visited Bilkent University on February 2nd 2016 to discuss collaboration possibilities in nanoscience field.
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Researcher Training Program for Defence Industry
Within the scope of “The Researcher Training Program for Defence Industry (SAYP)” the protocols have been signed with Bilkent University, Undersecretariat for Defence Industry and Aselsan, FNSS, Havelsan, Meteksan Savunma, Roketsan, STM, TAI on 18th of November, 2015.
