- Future scientists to be trained in strategic fields ranging from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to information technologies and advanced computer systems

- In the first phase, 550 doctoral students will be selected through a centralized examination and placed at 20 research universities

- The program aims to bring around 3,000 young researchers into Türkiye’s science and technology ecosystem over five years

- Young researchers pursuing doctoral degrees will be employed as research assistants

- CoHE President Özvar: “We will strengthen Türkiye’s position in strategic fields through the qualified human resources we train in these areas”

“We are now extending the major transformation we have achieved in the defense industry through our qualified human resources to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other critical technologies”

August 20, 2026

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced a new program aimed at developing the qualified human resources Türkiye needs in strategic technology fields.

In a statement posted on social media, President Erdoğan said Türkiye was launching a new and major human resources initiative as part of its science and technology journey. He announced that, in the first phase, 550 doctoral students would be selected through a centralized examination and trained at 20 research universities in strategic fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, chip technologies, and advanced computer systems.

The program announced by President Erdoğan aims to develop the advanced expertise Türkiye needs in critical technologies and bring around 3,000 young researchers into the country’s science and technology ecosystem by the end of five years.

- New doctoral model for strategic fields

In the first year of the program, which will be launched to strengthen Türkiye’s science and technology capacity and train qualified human resources in line with its strategic development goals, 550 doctoral students will be trained in four fields: “Information Technologies,” “Hardware and Computer Systems,” “Cybersecurity,” and “Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems.” The program is expected to train around 3,000 young researchers over five years in line with Türkiye’s strategic priorities.

The young researchers will also be employed as research assistants. This model will thus simultaneously support the development of qualified human resources, the strengthening of research capacity, and the integration of young people into academic careers.

The program will bring together Türkiye’s most successful young people and universities with the country’s strongest research capacity. It aims to accelerate the transformation of knowledge generated at universities into technologies, products, patents, and economic value, while expanding the pool of highly qualified researchers needed by the public and private sectors.

Özvar: “Our strength in strategic fields will be determined by our qualified human resources”

CoHE President Erol Özvar said that, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye was taking a new step to support its ambitions in science and technology with a strong and qualified human resources base.

“With the Türkiye Strategic Technology Human Resources Program, we will place our young people at the center of scientific production in the critical technologies of the future and bring the capacity of our research universities together with our country’s strategic objectives in a stronger way,” Özvar said.

Emphasizing that simply possessing technology is no longer enough in global competition and that the decisive factor is qualified human resources capable of designing, developing, and advancing that technology, Özvar said, “We will strengthen Türkiye’s position in strategic fields through the qualified human resources we train in these areas.”

“Our goal is to train, starting today, the scientists who will develop the technologies of the next two decades”

Drawing attention to the fact that one of the most important factors behind Türkiye’s achievements in the defense industry in recent years has been its skilled workforce, Özvar continued:

“We are now extending the major transformation we have achieved in the defense industry by relying on our own engineers, scientists, and the capabilities of our young people to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, chip technologies, and other critical fields of the future. Our goal is not merely to meet today’s needs, but to train, starting today, the scientists who will develop the technologies of the next two decades.”

CoHE President Özvar said, “We do not want the knowledge generated at our universities to remain in laboratories or academic publications; we want it to be transformed into technologies, products, patents, and economic value. The fundamental requirement for this is a strong and qualified human resources base. Through this program, we will direct our young people toward strategic fields while also expanding our country’s research and innovation capacity.”

- Directly linked to Türkiye’s strategic goals

The Türkiye Strategic Technology Human Resources Program will be launched as a long-term human resources initiative designed to channel talent pools across different disciplines toward the country’s priority technology fields.

As one of the concrete steps in higher education toward the objectives set out in the 12th Development Plan, the Medium-Term Program, and the National Cybersecurity Strategy, the program will also directly contribute to the goals of expanding qualified human resources and strengthening artificial intelligence capacity outlined in the 2030 vision of the Türkiye Artificial Intelligence Action Plan.

The program is designed to train, starting today, the scientists and technology leaders who will advance the Türkiye Century in science, technology, and high-value-added production. It aims to strengthen Türkiye’s digital sovereignty, information technology infrastructure, technological independence, and global competitiveness through qualified human resources.