- At Science Café events, discussions ranged from cellular therapies and quantum technologies to agricultural digitalization and health education

October 18, 2026

Universities participated in Türkiye Innovation Week through Science Café events coordinated by the Council of Higher Education’s (CoHE) Science Communication Office.

During the three-day Innovation Week at the Haliç Congress Center in Istanbul, academics presented their scientific research at Science Café events held at the CoHE booth. Topics included cellular therapies, climate-friendly production, neuromarketing, combating disinformation, agricultural digitalization, quantum technologies, science literacy, and innovation in health education.

- From Cellular Therapies to Combating Disinformation

On the first day of Innovation Week, academics from Biruni University, Munzur University, OSTİM Technical University and Maltepe University shared their scientific research.

Prof. Adnan Yüksel, Rector of Biruni University, discussed developments in cellular therapies. Emphasizing that the future would be shaped by people who step outside their comfort zones, work hard and dedicate themselves to their efforts, Yüksel delivered the message: “If you do what everyone else does, you will be like everyone else.”

Prof. Azime Küçükgöl from Munzur University said that researchers were conducting studies aimed at ensuring high-quality plant production as part of their work on climate-friendly production.

Assoc. Prof. Doğuş Yüksel and Dr. B. Gökhan Topal from OSTİM Technical University introduced their work in neuromarketing. During a practical demonstration, wired electrodes placed on participants’ heads transmitted real-time electrical activity and brain waves continuously to a computer screen throughout the test.

Assoc. Prof. Meltem Çiçek from Maltepe University addressed the challenge of combating disinformation in the age of innovation. She emphasized the importance of values education in tackling false and misleading information.

- The Future of Agriculture Discussed at Science Café

On the second day of the event, Prof. Hüseyin Dalgar, Rector of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ), discussed agricultural digitalization and technology-driven production models.

Highlighting the importance of expanding the use of software, data, robotic systems and autonomous vehicles in agriculture, Dalgar said the aim was to encourage more young people to pursue careers in agriculture and livestock farming through technology-supported production.

Dalgar noted that AI-powered autonomous farms had been established at 10 universities selected under the cooperation between CoHE and the Agricultural Technologies Cluster. He said the goal was to train young farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs who could use technology effectively at these centers.

- Quantum Technologies and Innovation in Health Education Attract Interest

On the third day of Türkiye Innovation Week, Science Café discussions focused on future technologies, science literacy and innovation in health education.

Prof. Peyami Çelikcan, Vice Rector of Istinye University, and Assoc. Prof. Pınar Hatır Çakır presented a project they had developed to increase the participation of people with disabilities in scientific activities and support their science literacy.

Prof. Mehmet Ünlü and Umut Boyatlı from TOBB University of Economics and Technology introduced QuanT, Türkiye’s first domestically developed quantum computer. A model of QuanT brought to the CoHE booth attracted considerable interest from visitors.

The five-qubit QuanT offers significant potential for solving certain complex problems compared with conventional computers. It was developed in the laboratories of TOBB ETÜ’s Technology Center with strategic support from ASELSAN and the Presidency of Defence Industries. Through this work, Türkiye joined the group of countries that have developed their own quantum computers and possess this technological infrastructure.

Prof. Füsun Terzioğlu and Prof. Mustafa Tunaya Kalkan from Istanbul Aydın University also answered participants’ questions on “Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health Education.”

- Science in Every Corner of Society

The Science Café initiative, coordinated by CoHE’s Science Communication Office, aims to communicate scientific knowledge generated at universities to different segments of society in clear, accessible language.

To date, approximately 1,600 Science Café events have been held across Türkiye with the participation of more than 150 universities. By organizing events in a variety of settings, from vineyards and fields to village coffeehouses, ferries and mining sites, the initiative has brought science to the places where people live and work.

The three-day program at Türkiye Innovation Week also brought universities’ scientific expertise together with stakeholders across the innovation ecosystem.