Türkiye Announces Training Program for 550 PhD Students

Türkiye Announces Program to Train 550 Doctoral Students in Strategic Technologies

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced a new national program to train doctoral students in strategic technological fields, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, chip technologies and advanced computer systems.

Under the initiative, Türkiye will initially select 550 doctoral students through a centralized examination. The students will receive training at 20 research universities across the country.

The program aims to bring 3,000 young researchers into Türkiye’s national science and technology ecosystem within five years.

Focus on Strategic Technologies

The program will concentrate on areas considered critical to Türkiye’s technological development and national security.

• Artificial intelligence
• Cybersecurity
• Chip technologies
• Advanced computer systems

Students will be trained at 20 research universities, with the initial intake set at 550 doctoral candidates selected through a centralized examination.

Building the “Century of Türkiye”

Erdoğan said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Türkiye through science, technology and young talent.

“We will build the Century of Türkiye with the power of science, technology and our young people.”

He also said that Türkiye aims to become a strong, prosperous and fully independent country capable of developing and producing future technologies and presenting them to global markets.

Türkiye Seeks Greater High-Tech Independence

The announcement comes as Ankara continues efforts to expand domestic capabilities in advanced technology sectors.

Türkiye has previously outlined plans to reduce its dependence on foreign semiconductor manufacturers and strengthen its domestic technology ecosystem. Training a new generation of researchers is expected to play an important role in achieving these goals.

A Long-Term Investment in Young Researchers

While the first stage of the program will involve 550 doctoral students, the long-term target is significantly larger. Türkiye plans to integrate 3,000 young researchers into its national science and technology ecosystem over the next five years.

The initiative highlights Türkiye’s growing focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductor technologies and advanced computing as key areas for future development.