Why do we call certain technologies sensitive? The word suggests something fragile, something whose power must be handled with care. Quantum computing, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, these are levers that can tilt the balance of economies, redraw maps of security and health, yet alter how we see ourselves in the world. To advance them is to touch both promise and responsibility, to tilt the balance between opportunity and foresight, opening cures, strengthening industries, safeguarding the planet, while demanding wisdom in how such power is used.
It is precisely this paradox that makes them sensitive. Their capacity to improve life and to unsettle it in equal measure. And it is why sensitive technologies are not the private pursuit of one nation but the shared ambition of many. They align with almost every national priority from economic resilience and security to health, sustainability, and global standing.
Framed by these considerations, TÜBİTAK has announced the 2025 Horizon Europe Sensitive Technologies Call, inviting institutions in Türkiye to join hands with partners across Europe in supporting how these technologies can adapt into society wisely.
Why now, and for whom? Because sensitive technologies no longer belong to the distant horizon of science fiction, they define today’s competition, today’s opportunities, today’s vulnerabilities. The aim of this call is to deepen collaborative ties through joint R&D, enabling Turkish and European partners to cultivate technologies that sit at the very heart of economic strength, societal resilience, and strategic autonomy. Under TÜBİTAK’s 1071 Support Programme, which strengthens Türkiye’s capacity to benefit from international research funds and R&D collaborations, the following institutions are eligible for support:
- Higher education institutions established under the Higher Education Law
- Education and research hospitals
- Public institutions and organizations
- Capital companies registered in Türkiye with a trade registry certificate, regardless of sector or size, provided they generate value at the firm level
The thematic areas speak for themselves in their urgency. Quantum computing, whether through technology-agnostic software or the forging of quantum chips, is poised to redefine computational limits. Artificial Intelligence, both general-purpose and generative, stands ready to reshape robotics, aerospace, drug discovery, even the way we construct virtual worlds. Communication networks, semiconductors, high-performance computing, each of these, when strengthened works into the fabric of daily life, lifting industries, enhancing security, and enabling societies to meet challenges that no single actor could address in isolation.
Every project proposal must be built on collaboration. At minimum, each consortium must include one partner from Türkiye and one partner from a Horizon Europe country.
Institutions and organizations from Horizon Europe countries are required to submit a letter of commitment confirming the basis of their participation:
- If funded by a national funding agency or another appropriate source, the letter must be signed by that funding body.
- If self-funded, the letter must be signed by the participating institution or organization itself
More information on call topics, TRL levels, eligibility rules, consortium structure, and application procedures, deadline, can be found in the official call text on TÜBİTAK’s website: https://tubitak.gov.tr/en/announcement/tubitak-horizon-europe-countries-sensitive-technologies-2025-call-has-been-published
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