Bilkent University National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), in collaboration with leading academic and industrial stakeholders, successfully implemented the A1–1004 Center of Excellence Support Program, making substantial contributions to Türkiye’s high-tech goals in the field of advanced materials technologies. Launched on February 1, 2021 with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and TÜBİTAK, this four-year initiative not only addressed critical national priorities with tangible solutions but also transformed accumulated knowledge into economic value.
The A1 program was implemented as a model of collaboration, bringing together leading the industrial partners of TUSAŞ, Vestel, and Şişecam with distinguished academic institutions including Bilkent University, Eskişehir Technical University (ESTÜ), Abdullah Gül University (AGÜ), and TOBB University of Economics and Technology (TOBB ETÜ), under the leadership of UNAM . This structure fostered a solution-oriented, productive, and trust-based culture of cooperation. National technologies that have been developed in three critical areas—glass processing, semiconductor color technologies, and next-generation materials for aerospace—have made strategic contributions to both Türkiye’s industrial capacity and its international competitiveness.
The A1 Program Director and UNAM Director, Prof. Dr. Hilmi Volkan Demir,
An evaluation meeting entitled “A1–1004: Our Achievements, Gains, and Outcomes” was held at UNAM on Monday, June 23, 2025 to mark the program’s completion. With the participation of all stakeholders, the event reviewed the outcomes achieved over the four-year journey. Opening remarks were delivered by Bilkent University Rector Prof. Dr. Kürşat Aydoğan, TÜBİTAK ARDEB Deputy President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cengiz Arıcı, and A1 Program Principle Investigator and UNAM Director Prof. Dr. Hilmi Volkan Demir. In his keynote, Prof. Demir offered an overarching summary of the program’s achievements, highlighting that “our strong A1 ecosystem has been shaped by contributions from 95 different organizations. This structure, comprising 48 companies and 13 research centers, not only embodies a robust multi-stakeholder collaboration but also represents a far-reaching science-industry-government interaction with significant impact.” Following the opening session, participants toured an exhibition of the technologies developed through the program. Presentations held in the relevant technology domains shared the innovative outcomes in detail throughout the day.
According to an independent economic impact analysis conducted by INOMER, the program’s contribution to the national economy as of 2025 is estimated to range between 145 and 345 million Turkish Lira. The total economic potential of the developed technologies is projected to reach between 3.5 and 10.2 billion TL, with an export potential estimated at 123 to 394 million USD. These figures indicate that the program’s impact extends well beyond scientific achievements, translating into measurable outputs in production, commercialization, and export capacity.
To date, the program has resulted in nearly 100 patent applications. It also supported a total of 100 fellows at the undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels, contributing directly to the training of the next generation of researchers.
