As part of the ongoing activities under the Horizon Europe-funded GEMSTONE Project, a high-level networking meeting took place at Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University (ACU) between representatives from ACU and Trakya University (TU) on 16 April 2025.
The meeting aimed to explore collaborative opportunities and foster stronger ties between the two institutions in the field of neuroscience and EU-funded research.
The meeting was chaired by Prof. Filiz Onat, Principal Investigator of the GEMSTONE Project, and brought together key representatives from both universities, including Prof. Ahmet Muzaffer Demir (Vice-Rector of TU), Prof. Levent Altintas (Vice-Rector of ACU & GEMSTONE WP6 Leader), Assoc. Prof. Sertac Arabacioglu (Director of the Project Coordination Application and Research Center at TU), and Cem Ozturk (GEMSTONE Project Manager).
During the session, participants introduced their respective institutions’ ongoing EU-funded projects and discussed strategic opportunities for collaboration. Topics included potential joint research initiatives, co-hosting academic and scientific events, and mutual dissemination efforts through the both institution’s differing platforms and networks.
The meeting concluded on a productive note with several concrete plans set for realization in the coming months, including the development of joint proposals and the organization of collaborative meetings to promote knowledge exchange and capacity building.
This meeting marks a significant step in strengthening national collaboration networks and enhancing the visibility of Turkish institutions in European research and innovation ecosystems – one of the core missions of the GEMSTONE Project.