The GEMSTONE Project delegation met with senior officers of the Swedish Consulate General in Istanbul on Monday, 17 November 2025. The meeting took place at the historic Swedish Palace in Taksim and provided a valuable platform to present the project’s achievements and explore future cooperation opportunities between Sweden and Turkey in the field of research and innovation.
Over the course of the one-hour meeting, the GEMSTONE team introduced the project’s objectives, key results, and wider impacts achieved throughout its implementation. The delegation presented the project’s recently produced best practice book and joint policy brief, highlighting their relevance for strengthening institutional capacities, supporting strategic partnerships, and informing research policy discussions.
Following the introduction of the policy brief, the GEMSTONE delegation kindly asked the Consulate officers to convey the document to Swedish and European policymakers to help inform upcoming FP10 discussions, particularly regarding the future direction of WIDERA Twinning calls.
Discussions placed particular emphasis on the importance of cross-border scientific collaboration, with a focus on further reinforcing Swedish-Turkish cooperation in neuroscience, gene engineering technologies, and research management. The partners also reflected on the collaboration opportunities that have emerged through GEMSTONE, identifying several areas with strong potential for continued bilateral exchange.
From the Swedish Consulate General in Istanbul, the meeting was attended by:
- Karin Hernmarck, Consul General
- Jenny Nordman, Deputy Consul General & Head of the Swedish-Turkish Cooperation Section
- Şevin Yalçın, Senior Commercial and Promotion Officer
- Barış Yıldırım, Project Manager, Business Sweden in Türkiye
The GEMSTONE delegation consisted of:
- Prof. Filiz Onat, GEMSTONE Primary Principal Investigator, Acıbadem University
- Prof. Deniz Kırık, GEMSTONE Local Principal Investigator, Lund University
- Serena Cogoni, GEMSTONE Local Principal Investigator, Fondazione ICONS
- Assoc. Prof. Nihan Çarçak Yılmaz, GEMSTONE WP2 Leader, Acıbadem University
- Dr. Courtney J. Wright, GEMSTONE Researcher, Lund University
- Cem Öztürk, GEMSTONE Project Manager, Acıbadem University
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue fostering dialogue and to build on the collaborative foundations established through the GEMSTONE Project.