The 2023 application period for the Master’s and Doctoral Thesis Support Program of the Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB) has begun. In this framework, the principles of the program to support students who are enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program at universities in Turkey and who are in the thesis stage and whose thesis topic is related to “Local Administrations, Urban Studies and Common Cultural Heritage in Turkic Republics and Related Communities” have been determined. Applications can be made to the Association’s info@tdbb.org.tr address until 29 September 2023 within the framework of the following application principles of the Postgraduate Thesis studies support program.
Application Principles of the Master’s and Doctoral Thesis Support Program
TDBB, which aims to increase the cooperation and experience sharing between local governments in the Turkic Republics and Related Communities, and carries out activities to improve the historical and cultural heritage of the Turkic Republics and Related Communities and the understanding of local government and urbanism in this region, in the target geography (Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia) with the aim of reinforcing the understanding of “local governments and the city” with the academic developments of today’s world, registered to a master’s or doctorate program in universities in Turkey, who passed the thesis stage and whose thesis is “Local Administrations, Urban Studies and Joint Ventures in Turkic Republics and Related Communities” It is a program to support students related to “Cultural Heritage”.
Application and Evaluation Process
Candidates selected by the TDBB Selection Commission are supported for their thesis studies on “Local Administrations, Urban Studies and Common Cultural Heritage in Turkic Republics and Related Communities”. Eligible candidates are determined as a result of an interview that the Selection Commission will conduct with the candidates, measuring their academic and intellectual competencies, as well as their interest and dominance in the research project, and covers twelve months for graduate students and thirty-six months for doctoral students.
The necessary conditions are:
- To graduate from a 4-year formal education faculties of a university in Turkey or abroad that is accepted as YÖK equivalency,
- For male candidates, having completed or postponed their military service,
- For graduate students; Grade point average of at least 3.00 out of 4.00 or 75 out of 100,
- For PhD students; Grade point average of at least 3.15 out of 4.00 or 80 out of 100,
- Candidates who have completed the course phase, determined and approved the thesis topic will be evaluated.
The application process will be concluded within 3 months from the submission of the required documents.
Required documents are:
- Application form,
- Identity Card or Residence Permit and passport,
- Student certificate,Danışman akademisyenden referans mektubu,
- Letter of intent (250-300 words),
- Draft for the accepted thesis proposal (100-150 words),
- For graduate students; undergraduate diploma, undergraduate transcript For PhD students; graduate diploma, graduate transcript.
The candidates must have the originals of the above-mentioned documents with them during the interview. Applications are made by filling out the application form on the website of TDBB and sending the required documents by e-mail in pdf form to info@tdbb.org.tr.
Support Period:
- The amount of support to be given within the scope of TDBB Master’s and Doctoral Thesis Support Program for the 2023-2024 academic year is 10.000 TL in total for graduate students and 30.000 TL in total for doctoral students. The support period is twelve months for graduate students and thirty-six months for doctoral students. Payments are made in three equal parts, following the progress report to be submitted quarterly by the student.
- Those who qualify for the Support Program are obliged to submit a progress report every four months and a final report at the end of the research project, taking into account the start date announced by the Commission.
- Progress and result reports are prepared in the specified format and sent to info@tdbb.org as a PDF file on the due date. If the reports are not sent on the required date, it is expected that the mentioned report will be submitted to the Commission for subsequent payments.
- Progress reports are evaluated by the Commission and/or academics determined by the Commission. Considering this evaluation, the revision of the reports that are not found appropriate by the Commission will be requested.
- In case the progress reports are not submitted or the revision is not found sufficient, the Commission evaluates whether the support will continue.
- The Commission may request that the entitled student publish an article and/or research report, present papers in symposiums, congresses and scientific meetings, during or after the research is completed.
- Theses approved by the Commission can be published as a book by TDBB.
Circumstances in which the support will be stoped:
- The student’s graduation from the education institution he/she is attending,
- The student receives any disciplinary or suspension from the institution he/she attends,
- Failure to complete the thesis within the given time,
- Detection of false information or document statement (In this case, the amount of support given until that date is taken back from the student),
- Detection of the failure of the student by the commission,
- Except for these cases, the qualifier may request the suspension of support due to force majeure.