Principles and Procedures

Research

PROCEDURES AND PRINCIPLES FOR THE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECTS PROGRAM (LAP)

1. SCOPE

The Undergraduate Research Projects program (LAP) was developed in order to achieve a higher level of inter- and multi-disciplinary research, to create an extensive culture of undergraduate research, to support teamwork in research projects, and to train inquisitive and creative students, in line with the strategic planning, and the vision of Atılım University to become a research university.

  • Support under the LAP program is the support provided for projects realized by student teams within the framework of a research topic suggested by a lecturer.
  • Projects are managed by teams consisting of a project executive, project researchers, and an academic, or industrial advisor.
  • Associate and undergraduate degree students may apply to take part as scholars, or volunteer, in projects. Selected students may take part in project teams.
  • Project Executives may choose to make their project applications with the support of the companies in the industry.

2. APPLICATION CRITERIA

A) Project Executives/ Project Researchers/ Project Advisors

  • The project executives, researchers and advisors to take part in the project are required to be academic staff members of Atılım University, or our permanent administrative staff members with researcher status.

B) Scholars

  • The associate and undergraduate degree students of Atılım University with a GPA of 2.00 and above, and in their second year of study the earliest may take part in project teams as scholars in project teams, if approved by a Project Executive. Project scholarship amounts are announced in the calls for action relevant for that particular academic year by Atılım University.
  • Students may not participate in multiple projects within one academic semester as scholars or volunteers.

C) Volunteer Students

  • Students not to receive scholarship payments in any of the project teams may volunteer in projects with the approval of a Project Executive. Volunteering students are required to be approved by a Project Executive, and to sign a release stating that they are to participate voluntarily in the studies to be conducted within the scope of the project.

3. SUPPORT LIMITS

The ARGEDA-TTO Executive Board announces the support limits at the start of the relevant academic year, with the approval by the Board of Trustees.

Within the scope of LAP project proposals:

  1. Machinery and equipment costs related to the project are covered within determined limits.
  2. Costs for consumables such as materials, tools, testing equipment etc. related to the project are covered.
  3. Software expenses related to the project are covered.
  4. The service procurement expenses required within the scope of the project are covered, if documented.
  5. Transportation and travel expenses for the urban or extra-urban field studies within the scope of the project are covered within the limits of the application principles of LAP projects, if documented.
  6. Invitation, accommodation, and organization expenses within the scope of the project are not covered.
  7. Participation expenses for events such as conferences, symposiums, or congresses, and travel expenses within the scope of the project are not covered.
  8. The scholarship payments to be made to undergraduate students participating in projects as scholars may not exceed the determined upper limit. Scholarship student payments should be included in the total budgets for projects. Within the scope of projects, a maximum of four students may take part as scholars.
  9. The project budget must be prepared taking into account the prices that include the VAT for domestic purchases. For foreign purchases, the FOB value (only in foreign currencies) must be specified.
  10. All expenditure items must be distributed proportionally, not exceeding the project support limit, and should be included in the project budget.
  11. Suggestions for project expenses within the scope of the LAP program other than the items above are evaluated by the ARGEDAT-TTO Executive Board and, if deemed appropriate, may be accepted with the approval of the Board of Trustees.
  12. A fund is determined for the project executive to be used in individual research activities, depending on the content of the LAP project. The amount of the relevant fund is determined by the ARGEDA-TTO Executive Board, and the fund may be used by the project executive with the approval of the Board of Trustees. The purchasing procedures of the University are to be followed for the purposes of the fund in question.

4. REQUIREMENTS TO BE FULFILLED WHEN A PROJECT OFFER IS ACCEPTED

  1. Research conducted within the program shall be concluded within the academic year of project proposal.
  2. At least one of the activities listed below should be performed when concluding LAP projects. Some LAP project applicants may be favored depending on their activities within the scope of the LAP projects undertaken in a previous academic semester.
    • Oral presentation by students or poster exhibitions at conferences within the University, or outside,
    • Application by students to TÜBİTAK BİDEB (2209-A and 2209-B etc.) support programs, on the condition that it is approved by the project manager (The advisor for the TÜBİTAK program of application must be the executive of the relevant LAP project.)
    • Article publication on the topic,
    • Application to national and/ or international contests relevant to the field of study and category of the project within the relevant academic year.
  3. The posters to be prepared by student teams with the supervision of their Project Executive are to be exhibited on “Atılım Research Day (ATAG)”, an event to be held at the end of the academic year. All projects receiving project support are to be included in the exhibition, as a requirement. Projects executives unable to attend the relevant ATAG event will be unable to apply for another LAP project in the academic year that follows.
  4. Project Result Reports are to be submitted to the Directorate of ARGEDA-TTO on the date determined as per LAP project contracts, and in the determined format. Project Executives failing to submit their project result reports on time may not apply for LAP projects in the following academic year.
  5. All articles, announcements etc. prepared within the scope of LAP projects should include a statement regarding the support by Atılım University. Project Executives failing to meet the requirement may not apply for LAP support in the following academic year.

5. INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAP PROGRAM

  1. LAP project applications submitted any later than the application deadline determined by the ARGEDA-TTO Executive Board for the relevant academic term shall not be accepted.
  2. LAP project proposals that constitute a current or future application to programs TÜBİTAK-BİDEB 2209-A and 2209-B shall be prioritized.
  3. Project Executives may not apply for multiple projects within a single academic year.
  4. Project teams may consist of at least two scholar students, and up to eight students.
  5. Project Executives may only take on this role for a single LAP project within the same academic year. However, individuals may take part in up to two LAP projects as either Project Researchers or Project Advisors, on the condition that they are not Project Executives in any of the LAP projects of the same year. Individuals may also participate as Project Researchers and Project Advisors, simultaneously.
  6. Scholar students in project teams shall receive their scholarships up to the limits determined at the beginning of the relevant academic year by the Board of Trustees; in two installments to be paid within the same academic year.
  7. Scholars may be expelled from the project with the approval of the Project Executive upon failure to fulfill their responsibilities in the studies conducted within the scope of the project.
  8. For LAP project applications with projects supported by external institutions, these external institutions are required to present a Letter of Intent on their intention to work in collaboration with Atılım University within the scope of the project.
  9. Scholars and volunteer students taking part in projects shall provide a written statement that they may not use the project idea(s) without the written consent of their Project Executives.
  10. Students having completed their projects successfully are to receive Undergraduate Research Participation Certificates.
  11. All rights to arise at the end of the project as per the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works and the Industrial Property Law shall belong to Atılım University.
  12. Project Executives are to undertake all responsibilities relevant to accepted projects, including the scientific, technical, legal, financial, and administrative responsibilities.

 

6. THE PROJECT PROPOSAL CALENDAR

The project proposal calendar is provided in the LAP Announcement by the University for each academic year.

7. SCHOLARSHIP PAYMENTS FOR LAP PROJECTS

  1. Students to receive scholarship payments are required to have at least 2 semesters until their graduation, having paid their tuition fees for the semester, and accepting to participate in the research project for at least 100 hours within one academic year.
  2. All scholar students accepted to work in projects and fulfilling their responsibilities within the scope of their project are to receive scholarship payments in two installments within the academic year, with the approval of Project Executives. The Project Executive is required to apply to the Directorate of ARGEDA-TTO for scholar payments to be processed.
  3. Scholar students failing to fulfill their responsibilities regarding the studies conducted within the scope of the project will not be receiving scholarship payments.

Decisions regarding the issues not covered by the procedures and principles are at the discretion of the Executive Board of the Directorate of ARGEDA-TTO, and may be subject to approvals by the President and the Board of Trustees.