ITU Prepares to Host the WAITRO Summit 2026

In the context of the 2026 Summit of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO), which will be hosted by Istanbul Technical University (ITU), an online meeting was held on February 11 to discuss areas of preparation and collaboration.

Istanbul Technical University (ITU) will host the WAITRO summit on October 26–28, 2026. Chaired by ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, WAITRO aims to strengthen the international research and innovation network, which comprises approximately 200 members from more than 70 countries.

Prof. Dr. Mandal underscored that the summit holds great importance for Türkiye’s international visibility and science diplomacy. At the event, he emphasized that, in line with Istanbul Technical University’s vision of being a “Responsibility-Driven and Impact-Oriented Research University”, the university will continue to strengthen its influence within global research and innovation networks through the WAITRO platform, which will bring together participants at its campuses.

The 2026 WAITRO Summit, themed “Leading the Path of Implementation: Strengthening Co-Creation for Our Common Future”, aims to highlight the importance of collaborative production and implementation approaches for the future, in light of current global developments.