Turkish foundation launches global child health platform

The Sabri Ülker Foundation on Tuesday launched a long-term strategic partnership between Newcastle University and Hacettepe University to strengthen scientific cooperation on children’s healthy development and support the next generation of research leaders.

The four-year initiative will establish an international science platform focused on childhood nutrition, physical activity, metabolic health and mental well-being through joint research projects, researcher exchange programs and annual scientific symposiums held alternately in Türkiye and the U.K.

The partnership brings together Newcastle University’s Institute of Population Health Sciences and School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences with Hacettepe University’s Department of Nutrition and Dietetics under the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The program aims to build a sustainable scientific network by combining collaborative research with researcher mobility, doctoral education and international scientific governance.

Doctoral researchers will receive support through an international co-supervision model, while research projects will examine the impact of nutrition interventions on children’s metabolic health, cognitive performance and mental well-being. Scientists will also study dietary habits and physical activity patterns during the transition from primary to secondary school.

Speaking on the initiative, Sabri Ülker Foundation Chair Yahya Ülker said investing in future scientific leaders is an investment in humanity’s future.

“For more than 15 years, the Sabri Ülker Foundation has supported initiatives that transform reliable scientific knowledge into benefits for society. Through this partnership, we aim to build a lasting scientific bridge between Türkiye and the global research community while creating a sustainable ecosystem for future researchers,” he said.

Professor Bernard Corfe, director of Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Center, said global health challenges require international and interdisciplinary collaboration.

“The program aims not only to produce scientific publications but also to integrate young researchers into international research networks and build sustainable scientific capacity between the two countries,” Corfe said.

Professor Zehra Büyüktuncer Demirel of Hacettepe University’s Department of Nutrition and Dietetics said the partnership would strengthen Türkiye’s international visibility in nutrition and public health research while helping young scientists become more integrated into the global scientific community.

The initiative also includes researcher exchange programs, joint doctoral education, comparative studies in both countries and oversight by an International Scientific Advisory Board and a Joint Steering Committee to ensure the program’s long-term sustainability.

DAILYSABAH