Strategic Move Beyond 6G: Türkiye On The Field With HABTEK

The “6G and Beyond Communication Technologies Cluster (HABTEK)”, established in line with Türkiye's goal of becoming a global leader in 6G and beyond communication technologies, was introduced at Istanbul Medipol University. This project, which centers on collaboration between academia, industry, and the public sector, outlines Türkiye's next-generation communication roadmap with a vision of technological independence, a strong ecosystem, and sustainable R&D.

Developed as part of Turkey's efforts towards next-generation wireless communication technologies, the "6G and Beyond Communication Technologies Cluster (HABTEK)" was introduced at Istanbul Medipol University. Supported by the Ministry of Industry and Technology's Cluster Support Program and carried out in collaboration between Istanbul Medipol University's Technology Transfer Office and the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, the project aims to strengthen Turkey's research, development, and collaboration capacity in 6G and beyond communication technologies. At the introductory event, the project's objectives, priority areas of work, and stakeholder structure were shared with the public.

Şahin: We Want To Be One Of The Leading Countries In 6g Canan Ünlü Şahin, Head of the R&D Incentives and Clustering Department at the Ministry of Industry and Technology, who gave the opening speech of the event , emphasized that HABTEK is a strategic step in terms of Turkey's technology policies. Stating that communication technologies are no longer seen only as an infrastructure area, Şahin said that this field has transformed into a competence area directly related to economic and technological independence.

Highlighting the critical role of the clustering model in this process, Şahin said, “ As the Ministry of Industry and Technology, our fundamental approach is to be one of the leading countries, not a follower, in the 6G race.” Şahin emphasized that every technology developed in this field is part of Turkey's goal of having a voice on a global scale.

Rector Güntürk: Technological Independence Is The Foundation Of Social Welfare
Istanbul Medipol University Rector Prof. Dr. Bahadır Kürşat Güntürk stated that technological independence is directly related to the welfare level of countries. Expressing that the 6G and Beyond Communication Technologies Cluster is a concrete outcome of this approach, Güntürk said that as a university, they support a broad ecosystem ranging from research to commercialization.

"The independence of nations depends on technological independence. This independence directly contributes to the income level and well-being of society by fostering innovation," said Güntürk, noting that communication technologies will play an even more central role in the future, along with artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and smart devices.

Prof. Arslan: Communication Is The Design Of The Future Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arslan, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences and Cluster Coordinator at Istanbul Medipol University , emphasized that communication technologies are not only a commercial field today, but have become one of the fundamental elements directly determining the strategic capacity of countries. Stating that communication plays a central role in the development of many sectors, including economy, defense, education, and health, Arslan pointed out that in the age of digitalization, these infrastructures are also one of the most critical and vulnerable areas of cybersecurity.

Arslan stated that the competitiveness, strategic independence, and digital sovereignty of countries are directly dependent on their communication infrastructure, adding that even modern conflicts are shaped through this infrastructure. Therefore, he said, communication should be considered not just a sector, but a national capacity, adding, " Communication is not a cost, but a strategic investment; it is even more than a technology, it is the design of the future."

Arslan pointed out that the main reason why qualified human resources in Turkey are going abroad is not financial opportunities but the lack of a strong ecosystem, saying, " Everyone says 'they are going for the money,' but that's not the real issue. Our real problem is that a sustainable ecosystem is not strong enough."

“Turkey Is An Active Actor In 6G”
Arslan, noting that 6G and beyond communication technologies are not only a technical transformation but also a long-term human resource and standards development process, emphasized that work in this field cannot be limited to short-term projects. Stating that the cluster is not an alternative to existing structures but rather aims to support them, Arslan said, “This structure is not an alternative to the Communication Technologies Cluster (HTK); it aims to support the human resource and infrastructure needs of the HTK.”

Arslan stated that the aim is to create a lasting foundation for cooperation between universities and industry through shared infrastructure and open laboratories, adding that Turkey is now involved in the 6G process not just as an observer, but as an active contributor. He noted that participation in standard development meetings is through contribution documents and patents, saying , "We now attend 6G meetings not to listen, but to contribute."

Arslan emphasized that 6G should not be seen merely as a communication technology, stating that this new generation of technologies, integrating artificial intelligence, sensing, security, and multi-layered network structures, will create transformation in many fields such as agriculture, healthcare, and industry.

The event, held at the Istanbul Medipol University South Campus Conference Hall, was attended by Istanbul Medipol University Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Recep Öztürk and Prof. Dr. Yasemin Yüksel Durmaz , General Secretary Assoc. Dr. Abdurrahman Çetin , HABTEK Board Members, Aselsan Deputy General Manager Dr. Yusuf Bora Kartal , Turkcell Network Assurance and R&D Director Özcan Dimez , TÜBİTAK BİLGEM Center President Assoc. Dr. Ali Görçin , U LAK Communication R&D and Technology Management Director Dr. Erdem Demircioğlu , Vestel Electronics R&D Deputy General Manager Dr. İsmail Yılmazlar, and Türk Telekom Network Architecture and Service Management Director Dr. Mehmet Özdem , as well as industry representatives, academics, and students.

Turkey's 6G Vision: A Domestic Ecosystem Strengthened By A Cluster Model
The "6G and Beyond Communication Systems Cluster" project was launched under the leadership of Istanbul Medipol University with the aim of increasing Turkey's competitiveness in next-generation communication technologies and strengthening the domestic 6G ecosystem. Developed under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arslan and supported within the scope of the Cluster Support Program implemented by the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology , the project aims to establish sustainable collaborations between academia, industry, and research institutions.

The project, planned to run for five years, envisions the establishment of an advanced 6G R&D laboratory infrastructure within Istanbul Medipol University, structuring this infrastructure to be open to prototype development, experimental testing, and industry-oriented applications. The cluster aims to strengthen Türkiye's long-term technological capacity by contributing to communication security, AI-supported systems, patent and intellectual property studies, and international standard development processes.