The purpose of this document is to determine the basic framework for the establishment, management, academic consultancy, financing, infrastructure use, performance evaluation and sustainability processes of the science and project teams to be formed within the Turkish-Japanese University of Science and Technology. Science and project teams; They are project-oriented structures that enable students to translate the theoretical knowledge they have acquired in academic programs into practice, to actively participate in research and technology development processes, and to gain experience working in interdisciplinary teams.

This framework; It includes research teams formed with the participation of undergraduate and graduate students, technology development teams, student teams preparing for national and international competitions, teams carrying out social innovation and sustainability projects, and Turkey-Japan joint student project groups. The activities of the teams will be carried out in coordination with academic units, research centers, laboratories, technopark, technology transfer unit and industrial partners.

The main purpose of science and project teams will not only be to participate in competitions or develop a specific prototype. Through these structures, it will be aimed for students to use scientific research methods, produce solutions to real problems, experience failure and redesign processes, manage time and budget, prepare technical reports and present research results effectively.

TJU's science and project teams system; It will be founded on the principles of research focus, applied learning, interdisciplinary study, student leadership, academic guidance, ethical responsibility, safe working and producing measurable output. Teams will be considered complementary academic structures that support the university's educational and research mission.

The work of project teams will be treated as applied experiences that support academic learning processes, not as social activities completely independent of students' course obligations. Teamwork where appropriate; It can be associated with graduation projects, research applications, internship activities, independent study courses or project-based courses.

It will be essential for teams to be established with student initiative and operate under student leadership. In addition, academic consultancy and institutional supervision will be provided in terms of technical accuracy, security, resource use, ethical rules and quality of project outputs. While students' responsibility for decision-making and implementation is maintained, the necessary expert control will be applied in high-risk technical processes.

Science and project teams differ from student communities in terms of purpose, working method and output expectations. While student communities carry out academic, cultural, social or sports activities with wider participation, science and project teams are goal- and result-oriented structures formed around a specific research question, technology, product, competition or social problem.

In a science and project team, task distribution, project schedule, technical objectives, work packages, budget, risks and expected outputs will be defined in advance. The teams' work will be expected to turn into concrete results such as prototypes, software, scientific publications, technical reports, patent applications, competition rankings, social impact or similar results after a certain period of time.

Student communities can support the establishment of science and project teams and create more than one team. For example, unmanned aerial vehicles, mobile robots, autonomous ground vehicles or industrial robot teams can be established under the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Community. However, each team will need to have its own project plan, academic advisor, budget and performance targets.

Research teams, technology development teams, competition teams, social impact teams and Türkiye-Japan joint project teams can be formed within TJU. Each team will operate in a specific focus area in line with the university's academic priorities and existing infrastructure.

Research teams will consist of students and academics working on a specific scientific problem or research question. These teams will be able to carry out the processes of experimental design, data collection, analysis, modeling, literature review and scientific reporting. The work of research teams can be turned into scientific outputs such as papers, articles, poster presentations or research reports.

Technology development teams will focus on developing a new product, software, system or prototype. These teams will be able to operate in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, energy, smart manufacturing, advanced materials, disaster technologies, sensor systems and digital solutions.

Competition teams will be formed to participate in national and international science and technology competitions. These teams will be ensured to work not only according to the competition calendar but also in line with long-term technical capacity development goals. Transferring the knowledge, experience and technical infrastructure gained after the competition to new students will be a fundamental requirement for the sustainability of the team.

Social impact teams; will be able to develop innovative solutions for disaster awareness, sustainability, environment, accessibility, educational technologies and social problems. The success of these teams will be evaluated not only by their technical outputs, but also by the target groups they reach and the social benefit they create.

Türkiye-Japan joint project teams will bring together TJU students and students from Japanese universities within the scope of the same project. These teams will be able to carry out joint research, design, prototype development and competition activities with online or hybrid working models.

It is envisaged that the teams to be established at TJU will be primarily associated with the academic programs and research areas of the university. Artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, earthquake and disaster sciences, energy systems, advanced materials, smart manufacturing, sustainability and digital technologies will be among the priority areas in the initial period.

Artificial intelligence and data science teams; will be able to work on image processing, natural language processing, big data analytics, machine learning, cyber security and digital twin technologies. Robotics and autonomous systems teams will be able to focus on unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, search and rescue robots, mobile systems and human-robot interaction.

Earthquake and disaster technologies teams; will be able to develop early warning systems, structural health monitoring, disaster modeling, resilient cities, search and rescue systems and post-disaster communication solutions. These teams will benefit from the experiences of Turkey and Japan in the field of earthquake and disaster management.

Energy and sustainability teams; will be able to develop projects on renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, energy storage, smart grids, energy efficiency and carbon reduction. Advanced materials and production teams will be able to work in the fields of composites, nanomaterials, additive manufacturing, material characterization and smart manufacturing technologies.

The establishment of a science or project team will be carried out with a written project proposal prepared by students or academics. In the establishment application, the name of the team, its purpose, field of work, technical objectives, project duration, team structure, academic advisor, needed budget, laboratory and equipment requirements and expected outputs will be clearly stated.

Applications will be pre-evaluated by the Science and Project Teams Coordination Unit. Opinions can be obtained from relevant faculty, department, research center or expert faculty members to review the technical and academic content. Additional feasibility and safety evaluation will be conducted for high-cost or high-risk projects.

Teams deemed suitable may be given temporary project status at the initial stage. During this period, the team's technical progress, member continuity, resource use and project management capacity will be evaluated. Successful teams may be given permanent or multi-year team status.

Instead of establishing multiple teams with similar goals, students will be encouraged to come together under a common structure. Thus, fragmented and inefficient use of laboratories, equipment, consultancy and financial resources will be prevented.

In each science and project team, there will be a team leader, technical leaders, project management officer, financial and logistics officer, communication officer, and sub-teams can be formed according to the project needs. Tasks will be clearly defined in line with the team members' expertise and project needs.

The team leader will be responsible for the overall coordination of the project and the team's relations with university units. The team leader will not make all technical and administrative decisions alone, but will ensure that the decisions are evaluated together with the relevant working groups and the academic advisor.

Technical sub-teams; It can be created according to software, electronics, mechanical design, materials, energy systems, data analysis or similar fields of study. Each sub-team will have its own goals, deadlines and people responsible. The work of sub-teams will be coordinated through regular technical meetings.

The project management officer will be responsible for tracking work packages, scheduling, risk management and preparing project documents. The financial and logistics officer will coordinate budget tracking, purchasing requests, material management and travel organizations. The communications officer will manage the team's reports, presentations, promotions and external stakeholder communications.

Participation in science and project teams will be on a voluntary basis. Teams will not be closed structures only to students of a particular program; It will be open to the participation of students from different departments and education levels according to the project needs.

The team acceptance process will be based on transparent and objective criteria. Students' technical knowledge levels, learning motivation, teamwork tendencies, time allocation capacity and interest in the project field will be evaluated together. For new students, not only their current knowledge level but also their desire to learn and development potential will be taken into account.

Instead of teams consisting only of experienced students, a gradual participation model will be applied to train beginner students. Prospective members will go through a specific orientation and basic training process, and will then be included in the appropriate sub-teams.

Team members will be expected to work according to the project schedule, attend meetings regularly, complete their tasks on time and comply with safety rules. The roles of members who have not contributed for a long time within the team may be re-evaluated.

Each science and project team will be assigned an academic advisor who is an expert in the team's field of activity. Academic advisor; will evaluate the scientific and technical quality of the project, ensure that the team is guided correctly regarding research methods and engineering processes, and supervise risky applications in terms of security.

The advisor will not be the person carrying out the project on behalf of the students; will serve as a guide that supports student leadership and independent problem-solving skills. While students are encouraged to discuss and develop technical decisions, advisor intervention will be provided in cases that may cause scientific errors, security risks or loss of resources.

More than one academic advisor may be assigned to interdisciplinary projects. For example, in an artificial intelligence-supported search and rescue robot project, academics from the fields of computer science, electronics, mechanics and disaster sciences can serve as joint consultants.

Experts from industrial organizations or research institutions may be included in the process as project mentors. These experts will be able to support teams with technical consultancy, design evaluation, production processes and industry expectations.

A Science and Project Teams Coordination Unit will be established to ensure the coordination of teams at the university level. This unit will evaluate team applications, monitor project schedules, coordinate budget and infrastructure requests, and evaluate the annual performance of the teams.

Coordination Unit; It will work in close cooperation with faculties, Institute of Science and Technology, research centers, laboratories, Student Coordination Office, technology transfer unit, career center and technopark. Associating teams with academic activities, research projects and industrial collaborations will be among the main responsibilities of this unit.

The unit will organize project management, research methods, budget preparation, security, intellectual property, scientific ethics and technical reporting training for team leaders and members. Completing these trainings, especially for newly established teams, can be made one of the prerequisites for benefiting from project support.

A digital management system will be created by the Coordination Unit to track team project documents, budget records, team memberships and performance data.

Each team will prepare a detailed project plan before starting their work. The project plan will include purpose, scope, technical objectives, method, work packages, timeline, those responsible, budget, risks and expected outputs.

Projects will be broken down into measurable milestones. Phases such as design completion, initial prototype, software testing, laboratory validation, field testing and final product will be clearly defined within the project schedule. The results achieved at each milestone will be evaluated by the academic advisor and the relevant coordination unit.

Rather than treating the systems they develop directly as final products, teams will be expected to implement design, prototyping, testing, error analysis and improvement cycles. Unsuccessful attempts will be considered a natural part of project development if they are properly documented and transformed into a learning process.

All technical changes, test results and design decisions made during the project process will be recorded. These documents will be important both in terms of creating institutional memory and transferring information to subsequent members of the team.

Science and project teams will be able to benefit from the university's laboratories, workshops and common working areas within the framework of the determined rules. The area and equipment to be used will be approved by the relevant laboratory manager, taking into account the technical needs and risk level of the project.

Team members will have to complete required occupational health and safety training before using laboratory or technical equipment. The use of high-risk elements such as chemicals, high voltage, high temperature, pressurized systems, heavy machinery, lasers and unmanned vehicles will be subject to special permission and expert supervision.

Laboratory equipment will be used only by authorized students. It will not be possible to use the equipment without permission, to take it out of the laboratory or to use it for purposes other than its intended purpose. Teams will be responsible for protecting the devices and areas they use and keeping them tidy.

The allocation of laboratories and workshops in common use will be planned so as not to conflict with academic research and educational activities. In periods of high demand, usage planning will be made taking into account project priority, schedule, security and academic output potential.

Science and project teams can be supported through university project supports, competition and travel funds, sponsorships, research projects, donations and in-kind contributions. Each team will submit its budget request with detailed justifications, price research and project schedule.

In financing decisions, the scientific and technological nature of the project, its applicability, its contribution to student development, expected outcomes, the previous performance of the team and the strategic priorities of the university will be taken into account. High-cost projects can be supported in phases and the next tranche of funding can be tied to the completion of certain technical targets.

All purchasing and spending transactions will be carried out through the university's financial system. Teams will not be able to raise revenue, make payments or make purchases outside of university registrations.

Devices, materials and equipment purchased by teams will be recorded in the university inventory. After the project is completed, usable equipment will be evaluated in new projects or relevant laboratories.

Teams will be able to develop collaborations with industrial organizations to meet the technical or financial needs of their projects. These collaborations can be realized in the form of sponsorship, material support, technical consultancy, production support, testing service or internship and mentoring opportunities.

Sponsorship relationships must comply with the university's corporate values, ethical principles and relevant legislation. Sponsoring organizations will not have direct control over the team's academic and technical decisions, and rights regarding the use of project results will be regulated by clear protocols.

Projects to be carried out with the joint support of Turkish and Japanese companies will make a significant contribution to TJU's mission of science and technology cooperation between the two countries. Joint student projects can be developed especially in the fields of automotive, energy, robotics, electronics, materials and disaster technologies.

Industrial collaborations should not be reduced to just providing financial support; It will be aimed to structure the program in a way that will enable students to encounter real engineering problems, learn industry standards and gain a professional working culture.

Science and project teams will be able to participate in national and international technology, engineering, design, entrepreneurship and science competitions. The decision to participate in competitions will be evaluated in line with the academic nature of the competition, the team's preparation level, budget needs and the strategic priorities of the university.

The work of the competition teams will not be tied only to short-term ranking goals. It will be essential to use the technical knowledge, project management skills, international experience and infrastructure created during the competition process in a sustainable manner in the following years.

Teams will prepare a technical and financial result report after the competition. The report will include competition performance, achievements, problems encountered, current status of the developed system and suggestions for the next period.

Although competition rankings are an important indicator of success, evaluation will not be based solely on the ranking results. Technical development, innovative solutions, use of scientific method, teamwork and quality of corporate representation will also be taken into account.

The principles of research ethics, academic honesty, integrity, transparency and responsible science will be essential in all activities of science and project teams. Fabricating data, altering data, plagiarism, using content without citing the source, or appropriating the contributions of others will not be accepted.

Project data will be recorded accurately and traceably; Failed experiments or negative results will not be concealed. The resources, software, designs and external contributions used in technical reports will be clearly stated.

Projects involving human participants, personal data, animal testing or environmental risks will be subject to relevant ethics committee and permit processes. Data collection or experimental activities will not begin without obtaining the necessary ethical permissions. Contributions of team members will be recorded regularly; The order of names in publications, patents, competition applications and presentations will be determined according to their actual contribution levels.

Inventions, software, designs, prototypes and other innovative outputs developed by science and project teams will be evaluated within the scope of the university's intellectual property policy. At the beginning of the project, studies with intellectual property potential will be identified and necessary confidentiality and registration processes will be implemented.

The contributions of team members, academic advisors, sponsoring organizations, and external experts should be documented throughout the project process. Invention ownership and the university's financial and institutional rights will be separated and managed in line with the relevant legislation and protocols.

Before applying for a patent or utility model, the opinion of the technology transfer unit will be sought regarding sharing the project results publicly, exhibiting them in competitions or publishing them on social media.

If the outputs developed by the teams have the potential to be commercialized, patenting, licensing and incorporation support can be provided to students through the technology transfer unit, technopark and entrepreneurship mechanisms.

One of the distinguishing features of TJU science and project teams will be the development of joint student projects with Japanese universities and research organizations. Joint teams will allow students from Turkey and Japan to work together on the same technical or scientific problem.

In joint projects, task distribution, working language, data sharing, meeting schedule, intellectual property rights and budget responsibilities should be determined before the project starts. Continuity will be ensured through online meetings, common digital work environments and mutual short-term visits.

Bringing together different engineering approaches and working cultures of Turkish and Japanese students will improve the technical quality of the projects as well as the students' intercultural communication and international teamwork skills. Joint projects will be supported to benefit from laboratories at Japanese universities, technical expertise of Japanese companies, and TJU's field and application facilities in Turkey.

Technical and managerial development programs will be organized for team members. These trainings; It will cover project management, system design, scientific research methods, data analysis, technical reporting, presentation skills, budget management, intellectual property and occupational health and safety.

A basic orientation program will be implemented for new members, and experienced students may be assigned as peer mentors supporting the development of new members. This will prevent the knowledge and experience within the team from being lost with graduation.

Technical training and design review meetings can be organized with the participation of experts from outside the university, depending on the needs of the teams. Online or face-to-face training by Japanese academics and company experts will be encouraged.

Each science and project team will be regularly evaluated based on determined technical, scientific and institutional indicators. In the evaluation, not only the competition scores achieved or the number of prototypes developed, but also compliance with the project plan, teamwork, technical development, research quality, effective use of resources and student achievements will be taken into account.

Scientific performance; It will be evaluated based on publications, papers, posters, research reports and scientific data outputs. Technological performance; It will be monitored with indicators such as prototype, software, patent, utility model, test success and technology maturity level.

Educational performance; The technical competencies gained by the students will be evaluated based on their leadership and project management skills, intra-team knowledge transfer and training of new members. Internationalization performance will be measured by taking into account projects with Japanese partners, international competitions and the participation of foreign students.

Evaluation results will be used to determine the team's next term budget, infrastructure support and attendance status. Successful teams may be given additional support, promotion, awards and priority for participation in international activities.

Each team will prepare regular progress reports throughout the project and a final results report at the end of the project. The reports will include technical developments, budget usage, problems encountered, test results, contributions of team members and suggestions for the next period.

Technical drawings, software codes, experimental data, production files, test reports and other project documents will be stored in secure digital systems determined by the university. These documents will not be left tied to personal devices or individual accounts.

Graduated team members will regularly transfer their duties and knowledge to new members. A corporate memory file will be created for each team, containing the technical manual, job descriptions and project history. Thanks to this approach, repeating the same initial studies every academic year will be prevented and the technical capacity of the teams will be gradually improved over time.

A risk assessment will be prepared for each project, including technical, financial, operational and security risks. The probability and impact of risks will be evaluated and the necessary preventive measures will be specified in the project plan.

Special permits and security plans will be prepared for field studies, test drives, flights, chemical experiments and high-risk technical activities. The activity will not be started without providing the necessary protective equipment, insurance, transportation and emergency measures.

Care will be taken to ensure that students' academic and personal well-being is not harmed during the teams' intense work periods. Task distribution will be balanced, and a culture of overwork or management styles that put pressure on students will not be encouraged.

In the initial period of TJU, Search-Rescue Robot Team, Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics Team, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Team, Autonomous Ground Vehicle Team, Earthquake Early Warning and Structure Monitoring Team, Smart Energy Systems Team, Hydrogen and Energy Storage Team, Advanced Materials and Additive Manufacturing Team and Sustainable Technologies Team can be formed.

Instead of establishing all of these teams at the same time, a gradual development model should be implemented, taking into account existing faculty capacity, student interest, laboratory infrastructure and financial opportunities. Establishing a small number of initially small but well-supported and sustainable teams will be more effective than creating a large number of weak and short-lived teams. Initial teams should be directly associated with the university's academic programs and research centers; Over time, teams should be formed for new areas in line with the experience gained from these teams.

At TJU, science and project teams should be one of the main areas of experience where students can apply their theoretical knowledge to real research and engineering problems. These teams will develop students not only their technical competencies, but also their leadership, communication, project management, budget planning, teamwork and international cooperation skills.

A successful system of science and project teams; It should be based on student initiative, strong academic advising, adequate infrastructure, transparent financing, safe working conditions and regular performance evaluation. It should be ensured that teams are not temporary formations that only appear during competition periods, but become sustainable structures that develop every year.

Bringing together students, academics and industry representatives from Türkiye and Japan in joint projects will strengthen TJU's unique academic identity. In this respect, science and project teams should be positioned as strategic structures that translate the university's research, innovation, technology development and Türkiye-Japan cooperation goals into practice at the student level.