Turkish university specializing in biopolymer nanoencapsulation and engineered surface coatings, with applications in sensors, animal nutrition, and functional materials.
Selcuk University, based in Konya, Turkey, is a research-active higher education institution specializing in functional materials science — specifically nanoparticle engineering and surface modification technologies. Their H2020 research covers two distinct but materials-connected tracks: biopolymer-based nanoencapsulation for controlled release of bioactive compounds (vitamins and micronutrients in animal feed), and the design and fabrication of engineered surfaces and thin films for sensor applications. The university also engages in European capacity-building through twinning schemes that connect them with stronger research institutions across the continent. Their work bridges agricultural science and advanced materials, making them an unusual cross-domain combination in the widening-participation research landscape.
In NanoFEED (2018–2023), they contributed expertise in chitosan-based core-shell micro/nanoparticles with pH-sensitive sustained release for delivering vitamins and micronutrients in cattle feed.
As coordinator of EngSurf-Twin (2020–2024), Selcuk University led a twinning initiative to develop institutional capacity in surface fabrication, modification, and sensor-relevant functionalization technologies.
NanoFEED applied nanoparticle delivery systems specifically to livestock nutrition, targeting improved bioavailability of micronutrients in cattle and calves — bridging materials chemistry with animal husbandry.
EngSurf-Twin lists sensors as a key application domain for their surface engineering work, signalling growing capability in functional coatings for detection and measurement.
In their first H2020 engagement (NanoFEED, 2018), Selcuk University focused on biopolymer chemistry and nanoencapsulation — using chitosan, crosslinking, and pH-sensitive shell structures to control nutrient release in agricultural contexts. By 2020, EngSurf-Twin marked a shift toward broader surface engineering: fabrication, chemical modification, and sensor development for emerging technologies. The underlying thread is functional nanomaterials, but the application domain moved decisively from food and agriculture toward advanced manufacturing and sensing.
Selcuk University is deliberately building institutional strength in engineered surfaces and functional coatings, suggesting future projects will target sensor technologies, smart materials, or advanced manufacturing rather than agricultural applications.
Selcuk University has played both participant and coordinator roles, but with only two projects, their European collaboration footprint is still developing. Their coordinator role came through a Twinning CSA — a scheme designed to connect widening-country institutions with stronger European partners — which indicates their network is being actively built rather than already established. With 10 partners across 8 countries, they show genuine appetite for international collaboration and are likely to be highly motivated partners in any future consortium.
Selcuk University has collaborated with 10 unique partners across 8 countries through just 2 projects, a notably broad geographic spread relative to their project count. This reach reflects the international mobility character of MSCA-RISE schemes and their Twinning connections rather than a deep recurring partnership network.
As a Turkish university operating in an EU widening-participation context, Selcuk University brings genuine materials science research capability — nanomaterials, surface engineering — at a cost structure and collaboration motivation that established Western European institutions rarely match. Their dual expertise across agricultural nanotechnology and engineered surfaces makes them an uncommon cross-domain partner for projects that need materials science applied outside conventional industrial settings. They are actively investing in European ties, meaning they are likely to be committed, flexible, and easy to work with in multi-partner settings.
