Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal is an academic recognized for his scholarly work in metallurgy and ceramic engineering, as well as his roles in science policy and higher education administration. In addition to his academic career, he has held high-level public offices including presidency of TÜBİTAK and membership in the General Assembly of the Higher Education Council. He has also held various administrative positions at different universities. In addition to these roles, he was appointed as a member of the Presidential Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Policies on 8 October 2018 and continues to serve in this capacity.

Youth and Education

Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal was born in Eskişehir in 1965. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown and graduated with honors from the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at Middle East Technical University in 1987. After completing his undergraduate studies, he decided to pursue his academic career abroad and, as a TÜBİTAK scholar, conducted graduate studies at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, earning his doctorate in Ceramic Materials in 1992.

Career and Achievements

Academic Positions

Following his doctorate, Mandal continued his research at the same university between 1992 and 1994. From 1997 to 1998, he served as a researcher at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany under a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Türkiye’s return, Mandal began his academic career in 1994 as an assistant professor in the Department of Ceramic Engineering at Anadolu University. He was promoted to associate professor in 1996 and, at a relatively young age, became a full professor in 2001. Noted for his academic productivity, Mandal has published over 150 scientific papers, 70 of which appeared in international journals indexed in the Science Citation Index. His work has received more than 2,000 citations and his h-index has reached 27. He also holds six international patents.^【1】 His scientific contributions have been recognized with numerous national and international awards, including the TÜBİTAK Science Award. Mandal is a member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA), the World Academy of Ceramics (WAC), and the European Academy. In the 2023 publication “World’s Top 2% Scientists” by Stanford University and Elsevier, he ranked within the top 2% globally.^【2】 

Administrative Roles

From 2011 to 2015, Mandal served as Director of Research and Graduate Policies at Sabancı University and, between 2012 and 2015, as Vice Rector of the same institution. On 25 March 2015, he was appointed as a member of the Higher Education Council (YÖK); shortly thereafter, he became a member of the YÖK Executive Board and was elected as Acting Chair of YÖK on 21 July 2016. He held these positions until 12 January 2018.

Appointed President of TÜBİTAK on 22 February 2018, Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal served in this role until 16 August 2024. During the same period, he also assumed the chairmanship of the Board of Directors of TÜBİTAK MARTEK Teknokent A.Ş. On 8 October 2018, he was appointed as a member of the Presidential Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Policies, and on 1 November 2018, he was named Acting Chair of the Council. Both his council membership and acting chairmanship were renewed on 10 April 2025 and 16 April 2025 respectively. Additionally, he was re-elected to the YÖK membership on 27 April 2019 and 1 August 2023.

Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal is speaking at a promotional meeting for the TÜBİTAK Program Supporting Inclusive Society Applications for Persons with Special Needs. (Anadolu Ajansı)

Prof. Dr. Mandal has also held active international roles. Since 1 January 2020, he has served as a member of the Council of the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries (UNTB), and since January 2024, he has been its Chair. Since 1 January 2023, he has assumed the chairmanship of the Board of Directors of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO) and concurrently serves as the rotating Chair of the Technical Universities Union (TU11).

As of December 2025, Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal continues to serve as the rotating Chair of the Board of Directors of EELISA (European Engineering Learning Innovation and Science Alliance), one of Europe’s leading university alliances. In accordance with a decision published in the Official Gazette on 16 August 2024, he was appointed Rector of İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi and continues in this role.

Key Contributions

During Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal’s tenure as President of TÜBİTAK, strategic priorities and output-oriented approaches became more prominent in TÜBİTAK’s policy documents and support programs. During this period, TÜBİTAK evolved beyond being merely a research funding body to become a multi-stakeholder, directive, and nationally aligned R&D actor.

Signing Ceremony for the Chip Production Facility Investment. From left: Ahmad M. Hasnah, Rector of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar; Mustafa Varank, Minister of Industry and Technology; Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal. (TÜBİTAK)

One of the most visible highlights of Mandal’s term was the work conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Turkey Platform, established within TÜBİTAK, brought together numerous researchers from universities, public research centers, and the private sector around shared objectives. Focused on vaccine and drug development, this initiative drew attention as one of Turkey’s most comprehensive examples of interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration, generating widespread public interest in the advancement of domestic vaccine candidates into clinical trials.

During this period, TÜBİTAK’s R&D support mechanisms also underwent significant transformation. A new approach was adopted with the goal of converting academic knowledge into economic and social value, with programs strengthening university-industry collaboration taking center stage. Instruments such as the 1004 Centers of Excellence Support Program, the Industry Collaboration Network Mechanism, and the Industrial PhD Program aimed to integrate skilled human resources with industry and promote technology-driven production.

Strengthening international scientific collaboration was also among Mandal’s priorities. Participation of Turkish researchers in global research networks, including the European Union’s framework programs, was encouraged to enhance Turkey’s international visibility. This approach also made TÜBİTAK’s role in science diplomacy more visible.

Mandal implemented regulations enabling academics working at universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to participate in TÜBİTAK programs on equal footing with their counterparts in Türkiye. He personally visited the island, met with relevant stakeholders, and provided significant support to the development of the research ecosystem there.

Mandal identified the environment as a key priority and intensified efforts toward achieving the 2053 zero-emission target. Under this framework, projects were implemented to improve water efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote green municipal practices, develop clean and renewable energy technologies, advance smart agriculture solutions, and enhance energy efficiency.

During his presidency, amid the global chip crisis, Mandal led significant efforts to enhance Türkiye’s capacity to produce this strategic product. During this period, TÜBİTAK signed a cooperation agreement with Qatar’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University to establish a chip production facility at TÜBİTAK’s Gebze campus. The bilateral agreement was formalized at a signing ceremony attended by Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank.

Furthermore, during his presidency, he actively supported young people in engaging with technology and science and developing projects in these fields. He supported youth participation in Milli Teknoloji Hamlesi, the world’s largest ^【3】  aviation, space, and technology competition, TEKNOFEST.

Awards Received

Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal has received 14 awards from various institutions. These awards are:

Mandal has consistently advocated for Türkiye to achieve technological independence and become a producer rather than a consumer of technology. In addition to his roles as Rector of İTÜ, member of the Presidential Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Policies, and member of the Higher Education Council (YÖK), he has served in the following institutions:

Additionally, Hasan Mandal serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Cemre Foundation, whose launch was held on 20 February 2026 at the Atatürk Cultural Center in the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.^【4】

Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal was appointed Rector of İTÜ in accordance with a decision published in the Official Gazette on 16 August 2024. During his tenure as Rector, student-centered management practices and enhanced campus interaction have drawn attention. His sincere approach to students and his willingness to work without regard to office hours have set him apart from the traditional image of a rector. Mandal is visible throughout the campus at all hours—sometimes distributing soup late at night, other times jogging with students in sweatpants.

In a 2025 interview in which Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal assessed İTÜ’s institutional capacity through the lens of interdisciplinary collaboration and governance, he emphasized the importance of how universities respond to current and future challenges. Highlighting that the fundamental issue in higher education is not merely setting goals but determining how they are achieved, he stated:

“The potential of the university is very high. My aim is to create synergy. I focus less on what needs to be done and more on how it should be done. Today’s and tomorrow’s problems are extremely complex—we now discuss food, migration, war, and artificial intelligence simultaneously. The challenge lies in bringing together experts from different disciplines to work together. In the QS World University Rankings, we moved from 95th to 79th place in Engineering and Technology. We are number one in Türkiye. In Green Campuses, we are first in Türkiye and 38th globally. We will not abandon these achievements. Although we lack social sciences and medicine, we still aim to enter the top 100 in overall rankings.”^【5】