It has been long expected that a National Archaeology Institute is established in Turkey where the Archaeology Institutes of the countries that have progressed in such field were established a long time ago. Absence of the Institute has caused significant deficiencies. A supportive and leading-edge organization, which embraces and brings together the relevant institutions and persons, has been long desired. It is finally happening now. A sustainable and comprehensive base is being prepared through an important EU project resource. It is being planned based on the needs of both the near term and the distant future. It is studied diligently on a strong and visionary future establishment with respect to the priorities of science, education, culture and art. A unique institution, which includes the classical features and functions of similar institutions in the world, however, which prioritizes the needs of unique Turkish archaeology,  is being formed. It focuses on making a difference and meeting expectations by performing what has not been performed until now. Based on such purposes, the basic establishments are being performed under the project that will meet the following basic objectives:

1. To eliminate an important deficiency of the Turkish scientific world by establishing an independent National Archaeology Institute, which will be managed by the Trustees of the Foundation, with its sustainable infrastructure; and
2. To provide coordination between archaeology institutions, and to establish a strong network of relations; and
3. To prepare a qualified future for Turkish Archaeology (Ancient Sciences); and
4. To carry out studies on the concept of Cultural Heritage, and to raise protection awareness; and
5. To develop archaeological researches in Turkey as well as in the neighboring and European geographies; and
6. To provide research and educational supports in order to provide contributions for the purpose of training the scientists of the future; and
7. To make qualified publications, and to enable the same to be made; and
8. To create an open access common database along with a strong research library and archive, and to be an intermediary in order to provide access to the other international and European institutes, libraries and archives; and
9. To establish the laboratories that can serve in the fields of archaeology and archeometry; and
10. To carry out scientific, social, cultural and artistic activities; and
11. To carry out studies on Cultural Economy and Promotion;
12. To develop particularly the fields of Archeometry, Underwater and Marine Archaeology and Turkish-Islamic Archaeology that we are required to develop more than the other sub-fields of archaeology.

EXIT STRATEGY will be finalized upon corporate transfer of any and all items, as defined under the Project, to the Institute upon performance thereof as planned. Theoretical bases, programs, products and human resources, which are established under the sub-headings of the project, will be transferred to the Institute in order to be implemented both as files-programs that can be applied in the short term and in a manner that can be developed continuously in the long term, in the light of the examples carried out in each sub-field.

The tasks, as summarized below, will be completed in order to define the Exit Strategy of the project:

1. To draw up the legal procedure for the Institute management by completing the foundationestablishment and legal arrangement processes; and to determine the persons, who will be included in the top management such as the members of "Board of Trustees" and "Executive Board"; and to determine the members of the sub-working groups such as Scientific Advisory Board, Editorial Board, Scholarship Commission, Project Commission, Award Commission; and
2. Ensuring that the principal actors of the project team continue to the works as the members of the "Executive Board" when the Institute comes into effect; and to draw up ideally the guides, stating the procedures for tracking by means of business model, as required for such purpose; and to make the Norm Staff, especially the expert personnel selected with the high qualification criteria, available; and
3. To have published the 27 monographs and 1 periodical journal serving as the long-term guiding examples with respect to the publications; and
4. To complete the catalogue for 40 tours in the context of Archaeological Tour Routes study; and to submit the same to the Institute in physical and digital environments in a manner to be suitable for different uses; and
5. To hold the first "National Archaeology Council"; and
6. To perform the prototype practices in relation to the Institute Training Programs; and to present the Training Plan, which will be followed in the long term, to the Institute; and
7. To transfer the archeometry and field archaeology laboratories at the disposal the Institute in a fully-fledged manner; and
8. To make the civil society dialogue, developed along with the European Union, and the networks, developed throughout the Project along with active stakeholders, available to the Institute in a dynamic form, as appropriate for the exit, throughout the Project; and
9. To deliver the cooperation and integration between the archaeology institutions and relevant institutions to the Institute in a manner to be bound by the sound agreements; and
10. To transfer the healthy and efficient common use of the publication and document archives, which are created throughout the Project, to the Institute by being formed in an operative manner; and
11. To complete the library and archive management model in the most beneficial manner; and to perform fully the formatting based on the network; and to place 1.5 million documents, scanned, in the archive in a manner to be available for use; and to submit a search and supply regulation/guide, under which the library and archive collections can continue to prosper even after the Institute is opened, to the Institute in a manner to be available; and To complete the subscriptions for 10 periodicals; and
12. To delivering a powerful IT system, which can perform any and all works of the Institute, and an ideal portal, which is connected thereto, in working condition and with the opportunity to update; and
13. To complete the documentaries "Anatolian Epic", which is a manifesto indicating any and all areas of interest, geographies, philosophy and politics of the Institute, and "From Dream to Reality", which tells the story of establishment of the Institute; and to put the same into use; and
14. To establish the Social Media establishments and links; and
15. To deliver the Corporate Identity and Promotional Materials to the Institute in their complete form; and
16. To complete the Business and Communication model, which is built for the Institute under the project, in detail; and to present the same to the Institution; and
17. To set a vision and create a roadmap in relatively “new” areas such as Cultural Heritage and Cultural Economy; and
18. To complete the opening files of the domestic and international offices; and to ensure that they are activated after the Institute is opened; and
19. To become a direct stakeholder in 1 domestic and 1 international excavations and/or research, as suggested by the Scientific Committee, for the purpose of a scientific project; and to support international excavations within the bounds of possibility.
20. To draw up a program intending to provide project support to the excavations and researches in the relevant geography; and
21. To complete the construction works: To transfer the Kendirli Church and Latin School to the Institute on a turnkey basis in a ready-to-use manner that has been converted into Institute offices, domains and laboratories; and
22. To ensure that a sustainable budget that has the circumstances, under the Institute can subsist, is put into effect as soon as possible upon the completion of the Project; and
23. To form and perform any and all works, as specified above, subject to the following 5-year development program.

THE 5-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE GENERAL POLICY OF THE INSTITUTE UNDER THE LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PLAN IS PROVIDED AS FOLLOWS:

1. The most basic strategy of this project, which has been created through the efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, European Commission, Central Finance and Contracts Unit and many other institutions and persons, and for which a lot of efforts have been made and a lot of resources have been utilized, is to take its place in the world as a successful scientific institute. The foundations of a unique international institution, which is capable of meeting the needs of the Turkish archaeology through a strong and visionary establishment by prioritizing the science, education, culture and art, are laid through this EU project. Its main strategy is to take its place in the world as a successful scientific institute for and on behalf of Turkey, and to provide contribution to development of the international dialogue between Europe and Asia through the common culture fed by the deep historical background. The first 5-year work/development plan will be shaped based on this basic purpose.
2. The years 2022 to 2026 will constitute the first 5 years of the Institute. The works to be performed during this period of time are of great importance in terms of the long-term development and activation of the Institute. Therefore, the concentration areas of the Institute during its first 5 years are identified as follows:
3. The works, carried out during the project period between 2019-2021, and the results thereof have constituted a comprehensive corporate base. The base, which consists of the legal/administrative structure, space, equipment, personnel, IT infrastructure, library and archive, laboratories, publications, civil society relations, will also guide transformation of the project into an institute. A solid foundation has been prepared for the Institute by carrying out the establishment works for Turkish Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage under the EU Project in order to provide any development that will be needed now and in the long term in a wide range of interests such as Science, Research, Technique, Education, Culture, Art, Tourism and Promotion, Cultural Economy, Foreign and Internal Turkish Cultural Policies, Conservation, Museology.
4. The results and feedback obtained during the search conferences, platform meetings and other network meetings, which are held under the project, will be used as the effective criteria in order to plan the first 5 years of the Institute.
5. The active studies will be carried out and developed in connection with the main task of provision of coordination between institutions and persons in relation to archaeology, and provision of support thereto, and establishment of a common power center in this field by acting together. The first tangible connections will be carried out with the archaeological institutes and the academic community. The studies carried out in order to establish strong collaborations in the common networks together with the persons and institutions available in the World and European archaeology and cultural heritage community constitute the most extended field of study of the first 5 years. The first target audience, which is intended to participate in the activities of the Institute as the strong stakeholders, constitutes the scientists -in the relevant fields- serving in Turkey.
6. It is intended to start the studies, which will provide supports to the policies of being the most efficient central power of Turkey through the international studies to the extent of science and culture, within the first 5-year plan. The international extent for many of the following studies also intend this purpose.
7. As the Institute is primarily a SCIENCE institution, any and all stakeholder expectations are primarily focused on the scientific works. Therefore, the scientific activities are required to be carried out with the highest quality and quantity during the first 5 years. The scientific subjects will be assessed by the Science and Research Commission of the Institute. Accordingly:
   1. The scientific congress/symposium, which will be held at least once a year with a main theme to be determined every year, has been intended to be held periodically as a series of Institute Conference.
   2. In addition to the big congress-symposium, such scientific activities as minimum 2 workshops and panels will be held in each period.
   3. At least 6 scientific conferences will be held annually based on the annual conference planning under the 5-year plan.
   4. The results of the National Archaeology Council are assessed, and its continuation is intended within the period of the first 5 years. The outputs, which are reviewed and declared under the 10 headings in the Council, will be used as a guide. It is planned that the second National Archaeology Council, the first of which has been held in the spring of 2022, will be held in the spring of 2027, and that it will be held periodically every 5 years.
   5. The scientific publications will be carried out continuously. It is proposed that at least 5 monographs will be published on annual basis. This number will be increased based on the possibilities.
   6. The most important one of the scientific publications is the periodical annual journal. The Institute journal, the first issue of which has been published under the project, will be published every year continuously and with the quality desired. It has been intended that the journal will be scanned in such international indexes as SSCI, SCI-Exp., AHCI, Ulakbim, and that it will be included in the group 1A as soon as possible.
   7. The Institute has also been intended to publish a semi-scientific/popular archaeology journal within a period of 5 years. 2 or 3 issues are intended to be published per year in a manner that the first issues will be published in 2022. These will be published digitally.
   8. During the first 5 years, relations will be established with the archaeology science institutions in the world, and it will be worked on the joint projects.
8. The RESEARCH projects will be supported based on the science prioritized by the Institute.
   1. The Scientific Research Projects Unit of the Institute will be activated as of the first months, and a commission will be established, and a guide for studies and criteria will be draw up, accordingly.
   2. The primary geography, in which that the Institute is interested, is Anatolia. Also, such associated geographies as Europe, Balkans, Central Asia - Caucasus, Middle East, Iran, Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Sea are also included in the field of study. The Institute is indiscriminately interested in each culture at every point in the history in these regions. The Institute research projects support unit will implement the support program by taking into account this framework. Accordingly, at least 25% quota should be allocated outside of Anatolia with respect to the support for research projects.
   3. The researches focusing on the cultural relations and interactions between the East and West will be prioritized.
   4. The national and international studies, primarily under the fellowship with the EU scientific institutions, will be carried out with respect to protection of the cultural and historical heritage.
   5. The excavations and surveys, which are carried out in Turkey, will be supported at certain rates every year based on the projects submitted by the scientists to the Institute. The areas, in which the archaeology is weak, and the projects, which intend the target geography on primary basis, will be considered to be primary. It has been intended to support at least 25 excavation and research projects per year. The Science and Research Commission will decide on these elections based on the scientific quality of the file as well as on the fairness with respect to distribution of the region and area.
   6. The projects, which are related to the researches to be carried out in the fields of Prehistory, Protohistory, Classical Archaeology, Late Antique Archaeology, History, Art History, Epigraphy, Medieval Archaeology, Turkish Archaeology, Islamic Archaeology, Ottoman Archaeology, Numismatics, Anthropology, Cultural Landscape, Architecture and Urbanism History, Field Archaeology, Archeometry, Geoarchaeology, Industrial Archaeology, Cultural Economics as well as in the other closely related science fields, will also be considered to be covered by the support program within the Research Projects Unit of the Institute.
   7. It has been intended that the Field Archaeology technical support laboratory will become sufficient within the period of first 5 years. This laboratory will provide the technical works (Drone, Photo, geophysics, scanning, etc.) with respect to excavations, as required, against their cost.
   8. 10 Post Doctorate research scholarships have been intended to be awarded each year starting from 2022. The projects submitted by scientists nationally and internationally will be assessed by the Science and Research Board.
   9. The projects may be terminated by the domestic and foreign scientists, to whom scientific research and excavation supports are provided, by publishing an article in the Institute journal for such purpose.
   10. It has been intended to provide basic support for the projects, which have already been developed, such as TAY, or to continue the same in such a larger scope as Institute projects.
   11. Any fund will also be sought in order to increase the budget of the Research Projects Unit of the Institute each year.
9. It has been intended that a different excavation will be selected as the Excavation of the Year in Turkey for each year, and this excavation will be awarded with a privileged award.
10. During the first 5 years, it will be ensured that an excavation in the Balkans or in the Central Asia is carried out directly by the institute, or that the Institute becomes a stakeholder of such excavation. Likewise, it is intended to have a prestige excavation carried out directly by the Institute within the period of first 5 years.
11. The programs that will encourage the high-quality scientific researches with respect to the archaeology and cultural heritage from the prehistory to the present in the Turkish and Islamic geography in the other parts of the world, with which we have cultural and historical bonds, primarily in Turkey, will be performed, and it will be attempted to achieve the same.
12. The other main subject of the Institute is EDUCATION. The educational subjects will be scheduled and implemented by the Institute Education Commission. For such purpose, the following matters are planned for the first 5 years:
    1. The Education plan of the Institute has been performed for the long term. The areas, in which the archaeology is weak, and the projects, which intend the target geography on primary basis, will be considered to be primary. This plan will be developed and maintained.
    2. The scholarships will be awarded in certain quotas for the students at all levels (Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Doctorate) in the relevant fields of science. These scholarships will include at least 10 Doctorates and 5 Master's Degrees per year. The elections will be performed by the Scholarship Commission.
    3. The students studying archaeology and relevant disciplines will be provided with internshipopportunities in the excavations and museums. The Institute will pay any expense for the internships whose annual quotas will be determined.
    4. 10 archaeology undergraduate, graduate or doctoral students will be provided with 1 month training/experience in the institute archeometry laboratory free of charge under laboratory internship each year.
    5. The certified summer schools will be opened with respect to the different archaeology subjects each year.
    6. At least 1 certified training program will be held annually.
    7. The certified programs, which are suitable for various age groups, will be performed, especially for the cultural heritage and historical awareness, under the European Union Civil Society Dialogue.
    8. In the context of international civil society dialogue, it is intended to support the mutual exchange programs between the academicians and students and between European Union and Turkey with respect to the science and education issues in the EU countries.
    9. A supplementary/complementary education program will be performed by sending guest academicians to the departments, whose opportunities are in sufficient, and who have insufficient Academicians.
    10. In respect of the education, the projects will be carried out in order to promote and print the textbooks particularly. It is intended to eliminate the deficit for the textbooks that are the biggest deficiency of the archaeology and the relevant fields of science.
13. The certified basic education programs will be organized under the Cultural Heritage.
14. The archeometry laboratory will start its activities, along with the basic analyses, in 2022. It is intended to develop the analysis tools and equipment in a manner to serve better the Turkish Archaeology in terms of quantity and quality within the period of first 5 years. The reinforcement works will be carried out through the support funds in order to ensure that the archaeological analyses will become more widespread with respect to the Turkish excavations. Although the archeometry laboratory operating system is as appointment and paid system, the support or grant analyses will also be carried out. These will be performed upon the resolution to be adopted by the Science and Research Commission. In addition to meeting the routine archeometric analysis needs, which entirely arise from the excavations, the first 5-year plan includes initiation of performance of the R&D activities with respect to such matter.
15. A loaded book collection and digital subscriptions will be purchased for the library, whose base and system have been established under the project, during the first 5 years. In particular, the literature, focusing on the Turkish history and culture, will be purchased in accordance with the target. Therefore, a significant portion of the budget of the first 5 years will be allocated for the library.
16. The archive works will also be maintained. Assessment of the documents compiled throughout the project during the first 5 years is prioritized. In the long term, the archive will continue to be enriched. It is intended that the archaeologist, historian and expert personnel of the Institute will derive various publications from these documents.
17. The workshops are intended to be carried out in order to develop the projects with respect to the Cultural Economy. It is also intended to make a significant progress with respect to the design and products during the first 5 years. It is intended to carry out joint studies with the Fine Arts Faculties of the universities and independent artist resources with respect to this matter. During the first 5 years, creation of a workshop, under which the promotion and gift object R&D is carried out, has been included in the program.
18. The Culture and Art studies constitute the works that are planned to be focused during the first 5 years. It is intended to hold at least one exhibition with respect to the different themes in relation to the archaeology, especially in relation to the art, on annual basis. Repetition of these exhibitions in different cities and countries is also covered by the program. It is intended as a basic program for the first 5 to convey the archaeology and history to the common masses through the art activities and to establish a strong communication link between the different disciplines. It is planned to hold performances in the different art fields (Theatre, Music, Dance, Film Screening, etc.) every three months in order to increase the perception of archaeology through the art activities in the main hall of the Institute.
19. The national and international studies will be carried out in order to protect the cultural and historical heritage, which is exposed to the natural disasters, wars and conflicts, or which have any and all kinds of risks of extinction such as the threat of treasure hunters. It will be contributed for development of the international civil society dialogue through the joint science, culture and art projects and joint cultural heritage studies, along with the Turkish branches and centers of the Archaeology institutes of the EU countries and other countries, under the international community dialogue.
20. It will be started to establish an intensive relationship with the museums and universities and to plan the joint scientific, artistic and cultural activities in the first year. Particularly, it is intended to carry out the joint educational and artistic activities together with the museums.
21. The business and communication models and monitoring procedures, which have been drawn up under the project, will be idealized by overhauling their manuals and by making the same suitable for the real management, as the results thereof are obtained within the first 5 years.
22. It has been calculated that the various revisions may be performed in the program when the realization results are obtained as of 2022 with respect to the annual budget, which is studied under the project and which is recorded in the legal text. During the first 5 years, the studies will be carried out for the long term with respect to creation and development of the own income of the Institute as well as with respect to the funding.
23. In order to ensure that any and all works, as specified above, will be proceeded properly, it is intended to complete the personnel, who consist of the fully qualified experts, and whose conditions have been prepared under the project, within the first year.