OUR MISSION:

Based on the common knowledge and values of humanity in the fields of Turkish and Islamic archaeology and relevant sciences in our country and in other regions of the world, with which we have cultural and historical ties and relations; to carry out scientific researches that have focused on history and culture with respect to archaeology and cultural heritage from prehistory to the present, and to encourage such researches, and to publish the researches carried out, and to carry out archiving studies, and to establish libraries that can be accessed by the researchers, and to open private museums, and to cooperate with scientific societies in the world archaeology and cultural heritage community with respect to the field of cultural heritage, and to carry out training, scholarship and internship activities in order to train the archaeologists of the future.

OUR VISION:

a) To encourage and support that the cultures and arts, which have existed throughout historical ages in Turkey, Middle East, Europe, Balkans, Mediterranean, Aegean, Black Sea, Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia and other parts of the world in all relevant fields such as anthropology, art history, history, epigraphy, numismatics, primarily Turkish archaeology and cultural heritage, are studied by Turkish and foreign scientists and students in all respects.

b) To encourage international cooperation among scientists studying in the fields of interest of the Foundation, and to support common studies. To perform and carry out any and all kinds of national and international partnerships, which will be carried out by the foundation in accordance with the laws and the purposes of the foundation, within legal limits. Accordingly, to execute cooperation agreements and carry out joint projects with universities, institutes and research centers operating in our country, Europe and the world.

c) To prepare, cause to prepare, and implement projects and programs with respect to international archaeological excavations and researches as well as with respect to restoration and conservation of historical and cultural artifacts upon the approval of the Board of Trustees and by obtaining the necessary authorizations. To carry out or support studies, covered by the same scope at nationally and internationally, through a scientific institution within its organization by obtaining the necessary authorizations in accordance with the relevant regulations.

ç) To perform, support and encourage the activities for preparation, printing and distribution of the studies, the researches and any and all kinds of publications, which are appropriate for the purposes of the foundation, as approved by the Executive Board of the Foundation. To carry out digital and printed publishing studies under which archaeology and cultural heritage and original scientific content are prioritized.

d) To create such archives as photos, maps, documents, etc. by establishing a library and documentation archive in the fields of archaeology and relevant sciences, and to obtain the national and international books, paintings, photos, copies and other materials and equipment by means of donation, purchase or leasing for the purpose of ensuring continuity thereof, and to open a museum, and to carry out studies with respect to such subjects as cultural heritage, landscape, cultural economy inventory and field management.

e) To attempt to establish higher education institutions such as museums or vocational high schools, universities, and to establish common education programs with the existing higher education institutions and universities in the EU, upon the resolution of the Board of Trustees, if and when required.

f) To provide the scientists and students, who are the members of the Turkish and European universities as well as the other universities in the world, and who carry out or intend to carry out the studies with respect to the subjects appropriate for their purpose, with the incentives and supports such as undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral research scholarships, scientific-cultural-artistic activity supports, scientific meeting supports, grants/donations, awards and other forms. Accordingly, to provide the researchers with the grants and scholarships in the fields of archaeology and Ancient Sciences under the umbrella of archaeology such as art history, epigraphy and anthropology.

g) To organize and support congresses, national and international symposiums, conferences, meetings, conversations, panels, exhibitions and other relevant scientific, cultural and artistic activities, as approved by the Executive Board of the Foundation.

ğ) To purchase, lease in or lease out movable and immovable properties and any and all kinds of rights or privileges, if deemed necessary or beneficial, in order to carry out the activities of the Foundation. To build, renovate, operate or cause to operate any and all kinds of buildings or constructions as required or appropriate for the studies of the Foundation.

h) To collect documents in relation to protection of the archaeological heritage in Turkey, Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Aegean and other regions of the world, and to research and archive the databases and available resources. To create and develop a national archaeological information system – an active database – by bringing the archives published with respect to the archaeological and cultural heritage data and the data, which has not been archived yet, together in a manner to allow addition of new data.

ı) To drawn up guidelines and standards in order to ensure development of studies and researches such as science, education, protection and promotion under the archaeology; and to take any and all initiatives that might be useful in order to enable the coordination measures to be prepared and implemented in the fields of archaeology and archeometry.

i) To make efforts in order to standardize the documents by researching the monuments through such methods as cartography studies, geophysical and geomorphological researches, remote sensing, image processing, excavation and region recognition documents, aerial and ground photography, archeometric dating, etc., as performed at all scales, and to encourage and plan preventive archaeology studies for such purpose, and to monitor possible applications, and to hold training courses. To establish a technical office with modern equipment and qualified personnel that can meet the needs of the field archaeology in order to achieve such purpose.

j) To ensure that the Turkish and foreign scientists, who study in the fields of social sciences, cultural industries, archaeology, history, art, contemporary studies and cultural heritage, carry out unique scientific researches and field studies, which have focused on Turkey, Middle East, Europe, Balkans, Central-Asia, South Asia, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Aegean and Caucasus regions, and which cover the other associated regions, and which are of world-class nature, and to carry out analysis and protection studies with respect to the artifacts appearing during the excavation work.

k) To develop country-scale domestic and foreign policy proposals in the fields of archaeology and cultural heritage, and to carry out researches on the basis of the domestic and foreign scientists and Non-Organizationally and Publicly, and to submit the studies, developed with respect thereto, for appreciation of the relevant public organizations.

l) To hold training, course, internship and activity programs, which also cover the new scientific, cultural and artistic developments on national, EU and Turkish and international basis, for the Turkish and foreign scientists, students, those who intend to gain the domain expertise, and particularly for the public and private industry personnel who serve in the fields of archaeology and cultural heritage, as well as for academicians and university students, and to encourage participation in such programs, and to establish appropriate locations, and to ensure continuity of such opportunities.

m) To hold the common expertise training, course and certificate programs in order to eliminate the expert deficit, as required in the field of the archaeology and cultural heritage throughout the country, in the fields that are requested by the Ministry or identified by the Foundation.