Research Management in EU Research Policy and Its Implications for Higher Education Institutions in Türkiye

Abstract

Effective research management has become a critical determinant of institutional performance, international competitiveness, and research quality in higher education. As higher education institutions increasingly engage with global research frameworks, the European Union (EU) has emerged as a leading actor in shaping research governance through the European Research Area (ERA) and flagship programmes such as Horizon Europe. Despite the growing significance of research management within EU policy frameworks, its institutional translation -particularly for candidate countries- remains underexplored in the academic literature. This study aims to examine the place of research management within EU research policy, analyse its reflections on higher education institutions through the ERA framework, and assess Türkiye's current alignment with EU research management norms through the Turkish Research Area (TARAL) strategy. Drawing on qualitative document analysis as the primary research method, the study systematically reviews EU policy documents, ERA strategic plans, and TARAL policy frameworks to identify core research management principles and their institutional applicability. The study is expected to contribute to the research policy literature by revealing the gap between EU-level research management norms and their institutional reflection in Turkish higher education, and by offering a comparative framework for universities in EU candidate countries navigating alignment processes.