Türkiye's investment in high technology doubled

According to the compilation of data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), R&D expenditures, which support technological progress in strategic areas such as defense, aviation and space, reached their highest level at the end of the 10-year period.

While R&D expenditures were at 29 billion 412 million lira in 2016, they increased to 101 billion 738 million lira for the first time in 2021. The amount in question amounted to 198 billion 670 million lira in 2022.

While expenditures were 377 billion 542 million liras in 2023, they increased to 651 billion 822 million liras in 2024. Last year, this figure reached its historical level of 980 billion 428 million liras.

Thus, R&D expenditures increased 33 times in the 2016-2025 period. In total, expenditures amounted to 2 trillion 550 billion 292 million lira in 10 years.

While the ratio of Gross Domestic R&D expenditure in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 1.12 percent in 2016, its ratio in the GDP of 63 trillion 20 billion 906 million liras was 1.55 percent in 2025.

The total number of R&D personnel increased by 178 thousand 805 in the said period. The number of personnel in terms of full time equivalent (FTE) increased from 139 thousand 177 people in 2016 to 317 thousand 982 people in 2025.

The number of female R&D personnel constituted 34.1 percent of the total number of R&D personnel with 108 thousand 453 people last year. This share was at 31.4 percent with 43 thousand 48 people in 2016.

When the number of R&D personnel was examined by education level as of last year, it was seen that 40.6 percent of the personnel had a bachelor's degree. This was followed by doctorate or equivalent with 31 percent, master's degree with 19.4 percent, vocational school with 4.9 percent, and high school or below with 4.1 percent.

Source: TRT Haber Ekonomi RSS (Open Press / Translated Full Text)