PM seeks to promote more research and development

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has asked the Cabinet, bureaucrats, universities and public and private companies to work to promote and favor scientists who are involved in research and development activities. Speaking in Ankara yesterday at the Supreme Board of Science and Technology (BTYK), operating under the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBİTAK), Erdogan said Turkey has rapidly been advancing toward reaching targets set out to earn the country a sense of innovation and development. Erdogan pointed to the ease with which scientists involved in R&D can apply and receive Turkish citizenship. He said total R&D expenditures had tripleD from just TL 2.3 billion in 2002 to TL 6.9 billion in 2008. The number of full-time personnel working specifically in R&D in 2002 was 27,000, and the government's goal of boosting this number to 40,000 in 2010 was actually reached in 2006, he said. Currently, Erdogan added, there are 67,000 full-time R&D personnel in Turkey, a number that is likely to rise to 150,000 by 2013. Erdogan also applauded the rising contributions of the private sector to total R&D.