Turkey's Research and Development (R&D) expenditure surpasses the EU average in 2024, with a focus on university-based research.

Turkey's Research and Development (R&D) expenditure surpasses the EU average in 2024, with a focus on university-based research.

In recent searches, there appears to be a lack of detailed publicly available figures specifying the exact breakdown of Turkey's research and development (R&D) budget for 2024 and 2025, as well as a direct comparison with the European Union average R&D spending for these years.

However, some insights can be gleaned from available information. TÜBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) provides project funding in R&D, with grants often reaching up to 5 million Turkish Liras per project. The organisation offers differentiated funding rates for SMEs (75%), large enterprises (60%), and higher education/public institutions (100%). It's important to note that these figures refer to project-level funding, not the national R&D budget as a whole for 2024-2025.

Turkey is actively supporting R&D in strategic sectors, such as hydrogen production and fuel cell research, integrating new policies and incentives aligned with EU environmental regulations as part of its 2025 development plans. While this indicates priorities, it does not provide precise budget allocations.

Regarding the comparison with the European Union average R&D expenditure, recent years have seen the EU targeting average R&D spending around 2-3% of GDP. Turkey’s R&D spending has historically been lower, closer to 1% of GDP. However, exact current percentages for 2024-2025 are not in the search data and would require updated official statistical sources for confirmation.

Looking at the national budget, the Turkish central government allocated ₺178.6 billion ($4.39 billion) to research and development (R&D) activities in 2024. The largest portion of the 2025 international R&D budget, ₺500 million, is planned for bilateral or multilateral R&D programs. In 2025, 69.5% of the planned ₺236.3 billion for R&D spending is earmarked for universities.

In 2024, universities received the largest share of the R&D budget, accounting for 68.3% of total spending. Industrial production and technology's share in the R&D budget decreased from 7.9% in 2024 to 5.4% in the international R&D budget for 2025. Agriculture and defense each received 4.3% and 4% of the total R&D budget in 2024, respectively.

It's worth noting that ₺475 million is planned for internationally active organizations in 2025, and ₺198 million is planned for pan-European projects in 2025. The European Union average for R&D spending as a percentage of the national budget is 1.45%.

In summary, while detailed figures on Turkey's R&D budget for 2024-2025 and comparative figures with the EU average are not readily available, the search results provide some insight into project-level funding through TÜBITAK, strategic R&D focuses for 2025, and a glimpse into the national R&D budget allocation. For precise budget breakdowns and comparative figures, official government, TÜBITAK reports, or EU statistical agencies would need to be consulted.

1. The government of Türkiye has allocated ₺178.6 billion ($4.39 billion) to research and development (R&D) activities in 2024, with 69.5% of the planned ₺236.3 billion for R&D spending in 2025 earmarked for universities.
2. TÜBITAK, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, offers project funding in R&D, with grants often reaching up to 5 million Turkish Liras, and differentiated funding rates for SMEs, large enterprises, and higher education/public institutions.
3. The European Union (EU) targets average R&D spending around 2-3% of GDP, while Turkey’s R&D spending has historically been lower, closer to 1% of GDP.
4. Turkey is actively supporting R&D in strategic sectors such as hydrogen production and fuel cell research, aligning new policies and incentives with EU environmental regulations as part of its 2025 development plans.
5. In fitness-and-exercise, health-and-wellness, and education-and-self-development, individuals in Istanbul can find numerous Turkish institutions offering courses and programs to enhance their knowledge and skills.
6. In 2025, ₺475 million is planned for internationally active organizations, and ₺198 million is planned for pan-European projects, demonstrating the Turkish government's commitment to collaborative R&D efforts.

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