1. The Current Situation of the Academic Research in Turkey: 2023 Vision and Internationalization
Dr. M. Alper KUTAY, TÜBİTAK Vice-President
TACHE Conference, April 26th, 2014

2. Drastic Increase in Resources Allocated to RDI
0.92
R&D expenditures reached to 11 billion $ with an annual growth rate of 16%
Since 2006, Turkey has passed Israel, Austria, Belgium, Finland and Mexico in R&D expenditures
0.53
FTE Researchers
(2012)
3.5 times since 2002 82
Turkey continues to increase its R&D investments since the turn of the new century. In 2011, Turkey’s GERD/GDP was 0.86%. As you see from the figure there is a drastic increase in business sector R&D investments.
R&D expenditures reached to 11 billion PPP $ with an annual growth rate of 16%
Since 2006, Turkey has passed Israel, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Finland and Mexico in R&D expenditures
TUBITAK is like a catalyst in this advancement, where we provide more than $ 400 mio R&D grants per year. This money is directly injected to universities and private sector.
All the funds that are created will have a more positive impact if they match up with increasing numbers of researchers as well.
Turkey has gained a good momentum in this area as you can see and FTE researcher is now around 24

3. Patents and Publications are also Increasing
6 times increase
( )
Scientific Publications:
3 times increase
( )
A measure of scientific performance and capacity to transfer and/or exchange the produced knowledge, international publication is an intermediary output in the innovation system that may lead to new products and processes.
The number of publications is also increasing. Again an area of constant progress, but we are fully aware that there is still a lot to do to move these numbers up. It is equally important to enhance quality of these papers.
Lastly the patent applications which again has been shifting upwards in the last 6-7 years.
Of course, these are nice developments but we know that they are not enough. We not only need to keep this pace but also come with innovative ways to feed the qualitative features.

4. Turkish Government’s Philosophy on RDI
Every six months R&D policy of Turkey is reviewed in Supreme Council of Science and Technology chaired by the Prime Minister himself
National Targets for the 100th Anniversary of Turkey
The government understands the challenges the middle-income trap poses and it sees the solution in these three words: R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Turkish officials put great interest to discuss about the future R&D priorities of the country. For example the Turkish research system is led by the Supreme Council of Science and Technology . The SCST is chaired by the prime minister and is composed of the related ministers and high level representatives of government bodies, universities and NGOs.
That’s why the government set the R&D target to 3 percent of the GDP by the year 2023, and 2/3s of this allocation should come from the private sector.
In the last 10 years, Turkey ranked the second in the pace of increase in R&D spending. The R&D spending is increasing not by percentages, but by multiples. For example, number of researchers increased 3 folds, GERD 3,5 folds, BERD 5 folds, patents 5,5 folds since 2002.
Government has all the intentions to be at the top in the pace of R&D budget increase.
R&D expenditures/ GDP : 3%
Private sector R&D expenditures / GDP : 2%
Researchers: 300 thousand (FTE)
Private sector researchers : 180 thousand (FTE)

5. Fostering Innovation Ecosystem
Universities are one of the main pillars of
a strong innovation ecosystem and realising 2023 Vision .
University
Main actors
Academicians
Researcher/Students .
University
Public Sector
Private Sector
Initiatives
Support Programs
Scholarships

6. Innovation and Education System at SCST Meetings
Many of the decrees adopted in SCST meetings involve universities
R&D Start-ups
Enhancing TTOs
Mini Entrepreneurship MBA Education
Let me speak about major decisions of the last three meetings of the SCST. The meeting which was held at the end of 2011 was mainly focused on innovation and entrepreneurship system of Turkey. So far, what I say is built on the decisions of the 23th meeting of the Supreme Council.
For example, it has been decided to develop policies to provide R&D intense start-ups ready to access finance and complementary mentorship supports at all stages of the life cycle of start-ups embracing a tailor-made approach, and to establish an adequate innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to increase the number of R&D intense start-ups in Turkey. Furthermore, this resolution involves another decision that will enable governmental organizations to take part in venture capital funds in order to increase their effectiveness, especially in the seed funding and start-up capital phases, and to invigorate venture capital funds in total in Turkey. Thus, it is expected to activate and enhance the commercialization process of research results.
Another example can be given by the decree aiming at developing policy tools to trigger innovation and entrepreneurship in the universities by
1) developing proper mechanisms to support technology transfer offices with an aim to trigger the commercialization of research conducted at universities
2) developing proper mechanisms to support technology incubators with an aim to provide a gate between universities and technoparks
3) developing an index to measure the entrepreneurship and innovativeness performances of universities with an aim to increase the entrepreneurship and innovation oriented competition between the universities
4) redesigning academic promotion criteria to foster entrepreneurship and innovative activities of academicians
University Entrepreneurship Index
Structuring of Scholarships
Video Courses

7. ARDEB - Support for Academy
Number of project proposal has increased more than1.5 folds
in the last 2 years, with 355 million TRY total budget in 2013
Average Annual Project Proposal 5.017
Average Annual Project Proposal 6.998
Fundemental Research
1001, 3501, 3001(N)
Research
1001, 1002, 1003(N), 1011, 3001(N)
Development
1002, 1005 (N), 1007, 1011
PTİ, PPÖ (N), UBYT

8. 1003 – University Driven Mission Oriented R&D Funding
Target: Middle and large scale projects
Increase in public-private sector- university collaboration
Systematic determination of annual calls
First Time
Who can apply?
Support Properties
University
PhD Degree
Private/ Public Institutions
Bachelor Degree
Support Duration
Up to months
Support Amount
Up to 2,5 million TL
Application Period
2 staged application
İndigenious Pharmaceutical and Vaccines
4G Mobile Communication Technologies
2.308 applications in 42 calls
Examples
NEW

9. 1005 – Supporting National New Ideas and Products Research
National Production
National Technology
For increasing national independence
Incresing competitivenes s
To asist projects that have a wide impact value and will be developed with national technology via
Developement of national know-how
For increasing national independence
Direct technology transfer
First Time
Examples
Chip design and prodution for LCDs
Developmet of medical implants
NEW

10. 3001 – Start-Up R&D Projects Support Program
Special support to the researchers that will conduct R&D project for the first time
First Time
Up to 60k TL
3001 Start-Up R&D Projects Support Program
For increasing the knowledge of conducting R&D projects
We want to open the way for more researchers to prepare R&D projects. One of the new support programs that we have launched is the 3001 program that allows researchers who will conduct R&D projects for the first time to compete in a separate pool from the more advanced researchers. This program provides up to 60 k TL and in the first 3 months of this year we have received 373 project applications.
2014
373 project applications in 3 months
NEW

11. 1601.1 - Entrepreneurship Certificate Program in Universities
First Time
More entrepreneur university gradutes...
One of the unique programs in the world
Creative Thinking
Project Development Culture
Mentorship
Developing awereness of innovativeness and entrepreneurship
within university students
Supporting accomplishing successful businss ideas in early stage
NEW

12. 1001 – Support Program for S&T Research Projects
Bottom up support program for science in Turkey
Generating new information
Interpreting scientific findings
Solving technological problems on a scientific basis
Who can apply?
Support Properties
Duration
Up to 36 months
Fund
Up to 360 k TL
Application Period
March-September
University
PhD Degree
Private/ Public Institutions
Bachelor Degree
Sabbatical İzinler için en az 3 ay en çok 12 ay maksimum dolar
Normal Destek: En az 1 hafta en çok 12 ay maksimum dolar
During last year supported projects increased 40%
2012: 535, 2013: 746

13. Successful Projects Performance Award
Award according to project performance
First Time
Up to 100k TL award for successfully completed projects
Indicators
Article
Patent
Conference paper
Product / Model / Firm
Book
Diffusion
Award
Educating researchers
Sub-indicators
Number of Articles Indexed
Number of Other Refereed Articles
NEW

14. Incentive Program for International Scientific Publications
Incentives for quality-oriented article
Up to 5000 TL article support for researchers
First Time
Quality is growing exponentially when incentives increase!
Each journal is graded using objective criteria
Turkish scientiest are active contributors to the international stock of knowledge. Through our incentive program for international scientific publications, we reward researchers who publish in recognized journals. Each journal is grated using objective criteria and researchers will receive a higher incentive for publishing in a better journal.
The impact of this program is noteworthy. We see that quality grows exponentially when the incentives increase.
NEW

15. Project Overhead Increases According To Performance
from 10 %  to 50%
Project overhead will vary from university to university
More performance more project overhead
Calculations will be based on objective criteria
REVISION

16. 1512 - More R&D Based Start-Ups
Individual Entrepreneurship Support Programme
IDEA
Phase 1
Submission of the idea and Business plan preparation
Entrepreneurship training and mentorship support
Evaluation
Entrepreneurship Activities
Phase 2
Technological affirmation and Seed-Funding
Techno-entrepreneurship Capital Support (55 Thousand $; grant)
INCORPORATION
Mentorship Support
Evaluation
Product Development
Phase 3
TÜBİTAK 1507 Support Programme
(310 Thousand $; %75 Grant)
The companies which have successfully completed MoSIT Techno-Entrepreneurship Support Programme
PROTOTYPE
We have made also efforts to develop a system that will trigger the number of young people with entrepreneurial spirit, innovative ideas. With this aim we have launched a multistage programme aiming to support individual entrepreneurs to transform their technology and innovation focused business ideas into enterprises.
Beside providing grants for young entrepreneurs 1512 program, also has a guidance/mentorship foot.
We hope that in the future this program will be the flagship for innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. We expect that it will play the same role what SBIR is doing now in US.
Evaluation
Enterance
to Market
Phase 4
Commercialization, Project Brokarage, Venture Capital Companies
MARKET

17. 1513 - More Commercialization of R&D
A new insight into technology transfer
First Time
Up to 10 million TL support for each universities
TTO concept was introduced into universities
New TTOs were established, current TTOs were renewed
Call result of 2012
Call result of 2013
Boğaziçi, Ege, Gazi, Hacettepe, Koç, Ortadoğu Teknik, Özyeğin, Sabancı, Selçuk ve Yıldız
ISO_Sunum_v9_videolu
NEW

18. Entrepreneurial and Innovative Universities
Entrepreneurial and Innovative University Index is developed in cooperation with 168 universities and 10 public institutions
Entrepreneurship and innovation culture
Scientific and technological competence
Sample Indicators
Number of firms established by academicians
Number of firms established by students/graduated students
Employment in those firms
Patents
Licences
R&D and innovation projects
Entrepreneurship, innovation lessons/trainings
Intellectual property pool
Economic contribution and commercialization
Entrepreneur and Innovative University
In order to boost entrepreneurial and innovative activities in universities we have developed special index which ranks the universities in Turkey. This index is prepared for the first time in Turkey and will be renewed and announced each year.
The index is composed of 5 dimensions as; scientific and technological research competence, intellectual property pool, cooperation and interaction, enterpreneurship and innovation culture and economic contribution and commercialization; which covers 23 indicators overall.
Beginning from the next year, this ranking will be announced to public before the university eliminations are made. This ranking does not have an educational theme but ultimately aims to promote entrepreneurial and innovative activities  in the universities according to their third mission; beside education and research.
Cooperation and Interaction
Note: MoSIT, Ministry of Development, TurkStat, Ministry of Finance ,The Council of Higher Education, TUBA, KOSGEB,TUBITAK, Turkish Patent Institution, TTGV

19. Supporting Skilled R&D Human Resources
Over 25k scientists are supported within 33 different programs
New Support Programs
NEW
NEW
NEW
International Graduate Scholarship (2213)
Industry Focused Thesis Project Contest
Software, Entrepreneurship and Innovativeness Contest
Education opportunity in the first 100 universities in the Times University ranking
Supporting of thesis focusing on industrial needs
Fostering software development, entrepreneurship&innovativeness in youth
Inbound-Outbound Mobility Support Programs
REVISION
NEW
Fellowships for Visiting Scientists and Scientists on Sabbatical Leave (2221)
Return Home” Fellowship Program (2232)
Besides these programs and incentives, TUBİTAK gives fellowships to strengthen the linkage between students and the researchers. We provide 33 different programs to support skilled R&D human resources. A total of 25 thousand scientists have been supported.
With a new international graduate scholarship, we provide education opportunity in the first 100 universities in the Times University ranking. Moreover, our two new contests include support of theses that focus on industrial needs and fostering of software development, entrepreneurship, and innovativeness in youth.
Also I would like to give details of some examples of our revised and newly developed inbound-outbound mobility support programs.
Grants fellowships for international scientists/researchers
Supporting brain gain of Turkish researchers who study / work abroad
REVISION
NEW
Fostering software development, entrepreneurship&innovativeness in youth
Co-Funded Brain Circulation Scheme (2236)
Joint-Degree Doctorate Scholarship Program (2214/B)
Grants fellowships for international scientists/researchers to work in Turkey
Supporting joint-degree PhD students

20. BIDEB - Middle Eastern Countries Mobility Statistics
Country
Inbound Mobility of Students/Researchers
Outbound Mobility of Students/Researchers
Saudi Arabia 2 -
Jordan 7
Yemen
Iraq 12
U.A.E. 1
Bahrain
Lebanon
Qatar
Kuwait
Egypt 33 4
Oman
Palestine 29
In this slide; I would like to share the numbers of students/researchers mobility between Turkey and Arabic Countries.
In last decade; Turkey supported 92 students/researchers from Arabic Countries, mainly benefited from TUBITAK Scholarships. Of course, this number would rise by including other institutions’ figures into account.
7 Turkish students/researchers has also benefited from TUBITAK Scholarships to go to these countries for the education within the same period.
Today, Turkey and TUBİTAK in particular, have several new mobility programs for the international student/researcher exchange. I would like to invite the countries and relevant counter partner organizations to get more active to get benefit from these programs.

21. Multilateral Participation:
TUBITAK: A Hub to Exploit New Links in the Region
Bilateral Programs :
with 22 Countries
Multilateral Participation:
31 Organisations
Currently, we have active joint programmes with 22 countries. In these cooperation schemes, collaborative research grants are being given.
As you know, Framework Programmes are one of the most influential tools for building science and technology cooperation with Europe. Since 2002, Turkey is utilizing this tool both to collaborate with European countries and other countries.
FP not only helped us to integrate with European Research Area but also provided a substantial ground to further extend our international cooperation.
Organization of the
Islamic Conference (OIC)
COMSTECH
Organization of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation

22. Relations with Middle Eastern Countries
Country
Inter governmental Agreements
R&D Protocols with Institutions
Attempts to Sign Protocol
EU FP Projects
Saudi Arabia -  2
Jordan 11
Yemen
Iraq
U.A.E.
Bahrain
Lebanon 10
Qatar
Kuwait
Egypt 28
Oman
Palestine 8
The Arabic countries are the interest of TUBİTAK in terms of science and Technology cooperation. However, I shall admit that both bilateral and plurilateral relations with the region is not at a desired level.
For instance;
Of the 12 countries within the region we have intergovernmental agreement only with 4 countries such as Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon and Kuwait, and I can not say that they are active.
Of the 12 countries, TUBITAK has R&D protocol solely with Egypt. Through the current situation, we have been giving utmost attention to keep the relation active with this country particularly with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
However, as a good news, I can share this information with you that, TUBITAK has recently attempted to sign R&D protocol with 6 regional countries such as S. Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Palestine. I believe that we will accomplish the official process with this countries within 2014.
Beside the bilateral agreements we have also EU-FP project based partnership with the Arabic countries. In last 7 years, TUBITAK accomplished 61 EU-FP7 projects with 5 regional countries, mostly with Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine S. Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
We expect even the higeher figures also in H2020 program.

23. Thank You

24. Fellowships for visiting scientists and scientists on sabbatical leave
2221- BİDEB Inbound Mobility
Fellowships for visiting scientists and scientists on sabbatical leave
Who can apply?
Host Institution
Fellowship Duration
1 week (min.)
12 months (max.)
Fellowship Amount
$ monthly stipend (for Prof.) + Travel Expenses + Health Insurance
Application Periods
Every month
Deadline
Last workday of the month
University
PhD Degree
Private/ Public Institutions
PhD or 5 Year Experience
Starting with the 2221 fellowship for inbound mobility, our target audience is visiting scientists and scientists on sabbatical leave. The fellowship duration is a minimum of 1 week and a maximum of 12 months. We provide a dollar monthly stipend plus travel expenses and health insurance.
The applications are made by the host institution
REVISION

25. “Return Home” Fellowship Program
BİDEB Inbound Mobility
“Return Home” Fellowship Program
Support rate 72%
Who can apply?
Duration
Up to 24 months
Fellowship Amount
$ monthly stipend + Travel Expenses + Health Insurance
Res. Support TL
Right to apply other TÜBİTAK programs
Application Period
Every month
Deadline
Turkish
Researchers MS
6 years experience
Ph.D.
4 year experience
Post Doc
2 years experience
In the Return Home Fellowship Program, we support Turkish researchers with a monthly stipend plus a research support. With such a set up, we encourage our research dispora to return back to the country with their research ideas.
NEW

26. Co-Funded Brain Circulation Scheme (Co-Circulation Scheme)
BİDEB Inbound Mobility
Co-Funded Brain Circulation Scheme (Co-Circulation Scheme)
Who can apply?
Host Institution
Fellowship Duration
months
Fellowship Amounts
Experienced Researcher
4.167 € (gross)
Very Experienced Researcher
4.792 € (gross)
Research Grant to the Host Institution
600 €/month
Application Periods
May - September
Experienced
years of experience
Very Experienced
More then 10 years of experience
As for the Co-Funded Brain Circulation Scheme, we provide two kinds of fellowships for experienced and a highly experienced researcher. In addition to the fellowship grant, we provide a research grant to the host institution. Based on this scheme, we award both the researcher and the host institution of the researcher.
The researcher should have been living abroad for at least 2 years in the last 3 years. The host institution should guarantee researcher’s employment
REVISION

27. NEW 2214/B - BİDEB Outbound Mobility
Scholarship Program for Joint-Degree PhD students
Who can apply?
Scholarship Duration
24 months (max.)
Scholarship Amount
$ / €
+ Travel Expenses
Application Periods
2 periods
Application Deadlines
March & October
PhD
Student
Joint PhD Agreements
As another example of the internatioanlization in our support programs, we provide a Scholarship Program for Joint-Degree PhD students. We expect joint PhD agreements and provide a scholarship of dollars.
If the two universities have a joint PhD program and thus an agreement, this program supports the Turkish PhD students to undertake part of their study in that foreign university.
NEW