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Türkiye’s central government allocated ₺178.6 billion ($4.39 billion) to research and development (R&D) activities in 2024, accounting for 1.51% of the national budget, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) reported on Wednesday.
The figure surpasses the European Union average of 1.45%, Eurostat data showed.
Measured against the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), which stood at ₺43.41 trillion ($1.323 trillion) in 2024, the central government’s R&D expenditure represented 0.41%.
When broken down by socioeconomic objectives, the majority of Türkiye’s R&D budget was directed toward general advancement of knowledge through universities, which received 68.3% of total spending in 2024.
Universities were followed by allocations to industrial production and technology (9.3%), general knowledge development from other funding sources (5.2%), agriculture (4.3%), and defense (4%).
The initial budget appropriations for 2025 reflect a similar distribution. Of the ₺236.3 billion planned for R&D spending next year, 69.5% is earmarked for universities.
Industrial production and technology remain the second-largest focus with a 7.9% share, followed by knowledge development from external sources (5.4%), agriculture (4.8%), and defense (3.6%).
Türkiye also committed public funds to international R&D initiatives, as ₺1.03 billion ($41.88 million) was allocated for programs abroad in 2024.
Of this, ₺461 million ($11.33 million) went to organizations actively engaged in international R&D, while ₺367 million supported bilateral or multilateral government programs, and ₺202 million was designated for Europe-wide initiatives.
For 2025, budget forecasts indicate a rise in international engagement, with ₺1.17 billion allocated.
The largest portion—₺500 million—is planned for bilateral or multilateral R&D programs, followed by ₺475 million for internationally active organizations and ₺198 million for pan-European projects.
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