UPDATE - Türkiye's research and development spending climbs to 1.55% of GDP in 2025

UPDATING WITH INDUSTY AND TECHNOLOGY MINISTER'S COMMENTS, REVISING SPOT

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye's gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) rose to 980.4 billion Turkish liras ($24.8 billion) in 2025, reaching 1.55% of gross domestic product, official data showed on Friday.

R&D spending increased by 328.61 billion liras ($8.3 billion) compared to 2024, when the ratio of R&D expenditure to gross domestic product stood at 1.46%, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute.

Financial and non-financial corporations accounted for the largest share of spending at 65%, followed by higher education at 30.3% and the general government sector, including private non-profit institutions, at 4.7%.

Personnel costs constituted the largest expenditure category, representing 58.8% of total R&D spending.

Corporations also led in financing research activities, providing 52.5% of total funding, followed by the general government at 31.1%, higher education at 14.1% and foreign sources at 2.3%.

The total number of full-time equivalent R&D personnel rose to 317,982 in 2025.

The corporate sector employed 67.9% of full-time equivalent personnel, higher education accounted for 29% and the government sector employed 3%.

Female personnel accounted for 34.1% of full-time equivalent R&D staff, totaling 108,453 individuals.

The share of female staff reached 48.1% in higher education, 32.2% in government institutions and 28.2% in corporations.

The USD/TRY exchange rate was at 39.55 on average last year.

Mehmet Fatih Kacir, the Turkish industry and technology minister, said the country has reached record levels in R&D activities.

"Our R&D expenditures rose from $19.8 billion to $24.8 billion in 2025, while our R&D human resources reached 318,000," he noted.

He added: "Together with our universities, technoparks, R&D and design centers, innovative ventures, and researchers, we are continuously advancing Türkiye’s R&D and innovation ecosystem."

Gökhan Ergöçün