HISTORY

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) is the leading research management and funding agency in Turkey. It was established in 1963 with a mission to develop scientific and technological policies in line with our national priorities and in cooperation with all sectors and related establishments; to contribute to establishment of infrastructure and instruments to implement said policies; to support and conduct research and development activities; and to play a leading role in the creation of a science and technology culture. The Council is an autonomous institution and is governed by a Scientific Board whose members are selected from prominent scholars from universities, industry and research units.


The main functions of the Council were initially to organize, coordinate and encourage basic and applied researches especially in natural sciences, to support academic researches and to encourage and incite young researchers. In order to fulfill said functions four research groups (now there exists ten research groups under the umbrella of Academic R&D Funding) have been formed in the fields of Basic Sciences, Engineering, Medicine and Agriculture-Livestock along with a Scientific Human Resources Development Group (now Scientific Human Resources Support Group).  In 2005, the new Law included the disciplines of social sciences and humanities among the areas of activities of TÜBİTAK.  

TÜBİTAK has undertaken the task of serving the researchers in the field of R&D by establishing the Documentation and Information Center in 1967. The Center has been converted into the National Academic Network and Information Center with the creation of the academic computer network in 1996. Currently, numerous facilities such as the Metrology Institute, Observatory and Test & Analysis Laboratories are at the service of researchers along with this center.

Conducting research has been included into the tasks of the Council with the establishment of the Institute for Building Researches (1971) and Guided Vehicles Technology and Measurement Center (now the Defence Industries Research and Development Institute) (1973) in Ankara and Marmara Scientific and Industrial Research Institute (now Marmara Research Center) (1972) in Gebze. Other research institutes have been added to these in the following years, and the Institute for Building Researches has been closed.

TÜBİTAK has undertaken the responsibility of developing the science and technology policy of the country for the first time by undertaking the preparation of the Turkish Science Policy; 1983-2003 document. Establishment of the Supreme Council for Science and Technology in 1983 and assignment of the secretariat functions of said Council to TÜBİTAK have turned this responsibility into a clear and concrete duty. Within the scope of this duty, a comprehensive project titled Vision 2023 was conducted to serve as a basis for the science and technology policies for the next twenty years. Another significant function, which emerged with the establishment of the Technology Forecasting and Assessment Directorate by the State in 1993 for arrangement of the support planned to be provided in order to encourage the research and technology development activities in industrial establishments, is assessment and supporting of the industrial RTD.

Since its recognition in the international platform, TÜBİTAK has represented Turkey in nearly all international science and technology cooperation activities. Moreover, participation of Turkey into the EU Framework Programs has substantially increased its responsibilities in this field and in this regard, the National Contact Point system has been established.

On July 7th 2005, regarding the Law Number 5376, the name of the institution which was The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, was changed as The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.