Science and Technology Policy Studies (STPS) program was founded in 1997 at the Middle East Technical University with the explicit objective to supply science and technology policy related human capital for the government bodies, agencies and other related organizations and to conduct research in science, technology and innovation policy issues. It has organic relations with the Research Center for Science and Technology Policies. Education and research elements integrate under METU-TEKPOL.

TEKPOL is the only academic unit in Turkey that concurrently coordinates education and research activities. It operates M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs in science technology policy studies at the Graduate School of Social Sciences. TEKPOL also conducts interdisciplinary research on science and technology policy issues with the aim of addressing societal challenges.