METU-TEKPOL is an interdisciplinary research center that conducts research on science and technology policy-related issues. The center participated in many national and international projects in the last five years such as the  H2020 Horizon-STE Project, H2020 SolarTwins Project, H2020 Feuture Project, FP7 Search Project and the ICT-RTD Technological Audit. METU-TEKPOL also compiled the  Research and Innovation Outlook of Turkey RIOT-2021, Research and Innovation Observatory (RIO) 2015 and ERA-WATCH 2012 and 2013 country reports for Turkey. You can find a corporate CV summarizing all activities and a one-page CV below.

Who we are?

METU-TEKPOL 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. We are the only research center in Turkey that can coordinate education and research concurrently. As of 2022 we have 4 fulltime, 21 part time lecturers, 3 research assistant, 10 affiliated researchers.

We have acknowledged education programs

Since its establishment about 300 students graduated from our M.Sc. program. About 130 M.Sc. theses have been completed in the meantime. So far 34 students have completed the Ph.D. program. Our students are employed in major government institutions such as the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, Ministry of Development, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Undersecretariat of Defence and various regional development agencies. Students who pursued further studies have found placements in reputable programs such as the Technology and Policy Program of MIT; Kennedy School of Government, Harvard; Sussex Policy Research Unit (SPRU) of Sussex University, UNU-MERIT of Maastricht University; Innovation, Management and Policy Department of Manchester University and CIRCLE of Lund University.

We have a solid research account

METU-TEKPOL has experience in commissioned research as well as national and international projects as coordinator and partner. In the last five years, 6 large and medium-scale and more than 5 small-scale projects were successfully completed. We have vast experience in science, technology and innovation-related issues in general and policy-making and impact assessment, clustering, high-tech industry studies such as defence, automotive and ICT, and more traditional industries such as furniture and technology transfer in particular.

A major hub in a national network of innovation policy in Turkey

Through joint projects, organization of conferences, consultancy activities and alumni placement METU-TEKPOL is a central node in the national network of science, technology and innovation policy. The research center is linked to ministries, development agencies, TUBITAK, Undersecretariat of Defense, Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TURKPATENT), Technology Development Foundation of Turkey (TTGV), major defence industry companies such as TAI and ASELSAN, Industrial Districts such as OSTIM and IVEDIK, Technology Development Zones such as METU-TEKNOKENT and CYBERPARK.

We have a wide international network

METU-TEKPOL is linked to many reputable international universities, research institutes and organizations such as the European Commission, UNU-MERIT, GLOBELICS, EUROLICS, International Schumpeter Society, IPTS-JRC, Telecom Ecole de Management, FEMISE and Economic Research Forum (ERF).