Turkey’s gross domestic R&D expenditure (GERD) as a percentage of GDP rose to 8.5% in 2009 from 7.3%. In total, GERD by the public sector, foundations, universities and the business enterprise sector increased 17.3% to TRY 8,078 million (US $5.23 billion). In 2009, 47% of R&D spending was performed by the higher education sector. Business enterprises and the government performed 40% and 13%, respectively. In 2008, these percentages were 44%, 44% and 12%, respectively. Among the sectors funding R&D expenditure in 2009, 41% of R&D was financed by business enterprises, 34% by the government sector, 20% by the higher education sector, 4% by other national sources and 1% by foreign funds. The total number of full-time equivalent R&D personnel increased 9.3% to 73,521 in 2009. By sector, 42% were employed in higher education, 43% in business enterprise and 15% in the government sector.

Source: TurkStat