ANKARA 

A strategic memorandum of understanding was signed for the establishment of Türkiye’s first hyperscale cloud region, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 2025 awards ceremony of the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK) and Academy of Sciences (TUBA) in Ankara, Erdogan said: “With this project, which is planned to become operational in 2028–2029, Türkiye will establish a digital bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and our country will become the data hub of its region."

He said: “We must both closely follow and fully internalize the latest developments in science and build our future through ideas and works that are unique to our national identity.”

From artificial intelligence to autonomous systems, from data storage and processing centers to unmanned technologies, Türkiye is undertaking initiatives and projects that many countries view with admiration, the president added.

League of top global players in science and technology

Erdogan said the initiative places Türkiye on the path to joining the league of top global players in science and technology, despite obstacles and criticism from opposition parties.

He referenced objections to recent missile tests in the country’s northern province of Sinop, saying the government will continue scientific advancement “despite shallow arguments like ‘the fish are disturbed.’”

“We will continue to produce, develop, and achieve new breakthroughs, ignoring those who seek to block our path with absurd claims,” he said.

Erdogan emphasized the government’s support for science from research and development (R&D) to implementation, noting that over the last 23 years, more than 36,000 projects have received 153 billion Turkish liras ($5.3 billion) in support under academic programs alone.

He added that 415,119 researchers have been supported with 46.5 billion liras ($1.6 billion), and that 28,493 private sector projects have received 134 billion liras ($4.6 billion).

Since 2007, 53,394 projects aimed at spreading scientific culture across the country have received 8.22 billion liras ($286 million), Erdogan said.

Türkiye’s scientific capacity

Erdogan also congratulated academics who have produced work across a wide range of disciplines, from electrochemistry and solid-state mechanics to experimental psychology, RNA biology, dentistry, neurology, history and philosophy.

He added that award recipients come from universities across all regions of the country, calling this a sign that institutions in different cities are making innovative contributions to Türkiye’s scientific capacity.

Highlighting efforts under the National Space Program and international researcher schemes, Erdogan said young people are being supported through scholarships, workshops, and internships.

He pointed to TEKNOFEST as an example of mobilizing youth around science, with millions participating in its 13th edition in September.

“We have increased the number of technoparks from 2 to 113, R&D centers from zero to 360, and the number of provinces with technoparks from 2 to 64,” he said.

He noted the expansion of public library space from 325,000 square meters (3.5 million square feet) to 800,000 square meters (8.6 million square feet) in seven years, with a goal of reaching 1 million square meters (10.8 million square feet) and 200,000 seats by 2026.

Erdogan further highlighted the Presidential National Library’s collection of 141.7 million sources and 300 million electronic resources, making it the third-largest library in the world.

He emphasized Türkiye’s progress in formerly import-dependent sectors like defense, and praised scientists such as Aziz Sancar, Fuat Sezgin, Gazi Yasargil, Cahit Arf, and Halil Inalcik as role models.

“With the heritage inherited from our civilization, from Samarkand to Cordoba, Baghdad to Istanbul, we are entering a new phase of knowledge production,” Erdogan said.

He concluded by encouraging researchers to remain passionate and persistent, adding: “What we need most on this journey is not inferiority toward the West, but confidence inherited from our history.”

At the end of the ceremony, Erdogan received various gifts, including the first Turkish Antarctica maritime map, and presented awards to the honored scientists.