TOGG and beyond, Türkiye’s Innovativeness

During President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Islamabad, Ms Asifa Bhutto Zardari was seen driving the two Presidents in Türkiye’s TOGG (Türkiye’nin Otomobili Girişim Grubu) electric SUV. We were wondering how Türkiye has become a major player in the multifarious industrial and technological fields over the past few decades. This piece is a study of Türkiye’s model of development in science and technology and how a long-term vision brought innovativeness to society and helped Türkiye become the 12th-largest economy in the world and 5th-largest in Europe by purchasing power parity (PPP) in 2024.

Over the past three decades, Türkiye has strategically invested in developing its human resources (HR) to support industrial production and technological advancement, aligning with its goal of becoming a regional manufacturing and innovation hub.

First and foremost was developing a vision for education reforms and vocational training, especially in the field of Science and Technology. Due emphasis was laid on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Universities increased engineering and technical programmes, with institutions like İstanbul Technical University (İTÜ) and Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) leading R&D.

In parallel, a host of Vocational High Schools (Meslek Liseleri) were set up to revamp vocational education to align with industry needs (e.g., automotive, machinery, textiles). Programmes now partner with companies like Ford Otosan and Vestel for apprenticeships. This has led to the establishment of Technoparks & R&D Centres. Over 100 technology parks (e.g., İTÜ ARI Teknokent, ODTÜ Teknokent) were established to connect academia with industry, fostering innovation and practical skills and providing support to the growth of technology-based entrepreneurship that will create high value-added jobs.

Türkiye has also demonstrated how genuine industry-academia collaboration can work. Companies like Tofaş (Fiat), Arçelik, and ASELSAN collaborate with universities to design curricula, ensuring graduates meet industry standards. The TÜBİTAK Initiative funds research projects, scholarships, and innovation competitions (e.g., TEKNOFEST) to nurture tech talent. The state also adopted Germany-inspired dual education models, blending classroom learning with on-the-job training in sectors like automotive and machinery.

Government policies and incentives have introduced tax incentives for companies investing in R&D, boosting private-sector innovation (e.g., Turkish Aerospace, Baykar Tech). The growth trajectory in the field of Science and Technology has been sustained through mid-term course corrections and vision review. Vision 2023 was released by Prime Minister (now President) Erdoğan in 2010 and 2011, to coincide with the centenary of the Republic of Türkiye in 2023.

EU alignment through leveraged EU funding (e.g., Horizon 2020) was ensured to upgrade technical education and workforce standards, particularly in automotive and electronics. This brought Türkiye on par with her competitors in the challenging EU markets. There has also been due emphasis on technology transfer & foreign investment. Multinational partnerships with foreign automakers (e.g., Ford, Toyota, Renault) and tech firms established local plants, transferring skills through training programmes.

One area where Türkiye has displayed enormous progress is Defence and Aerospace. Investments in defence giants like ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, and Baykar (maker of Bayraktar drones) have created high-skilled jobs in advanced manufacturing and software engineering. No wonder Türkiye has now become a major exporter of these state-of-the-art weapon systems.

In the field of Emerging Technologies and Digital Transformation, Türkiye has kept pace with the demands of the times. As reported by TRT World in 2022, Türkiye has aimed to push the artificial intelligence sector to contribute 5 percent towards the country’s GDP by 2025. The launching of TOGG as the first domestic EV brand is a testament to Türkiye’s follow-up of the envisaged vision. Tech universities like Istanbul Technical University, Sabanci University, and Koç University are now offering specialised courses in AI, robotics, and IoT. Digital literacy through government campaigns (e.g., “Digital Türkiye”) has helped nurture a culture of tech literacy, with coding boot camps and certifications for workers in traditional industries.

The results are there to be seen. Türkiye now produces over 1 million university graduates annually, with engineering and tech fields growing rapidly. Industrial output and HR development have helped Türkiye rise as a top-15 global auto producer and a leader in drones, home appliances, and defence technology. Turkish engineers and technicians are increasingly sought in EU manufacturing hubs, particularly in Germany.

A report published by Türkiye’s İletişim Başkanlığı (the Directorate of Communications) in 2024 highlighted a message by President Erdoğan sent for the release of the Global Innovation Index 2024 Report. The President expressed his pride in the level reached over the years in the field of innovation, saying, “Thanks to our gradually realised vision, we have climbed 31 positions in the Global Innovation Index over the last 11 years.”

In order to help the Least Developed Countries, Türkiye has followed the philosophy of “leaving no one behind”. The innovative idea to establish the UN Technology Bank originated in 2011 as part of the Istanbul Programme of Action for Least Developing Countries (LDCs), later metamorphosing into a thriving entity and is headquartered in Gebze, Türkiye.

Türkiye’s quest for advancement has not stopped here; Industry 4.0 vision is now focused on training workers in automation, data analytics, and smart manufacturing to compete globally. Vision 2053 envisages turning the country into a hub for innovative technologies by encouraging scientific and technological innovation. There is also an emphasis on the Startup Ecosystem to support tech entrepreneurs via incubators (e.g., Kworks, İTÜ Çekirdek) to retain talent in cutting-edge fields like fintech and biotech.

Türkiye’s HR strategy has focused on bridging education with industrial needs, leveraging foreign partnerships, and fostering innovation ecosystems. While challenges like brain drain, economic volatility, and quality disparities in rural areas persist, the country has built a robust foundation of skilled labour in manufacturing and tech, positioning it as a competitive player in global supply chains.

Can Pakistan, with a bubbling youth bulge, learn from the resilient Turkish model to turn its demographic liability into real gold? We leave it to the policymakers and academia to study it in detail and build an inclusive model of development and progress that could follow the Turkish model in earnest.

Adeela Naureen and Waqar K Kauravi
The authors are freelance journalists. They can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected].