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Techno Parks in Turkey responsible for dynamic projects

Techno Parks in Turkey responsible for dynamic projects
Techno Parks in Turkey responsible for dynamic projects
ANKARA, May 27 (KUNA) -- Turkish universities have in recent years been forming research and strategy centres dubbed Techno Parks, which aim to create dynamic projects that provide practical solutions for state productive sectors.
These have contributed to several projects targeting fields like IT, the defence industry and nano technology.
They have enabled the launch of crucial programmes, one of which has developed the operation of MRI at hospitals, and another which reads the speed of drivers traveling through inter-district toll gates, according to Faruk Inaltekin, Entrepreneurship and Tech Department manager at Bilkent University.
One supervises the operation of mail companies, while another oversees real estate activity, including purchases and sales.
Researchers have also developed a programme which will aim to develop the microchip, in cooperation with ASELSAN, a Turkish corporation specialized in military radio and electronic systems worth USD 30 million. The project is expected to commence at the end of 2015, he said.
Their numbers have currently reached 59, he said, some 41 Techno Parks of which are in operation, with the others under construction.
These hubs are currently hosting a total 2,508 companies. These firms have contributed 6,888 projects which have resulted in annual exports worth USD 1.5 billion, he said.
Some 26,500 researchers and scientists are being hired by these Techno Parks, added Inaltekin.
In the case of Bilkent University, he said it employs 3,300 people across 215 local companies and 10 international companies.
Techno Parks are split into three categories, one of which represents creative university students, another for mid-sized enterprises and another for giant conglomerates, he explained.
The technology innovations produced by these centres are also handed intellectual property rights.
These centres are also doing much to train and assist researchers in their ambitions and innovations.
On an international scale, he said that Iran and China have both requested the transfer of the idea to their nations and the construction of these hubs in their cities.
He said 80 percent of the projects target the IT industry, while the remaining 20 percent target defence and nano technologies.
They aim at projects of quality and not quantity, he emphasized.
Holders of Bachelor degrees and above of any nationality can apply to work at Techno Parks, and these employees are offered special incentives like 100 percent exemption of taxes, in addition to other legal and financial incentives.
Turkey's Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology issued a law for the formation of the first Techno Park in 2001 at Bilkent University. (end) rs.sd