The World and Türkiye in 2025

Aydın Tiryaki (December 31, 2025)
(Gemini AI was used as a data compilation and writing assistant)

Abstract: The year 2025 has gone down in history as the era of “autonomous discoveries,” where scientific research was accelerated by artificial intelligence. This article analyzes global leaders in light of Global Innovation Index (GII) data, Türkiye’s world ranking of 18th in academic publication volume, and the structural issues within the system arising from the deep qualitative divide between universities.

Introduction: The New Engine of the Knowledge Economy

The year 2025 represents a period where science is shaped not only in laboratories but under the guidance of algorithms. Leaps in quantum computing, advanced materials science, and biotechnology have become the fundamental elements directly determining the economic prosperity of nations. However, 2025 has also been a year where innovation was questioned not merely as a “number” but as “sustainable quality.”

1. Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 Leaders

According to the 2025 data released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), traditional powers maintain their positions at the peak of innovation:

• The Top Three: Switzerland remains the world leader for the 15th consecutive time due to the stability of its innovation ecosystem, followed by Sweden and the United States.
• The Rise of Asia: South Korea and China, particularly in patent applications and high-tech exports, surpassed many European giants in 2025.

2. Türkiye’s Innovation Scorecard: 35th Rank and Patent Power

In 2025, Türkiye increased its innovation capacity, ranking 35th in innovation outputs within the Global Innovation Index. However, this rise primarily stems from concentrations in the defense industry and specific technology hubs. The spillover of innovation into the civil industry and general social welfare has yet to create the expected multiplier effect.

3. Academic Performance: 18th in the World for Publication Volume

In terms of scientific production capacity, Türkiye holds a significant place in international literature as of 2025:

• Publication Volume: According to Scopus and Web of Science data, Türkiye ranks 18th in the world for annual scientific article production.
• The Quality and Citation Issue: Despite this numerical success, Türkiye remains outside the top 30 in terms of the actual impact of these articles in the scientific world (h-index). This situation indicates that a “quantity-oriented” publishing system is overshadowing genuine scientific progress.

4. The Quality Gap in Universities: Questionable Institutions

As of 2025, the most significant problem of the higher education system in Türkiye is the deep quality chasm between universities.

• Elite Institutions vs. The Rest: While a limited number of institutions such as METU, ITU, Koç, and Bilkent produce at world standards, the vast majority of the more than 200 universities fall significantly below global averages.
• Infrastructure and Quality in the Digital Age: Today, rather than the physical presence of libraries, access to digital databases and the laboratory infrastructure required to transform this information into products are of critical importance. However, many universities across Anatolia lack both the budget to utilize these digital resources effectively and the qualified academic staff. The existence of these institutions—which fail to produce science, merely delay unemployment, and offer low-standard diplomas—has become the most serious academic debate of 2025.

Conclusion

The 2025 data prove that Türkiye has reached a “quantity threshold” in science but is in need of a “qualitative” transformation. The fundamental vision for 2026 should be the rehabilitation of institutions that do not meet academic standards and the redirection of resources toward innovation centers that create genuine added value.

APPENDIX: THE GLOBAL POLITICS OF QUALITY AND INNOVATION IN SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION

While the patent counts and technological developments discussed in this article demonstrate that science is not merely a set of statistics but the fundamental pillar of national development and global competition in 2025, it is necessary to note some critical and unofficial fractures affecting the essence of innovation:

1. The Global Innovation Theater and Technology Hegemony In 2025, innovation worldwide faced the risk of falling under the monopoly of major technology giants. The concentration of knowledge produced in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing in only a few centers has initiated a new era of “technological dependency” for developing countries. To prevent innovation from turning into a “theater” on a global scale, the primary requirement is the democratization of knowledge and the preservation of open science standards.

2. Türkiye: The Test of Transition from Quantity to Quality While the numerical increase in patent applications in Türkiye is promising, the rate at which these inventions are integrated into industry and transformed into commercial value-added has been the biggest debate of 2025. National science policies focused solely on “numbers” are the biggest obstacle to truly breakthrough discoveries. Scientific productivity should be measured not just by the number of publications but by the solutions provided to societal problems.

3. Academic Meritocracy and Scientific Freedom The state of universities in 2025, which are the driving force of scientific innovation, points to a meritocracy crisis. It is not possible to speak of original scientific production in an ecosystem where academic norms have weakened and meritocracy has been replaced by ideological or political proximities. The increasing administrative pressure on scientists is the primary driving force causing the most qualified minds to move beyond national borders.

4. The Green Transition and Technology Requirements In 2025, the most urgent innovation requirement both globally and in Türkiye has been green technologies to combat the climate crisis. However, the sacrifice of R&D studies in this field to financial rent has delayed realistic and sustainable solutions. For Türkiye to make a national technology move in this area, it is only possible with meritocratic personnel leading this process.

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A Note on Methods and Tools: All observations, ideas, and solution proposals in this study are the author’s own. AI was utilized as an information source for researching and compiling relevant topics strictly based on the author’s inquiries, requests, and directions; additionally, it provided writing assistance during the drafting process. (The research-based compilation and English writing process of this text were supported by AI as a specialized assistant.)