Speaking at the 27th opening meeting of the Supreme Council for Science and Technology (SCST), Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the importance the government places on scientific and technological developments. "It is apparent that Turkey has improved so much within the last 12 years. Just like in many other areas, Turkey is making a historic breakthrough in terms of science, technology and innovation," said Erdogan. This was the 18th time Erdogan attended the SCST. During his speech, Erdogan praised the SCST's previous achievements and emphasized Turkey's potential, saying it can lead to further improvements in technology and science.Expressing how each decision taken by the SCST has been adopted and put into practice by all other institutions, Erdoğan added, "All the latest improvements that prove the power Turkey has in science, technology and innovation, which add value for our country, are all based on the decisions taken by the Supreme Council of Science and Technology."Each meeting of the SCST focuses on thematic areas, which are crucial for Turkey's economic and social development. Erdoğan further noted that he was glad to observe that there has been progress in all issues discussed by the council. "For example, in our meeting in 2010, we focused on energy and made decisions for improving local energy resources and local production technologies. Now, we are making better use of renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energies that are abundantly available in our country," said Erdoğan. He further noted that with new protocols signed by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, new plants are being built for increasing local energy production. The research & development personnel employed in the private sector have also increased as a result of these efforts.According to data from the Ministry of Science and Technology, for the first time, in 2009 research and development (R&D) personnel in the private sector was higher than the R&D personnel hired in higher education and continued to increase in the following years. The private sector's R&D personnel have multiplied by eight in 2012 when compared to 2000, reaching 52,000 people. "All these improvements are a sign of the momentum Turkey has picked up in science, technology and innovation," said Erdoğan and added that such developments need to be supported and each and every step Turkey takes from now on will be crucial.The prime minister also underlined the importance of being able to compete with developed countries, otherwise regression was inevitable. The main areas that need to be focused on according to Erdoğan are R&D and education. "Now it is time to transform the institutions we compete with, and to achieve this we should focus on information technology instead of productivity economy," said Erdoğan.Noting the pain suffered when founding the republic in 1923, Erdoğan stated how Turkey is now advancing in all fields, from economy to science, from diplomacy to arts. "We hope the coming years will be full of success and gains," said Erdoğan, wrapping up his speech.Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Işık also gave a speech and noted that the ministry has issued licenses for 159 companies to establish R&D centers. He further noted that more support would be available for R&D and innovation in order to embrace state-of-the-art technologies in all sectors. "Our industry should focus more on advanced technologies, and our traditional sectors should evolve into technology-intense, value-adding industries," said Işık.The SCST is the highest-ranking science and technology (S&T) policy-making body in Turkey chaired by the prime minister with the decision-making power for national S&T and innovation policy. The SCST was established and granted the role of identifying, monitoring and coordinating policies in S&T areas in accordance with national goals for economic and social development and national security. Accountable directly to the prime minister, the SCST upholds important functions, such as assisting the government in determining long-term S&T policies.Established in 1983, the SCST realized its first operational meeting in 1989, thus opening a new era for the S&T policy system, and started to convene with increasing intensity towards and after the turn of the new millennium. Since the mid-1990s, the SCST has also been engaged in a shift towards innovation-oriented S&T policies. Starting with the 10th meeting in 2005, this momentum was transitioned into the dynamic of meeting two times annually.