Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu, TÜBİTAK) is a national agency of Turkey whose stated goal is to develop "science, technology and innovation" (STI) policies, support and conduct research and development, and to "play a leading role in the creation of a science and technology culture" in the country. TÜBİTAK was founded in 1963 as an autonomous public institution, governed by a Science Board.

TÜBİTAK develops scientific and technological policies and manages R&D institutes, carrying on research, technology and development studies in line with "national priorities". TÜBİTAK also acts as an advisory agency to the Turkish government and acts as the secretariat of the Supreme Council for Science and Technology, the highest science and technology policymaking body in Turkey. Through monitoring and evaluating national and worldwide STI policies and by performing or commissioning research on policy making formulation methods, TÜBİTAK prepares STI policy proposals and carries out studies.

In recent years, TÜBİTAK, founded as an apolitical institution, has been criticised for succumbing to political pressures put on it by the ruling conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP), and subsequently, for its refusal to fund evolutionary biology researches.