"Turkey has been financing these initiatives for the last 20-30 years through TUBITAK and various public institutions and has adopted this as a public policy," said Prof. Dr. Nail Öztaş said, "Because it is not possible to produce patents or produce copyrighted products without spending money on R&D."
The patenting of new inventions or utility models enables companies to compete strongly. With the patents obtained, the unauthorized production, use or sale of the projects is prevented. The data analysis of Destek Patent covering the years 2014-2018 showed that a total of 23,686 patent applications were made in Turkey in the last 5 years, both domestic and foreign, in the field of technology. The service classes gathered under the main heading of Electrical Communication Techniques consisted of pictorial communication, wireless communication networks, digital information transmission, processes - methods and line connectors.
According to the analysis, 62 percent of the patent applications in Turkey were foreign companies and 38 percent were domestic companies in the last 5 years. The total number of patent applications made by domestic and foreign companies approached the level of 30 thousand.
Vice Rector of Istanbul Gelişim University, which is one of the universities that supports its students in patent matters. Dr. Nail Öztaş stated that students studying at postgraduate levels are more inclined to obtain patents with the studies carried out. Öztaş said, “There is a process of elimination from the total number of researches to the final product reaching the user. Turkey has been financing these initiatives through TUBITAK and various public institutions for the last 20-30 years and has adopted this as a public policy. Because it is not possible to produce patents or produce copyrighted products without spending money on R&D.”
“PATENT MEANS GROWTH OF ECONOMY”
Evaluating the increase in patent applications, Prof. Dr. Nail Öztaş said, “This is very pleasing news and we expect more. A patent means that the knowledge, use and technology of a new thing you produce is legally secured. Therefore, the number of patents is a very important indicator in terms of showing how much of a country's knowledge or technology can be protected. The more products you can produce with high brand value, added value or high technology value, the more it is possible for your economy to grow, become richer and become a strong country. The number of patents is also very important for us in this respect and should continue to increase.”
THEY FOLLOW THE WORK TO THE END
Stating that students studying at graduate levels are more inclined to obtain patents with their studies, Prof. Dr. Öztaş continued his speech as follows:
“One of the things that the new YÖK expects from universities is R&D management. He also wants us to manage the service to the community, which is a very important element that complements this. In other words, they no longer want these schools to be run by chance. It is said, “First of all, you will have a goal”. Therefore, new patents, copyrights or artistic works are emerging through graduate students' theses, laboratory studies or applications. The work of both undergraduate and graduate level and academic staff needs to be managed. Like many universities, we also have a scientific research project application center, other research and application center, and a technology transfer office. And with their existing resources, we provide training to our students and research staff, we provide guidance, we provide financial support and we monitor the studies.”
“STUDENTS' INTERESTS HAVE DIFFERENT A LOT”
Noting that the interests of the students have become very different compared to the old times, Prof. Dr. Öztaş said, “We meet students who come with incredible ideas and we enjoy it very much. The student who said, 'I want to make a sculpture that gives a certain message to humanity with permeable cement', also came, and the student who works on a system that makes it possible to send the increased refund money in Istanbul Cards to various charities. Since there are already students from 56 different countries in the gastronomy department, they are making new mixtures and flavors, and they are also coming. Now some of our students will participate in the Istanbul Fest, they are making rockets and flying cars.”
“SUPPORTING THESE INITIATIVES HAS BEEN PUBLIC POLICY”
"First of all, the number of research and studies you have done should increase," said Prof. Dr. Öztaş said, “In the second step, it is necessary to look at how much results can be obtained from these studies. How suitable these outputs are for patenting, whether they are imitations of something else, is the next step. And it also matters whether these products reach a family as usable, for example. At the end of this process, we come across very naturally shrinking numbers. There is a process of elimination going from the total number of researches to the final product reaching the user. Turkey has started these initiatives for the last 20-30 years by TUBITAK and various public institutions.
