ASO President Seyit Ardıç: “Ankara has proven itself as Türkiye’s leader in technology and prosperity.”
M. FERHAT YÜKSEL
Ankara has taken the lead in both technological advancement and socio-economic indicators, securing its position at the top in Türkiye. The 2024 Provincial Technological Development Index (ASO-İLTEK) report, prepared by the Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO), together with the Turkish Statistical Institute’s (TÜİK) first-ever 2023 Socio-Economic Level data, revealed that the capital is not only the political center but also the hub of science, technology, and prosperity.
ASO President Seyit Ardıç noted that both reports confirm Ankara’s leadership, saying: “Our capital has once again demonstrated, through the findings of TÜİK and ASO, that it is not only Türkiye’s political center but also its center of science, technology, and prosperity.”
TOP IN TECHNOLOGY INDEX
According to the ASO index, Ankara ranked first nationwide in research and innovation capacity, quality of life, and its appeal to a skilled workforce. The capital also doubled the national average in high-tech exports with a share of 12.1%. This figure placed Ankara ahead not only of major industrial cities such as Istanbul and Izmir but also of all provinces in Türkiye.
The report underlined that Ankara plays a decisive role in technology-based production thanks to its universities, research centers, technology parks, and strong industry–university cooperation.
LEADER IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS
According to TÜİK’s first Socio-Economic Level Score, Ankara surpassed Istanbul with a total of 150 points. The capital ranked first in the ratio of households at the upper and highest levels, while also showing balanced development in quality of life, education level, and prosperity indicators. Çankaya district was identified as the highest socio-economic district in Türkiye.
ARDIÇ: “ANKARA’S LEADERSHIP IS INDISPENSABLE”
ASO President Seyit Ardıç emphasized that Ankara plays a pioneering role in Türkiye’s global technology race:
“Ankara leads Türkiye’s global competitiveness with its capacity for high-tech exports, strong R&D ecosystem, and highly qualified human resources. TÜİK’s R&D expenditure statistics also confirm this leadership. Ankara ranks first in R&D spending. With its R&D investments, our capital is not only the winner of today but also of tomorrow. For Türkiye to stand out in the global technology race, Ankara’s strong leadership is indispensable.”
CENTER OF THE INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY CORRIDOR
Ardıç highlighted Ankara’s low earthquake risk, its strategic location at the heart of the Anatolian industry and technology corridor, and its developing infrastructure as major advantages. He noted that ASO’s ongoing Technology Base Project and Free Zone Project will further strengthen this position:
“To advance Ankara’s leadership, we will continue to expand high-value-added and innovative production capacity, support technology-based entrepreneurs, increase R&D investments, and enhance industry–university cooperation.”
A MODEL FOR TÜRKİYE
The convergence of the ASO-İLTEK report and TÜİK’s socio-economic data positions Ankara not only as a capital but also as a model for all of Türkiye. Indicators of technological production power and quality of life highlight Ankara’s critical role in Türkiye’s sustainable development goals.
Ankara’s leadership also carries significance for reducing regional development disparities across the country. The capital’s experience and policies are set to guide the development processes of other provinces.
By reinforcing its role as Türkiye’s hub of science and technology, and with its success in socio-economic indicators, Ankara has also emerged as the center of prosperity. The findings show that the capital is advancing steadily on the path to becoming not only Türkiye’s but also the region’s leader in technology and prosperity.
