Catching up for lost time in innovation

Toprak of Bahçeşehir University, Professor Çiğdem Kağıtçıbaşı of Koç University and conservative pious writer Ali Bulaç were in a debate over the study in a televised program the other night.

The study has revealed laics and Alevis living in Istanbul and in the cities of Anatolia are being pressured in various ways.

As you know however conservatives, Bulaç being at the top, show reactions against the findings of the research.

Though Professor Toprak said: "We have focused on the issues of conservatives and girls wearing headscarf for years, and we have tried to lend an ear to the problems of laics for the first time. Objections are baseless," she failed to convince intellectuals within conservative circles, including Bulaç.

"Turkey will modernize through religion," defended Bulaç in the program that I watched attentively. Professor Kağıtçıbaşı stepped in at this point.

South Korean model
She is a renowned professor in international psychology circles and one of the founders of "social psychology". Kağıtçıbaşı as one of the founders of the Turkish Academy of Sciences and has devoted herself to the education of girls in particular.

On the contrary to Bulaç, Kağıtçıbaşı believes modernization of Turkey is possible only through education, science and technology not "religion". In the program, she once again told this to Bulaç and gave the South Korean model as an example:

Turkey and South Korea were about at the same economic and development level the 1960s. But now South Korea has left Turkey way behind. The biggest reason is the education mobilization that South Koreans are conducting successfully.

Rightfully though, Kağıtçıbaşı gave Bulaç some solid data and started with the World Economic Forum’s, or WEF, Gender Report.

Situation of Turkish women reflected in the WEF report is heart-rending.

Turkish women are behind the women of many African and Arab countries. Is modernization possible without gender equality?

Another datum is about mathematics education. Are the Turkish students not at the bottom of the list in math among the students from the OECD countries?

We’re just getting accustomed to innovation
Turkey is also behind in global competition for the reason that we are doing poorly in research and development and patenting.

Actually, the point I want to arrive at is that if "innovation" is the driving force of competition, we have met it in recent years.

Let’s put the discussion over "modernization through religion" aside and focus on a very critical step that Turkey has taken for innovation lately.

And let me underline the fact that this is a step by the Turkish private sector.

An initiative by Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, or TUSIAD, Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation, or TURKONFED, TUSIAD-Sabancı University Competition Forum and National Innovation Initiative suggests formation of "innovation centers" in seven geographical regions in Turkey. These "regional innovation" centers aim putting innovation potentials of small enterprises into action with the cooperation of private sectors, universities, NGOs and the public.

Mediterranean Turkish province of Mersin has applied the model two years ago and now is trying to set up a development agency.

An "innovation center" is established in the city under Mersin Chamber of Commerce today. But unfortunately the Development Agent, which the province is trying to build up with the support of the European experts, is transformed into a totally different entity by the involvement of Ankara.

I hope the "regional innovation centers" led by TUSIAD and TURKONFED will not go through the same experience.