About Law No. 6550
The “Law on Supporting Research Infrastructures” No. 6550 was published in the Official Gazette dated 10 July 2014 to solve the common operational problems observed in the main fields of management, finance, personnel employment, performance system and collaborations of academy-based R&D Centers established with public support, to ensure the administrative and financial sustainability of these infrastructures, to increase collaboration and interaction with stakeholders, especially the private sector, and to increase the economic and social benefits of the studies they carry out. The purpose of the law is to enable "research infrastructures to be supported to ensure more effective use and sustainability".
Law No. 6550 provides an institutional, effective and sustainable management and aims to overcome the difficulties and constraints that stand out related to lack of transparent management, status uncertainty, lack of own budget and staff, the inability to attract qualified researchers from Turkey and abroad due to staff shortages and remuneration policy, the lack of supporting elements for partnership and collaboration with stakeholders, especially the private sector, restriction of users' access to investments, maintenance investments needed after the initial investment, and financing problems related to current expenditures .
With the proposed new model, research infrastructures that prov to be at a certain level of competence are intended to be able to host qualified manpower, accommodate extensive machinery-equipment investment, be used effectively by large segments, form close collaborations with the private sector, and have a performance-based structure that will not be affected by management changes in universities.
The law numbered 6550 introduces important innovations in matters such as management, financing, human resources and performance evaluation in order to transform research infrastructures into effective and sustainable structures, and these centers have been designed as effective Interfaces under the main headings of research, service, added value, training and collaborations.
SUNUM is a Center of Excellence that started its activities as a "National Research Infrastructure" by obtaining qualification on 16 August 2017 under the law numbered 6550.