In addition to conferring awards and fellowships to distinguished scientists, the academy is also responsible with determining scientific priority areas and proposing policies and needed changes in legislation to the government.

Early examples of scientific academic institutions include the Sahn-ı Seman Medrese during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II and the Encümen-i Daniş, which was established in 1851 as the first Turkish Science Academy in the modern sense.

[5] Encümen-i Daniş, modeled after the French Academy of Sciences, was a pioneering committee tasked with preparing textbooks for the Darülfünûn, a university planned to be founded in the following years.

Another significant institution was the Cemiyet-i İlmiye-i Osmaniye, founded in 1861 during the Tanzimat, which published the first scientific journal, Mecmua-i Fünûn, but was closed in 1866.

The council was responsible for devising the necessary educational reforms and in July 1846, reported their findings to the Meclis-i Vâlâ, which was tasked with preparing the legislative texts.

[9] It aims to promote scientific approaches and thinking within society and proposes legislative changes to enhance the social status, living standards, incomes, and special privileges of Turkish scientists and researchers.

The academy also focuses on compiling Turkish Scientific Terminology Dictionaries, developing Open Course Materials, and conducting Cultural Inventory studies.

Through its Academy and University Conferences, TÜBA facilitates discussions and research on various topics like Science and Education Policies, Cancer, Stem Cells, Food and Nutrition, and Energy.