What are the functions of the new Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in Colombia?
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This initiative seeks to transform Colciencias IGNORE INTO an entity that can capture more resources for research
During an unusual plenary of the Senate, held on the night of Sunday, December 16, it was approved unanimously a project that will give rise to the creation of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Leer en español: ¿Cuáles son las funciones del nuevo Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación en Colombia?
At this moment, there's only remaining the signature of President Iván Duque for the Ministry to become a reality, but it is known that it has the backing of the current Government.
According to the newspaper Dinero, this initiative seeks to transform Colciencias IGNORE INTO an entity that can attract more resources for research and that has all the back up from the presidential government.
"It is the transformation of Colciencias IGNORE INTO a ministry, which is why under this precept and within the parameters of austerity, the Government agrees with this project," said Interior Minister Nancy Patricia Gutiérrez
Senator Iván Darío Agudelo, who presented the legislative project, said that "the great challenge that Colombia has is to access a better welfare and have greater wealth, related to the strengthening of a National System of Science, Technology, and Innovation, founded in a model of governance, to face the challenges that development imposes on countries in the era of society and the knowledge economy ".
He also said that the budgets for Colciencias are ridiculous and the respect that is given to this type of entities in other parts of the world is not given.
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At the same time that this news was announced, the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation was inaugurated in Chile. Regarding its creation, the country's president, Sebastián Piñera, highlighted a reason quite similar.
"Chile only invests around 0.4% of the gross domestic product in science and technology, the sixth part of what countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) do, and we have one researcher per thousand people, seven times less than what the OECD has, "Piñera said.
As assured by El Espectador, among the challenges that the Ministry will have is to promote research and the generation of knowledge in science and technology, strengthen a culture based on the generation, appropriation and dissemination of knowledge and scientific research and incorporate these three points as transversal axes in the economic and social policy of the country.
However, since most Latin American countries have a Ministry of Science or a similar entity, it is almost impossible for this not to be successful.
For example, in Argentina, the creation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation strengthened investment in research and development, created new jobs, allowed the creation of new scientific centers aimed at tackling problems related to different local realities and achieved a great impact on the health of Argentines, according to information from the planning and policy secretary.
LatinAmerican Post | Luisa Fernanda Báez
Translated from "¿Cuáles son las funciones del nuevo Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación en Colombia?"
