The Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation is the Ministry of State of Chile in charge of structuring, promoting, coordinating and promoting science,
humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at th ...
and
technological development activities in all their stages, to contribute to the sustainable development and social welfare of the country.
It was created as a replacement for the
National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research, which was in charge of the
Ministry of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
. The current minister of the ministry is
Silvia Díaz, who was appointed by Gabriel Boric on September 6 2022.
It was created during the second government of President Sebastián Piñera promulgated on 27 July 2018, and published in the
Official Journal
A government gazette (also known as an official gazette, official journal, official newspaper, official monitor or official bulletin) is a periodical publication that has been authorised to publish public or legal notices. It is usually establis ...
on 13 August of the same year.
According to the norm, the President of the Republic had one year to set the date on which the ministry began to operate
and which replaced the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research and the Superior Councils for Science and Technological Development.
History
The ministry was implemented from a national need for an institution that manages to coordinate efforts in science and technology. Currently in Chile it is pointed out that there is a low scientific and social organization of science and technology, the low state economic investment (0.34% of GDP in 2018) and the political institutionality of knowledge generated by research in Chile. National researchers and scientists have marched in 2017 and 2018 demanding improvements to science and technology from part of the government.
On 1 October 2019, the ministry officially begins to function employing 45 permanent officials that include the Minister of Science, the Subsecretary of Science, the officials who helped form the ministry and the five SEREMIs that were appointed by the
President of Chile
The president of Chile ( es, Presidente de Chile), officially known as the President of the Republic of Chile ( es, Presidente de la República de Chile), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Chile. The president is re ...
; and by 2020 with nearly 100 employees, including those transferred from the Subsecretary of Economy and the Subsecretary of Education. Originally, their offices were at the
Palacio de La Moneda
Palacio de La Moneda (, ''Palace of the Mint''), or simply La Moneda, is the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile. It also houses the offices of three cabinet ministers: Interior, General Secretariat of the Presidency and General Secre ...
;
however, in June 2021, the ministry moves from its offices in the Palacio de la Moneda to its new location on Calle Morandé, one block from the presidential palace.
First minister's Announcement
After the announcement of the promulgation of the law that creates the ministry, there were many public comments about who could be the new minister of the portfolio; Among the most mentioned names were Hernán Cheyre, director of entrepreneurship at the
Universidad del Desarrollo
Universidad del Desarrollo (Spanish for "University for development") is a Chilean private university, one of the most expensive universities in the region. Its main campus is in Santiago de Chile, with a secondary campus in Concepción.
Histor ...
, Álvaro Fischer, member of the
National Council of Innovation for Development,
Mónica Rubio
Monica is a female given name with many variant forms, including Mónica (Italian, Spanish and Portuguese), Mônica (Brazilian Portuguese), Monique (French), Monika (German, Indian), Moonika (Estonia), and Mónika (Hungarian).
History
The ety ...
, Chilean astronomer at the
University of Chile
The University of Chile ( es, Universidad de Chile) is a public research university in Santiago, Chile. It was founded on November 19, 1842, and inaugurated on September 17, 1843. , and
Mario Hamuy
Mario Andrés Hamuy Wackenhut (born 1960) is a Chilean Astronomer and Professor of Astronomy at the University of Chile and Cerro Calan Observatory. He is well known for his observational work on all classes of supernovae, especially the use of ...
, president of
CONICYT
CONICYT is a Chilean government agency responsible for coordinating, promoting and aiding scientific research in the country. The name is an acronym of ''Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica'' meaning "National Commi ...
.
On 17 December 2018, during the second government of President Sebastian Piñera, the president announced at La Moneda Palace that the neurobiologist
Andrés Couve Correa will be the first minister, while the biologist and executive director of the Millennium Scientific Initiative,
Carolina Torrealba, was appointed as the Subsecretary of the portfolio.
Overview
According to what is dictated by the law that creates the ministry, its main job is to advise and collaborate with the President of the Republic in the drafting and application of policies, plans and programs that promote and strengthen science, technology and
innovation
Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or service (economics), services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a ...
that arises from research, with the purpose of contributing to
national development
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
, strengthening cultural, educational, social and economic heritage at various territorial scales. In addition, the ministry must seek methods to coordinate national regulations that promote research as well as to incorporate the knowledge generated by scientific-technological innovation in the development of public policies and public-private initiatives.
On the other hand, it is also responsible for fostering the creation of infrastructure and institutions, the training of professionals and their insertion in the public and/or private environment, fostering the
publication
To publish is to make content available to the general public.[Berne Con ...](_blank)
and linking of ongoing research with the environment, promoting the formation of
scientific culture as well as its assessment and communication, promoting equitable gender participation, taking charge of international treaties, spatial research and development, preservation of the national scientific and technological heritage, among others.
To achieve this, the ministry can propose public regulations, request research, award awards, develop activities focused on scientific dissemination, maintain a database on scientific and technological production and financing in the country, develop national standards regarding infrastructure and research, among other attributions.
Organization
* Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation
* Subsecretary of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, on which they depend:
** Regional Ministerial Secretaries of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation.
*** The five macrozones are
Antofagasta
Antofagasta () is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2015 census, the city has a population of 402,669.
After the Spanish American ...
,
Valparaíso
Valparaíso (; ) is a major city, seaport, naval base, and educational centre in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. "Greater Valparaíso" is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about northwest of Santiago ...
,
Concepción,
Valdivia
Valdivia (; Mapuche: Ainil) is a city and commune in southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. The city is named after its founder Pedro de Valdivia and is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, and Cau-Cau ...
y
Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas (; historically Sandy Point in English) is the capital city of Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antarctica Chilena. The city was officially renamed as Magallanes in 1927, but in 1938 it was changed back to "Punta Aren ...
.
** Advisory Council of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation
* National Research and Development Agency of Chile
**
National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (Fondecyt)
* National Council of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation for Development
* Interministerial Committee for Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation
Lists of ministers
References
External links
Website{{Authority control
Ministries established in 2018
Science and technology in Chile
Government ministries of Chile
Science and technology ministries
2018 establishments in Chile