The Chilean government is studying in depth the idea of creating a Ministry of Science and Technology.

A recently published report calls for the establishment of the new ministry to ensure that science and innovation take a more central role in the development and cultural life of the South American country.

The report, , was authored by the Presidential Commission on Science for Chile¡¯s Development, a group established in January.

It outlines five strategic focuses for the country leading up to 2030, and calls for science, technology and innovation to become ¡°pillars of development¡± for Chile. These areas should be integrated into cultural, social and economic life, it adds.

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¡°Permanent human capacity¡± and multidisciplinary teams in science should be developed, as should an environment conducive to scientific culture and knowledge assessment, says the report, published in July.

It adds that Chile¡¯s ¡°institutional architecture¡± should be updated and strengthened to include science, innovation and technology, and that these fields should guide national priorities and help develop the country¡¯s production economy.

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Michelle Bachelet, president of Chile, said that the report would not sit on a shelf or desk. ¡°Our goal in creating this Commission has been to generate a working tool that allows [us] to have a framework and specific steps forward in the short and medium term," she said on 26 July.

¡°We want to fulfil our commitment to create the Ministry of Science and Technology. [Creating] a ministry is hard work, even when you have the resources.¡±

¡°So we will study in great detail the alternatives proposed in this report to make the right decisions for science and research in Chile,¡± she added.

She said that the goal was to strengthen research in Chile and provide an institution that is ¡°on the one hand effective [and] on the other hand agile¡±.

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Ms Bachelet added that the report¡¯s strategy was ¡°solid¡± and ¡°very applicable¡±, but that any transformation will require a ¡°shared commitment¡± and ¡°broad participation¡± from many different parts of society.

holly.else@tesglobal.com