Key Facts

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  • Brazil’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) was established in 1985. MCT is the principal agency for scientific and technological policy, advising the Government on the broad allocation of funding and activity of other agencies. MCT administers PADCT, a program for the Support for Development of Science and Technology. Priorities areas for support include chemistry, biotechnology, materials science, industrial technology instrumentation, and S&T information. MCT also administers a Human Resources Development Plan, aimed at promoting creativity in industrial research through joint university-industry funding, primarily supporting engineering and technology PhDs.
  • Mercosur S & T activities are coordinated through the Secretariat for Technological Development (SETEC)
  • Major national S&T research and funding institutions include:
    • CNPq - The National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, is the largest and most important S&T organization in Brazil, with an annual budget of approx. US$ 600 million. $US420 million is spent on human resources and $US180 million on direct R&D costs. 10 national institutes plus two directorates make up CNPq.
    • FINEP – "Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos" provides financial support to companies and institutions that invest in the development of new products and processes.
    • CAPES – With an annual budget of US$ 400 million, CAPES seeks to stimulate the development of human resources for teaching and research, through the arding of scholarships, grants and other mechanisms.
    • INPA - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia is responsible for national research in the Amazon, with funding of US$ 25 million annually.
    • INPE – "Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais", funded at US$ 100 million annually, encompasses space research, climate forecasting stations, and climate change research.
    • INPI - National Institute for Industrial Property
  • Other government agencies also maintain a research arm, such as the EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agrícola), which includes lines of research on biotechnology and forestry. Together with the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. EMBRAPA has developed a research laboratory in Beltsville, MD.
  • INTERNATIONAL S&T COOPERATION - The Science and Research Division of the Ministry of Foreign Relations , administers a range of agreements from formal bilateral agreements to Memorandums of Understanding between countries and also bilateral inter-agency agreements. Informal partnerships can also be established through MCT or CNPq.
  • Research funding is also provided by state level funding agencies such as :
    • FAPESP - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
    • FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais
    • FAPERJ - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
    • FAPEPI - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Piauí
    • FADESP - Fundação de Amparo e Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa
    • FAPEAL - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas