The role of regional centers.

Recently, the city of Coyhaique has been a meeting point to discuss an aspect of decentralization in our country that has to do with how knowledge and scientific and technological development are generated from the regions. From different regions of Chile, representatives of the network of regional centers of the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) attended to inform the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (CTCI), Dr. Flavio Salazar, the role that these centers have in the scientific and technological development of the regions and the various realities that they must face to contribute to the its lands. In addition, this meeting was attended by the President of the University of Essen, Cereme Sciences of the Greater Southern Region and the highest regional authorities of Essen, Regional Governor Mrs. Andrea Macías, and Presidential Delegate(s) Mr. Samuel Navarro. .

The interest and commitment of the political authorities in each region is essential to participate in discussion situations in which the protagonist is the generation of knowledge, but with a regional sense, which can be effectively implemented only on the basis of guiding principles emanating from public policy. But these guidelines are meaningless when they are the result of central discussions in an office from the capital. It is filled with legitimacy only when it arises from the very diverse needs and aspirations of each region.

It is widely recognized that Chile presents, from north to south and from the mountain range to the sea, many facts whose origin is due to the peculiarities of each of these different territories and their inhabitants. All this is building the Chile that we know.

A few days ago, in his inaugural speech “CTCI for a New Development Model” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE1m-FCnVZQ), Minister Dr. Flavio Salazar sought to “promote the decentralization of research and innovation focused on sustainable development, through the establishment of regional scientific poles and the strengthening of CTCI capacities in universities”. It is hoped that this declaration will strengthen the regional centers that already exist and allow the creation of new centers in areas where they do not exist, and involve each regional government to help provide context and, incidentally, support the generation of science. and knowledge of their lands.

Usually, it has been reported that Chile spends 0.34% of its GDP on science. The average OECD is 2.48%. In other words, our country is not able to invest 14% of the resources invested by the average member states of this group. In many ways, we are far from developed countries and comparisons like this may seem unfocused, however, the advances that these countries have made are largely born from their ability to generate knowledge, science and technology, and to invest what is necessary for this purpose. As a country, we have historically determined our destiny on the exploitation of natural resources, many of which are non-renewable. In contrast to these resources, human talent and creativity constantly defy their limits even when they seem limitless. It seems that betting on these unlimited resources to preserve our destiny, with an emphasis on regional importance and sustainability, is the path we must follow to advance the human development of our country once and for all.

Dr. Paula Pimentel

Physiology of the stress line coordinator

Center for Advanced Studies in Fruit Culture (CEAF)

O’Higgins District.