topic Ministry

Chile

Chile's scientific research and development activities are well developed. The country's research and development system is successfully integrated in international collaborations, and presented itself accordingly in the previous (6th) EU Framework Programme.

Political framework for bilateral cooperation in education and research

The intergovernmental agreement on scientific and technological cooperation (STC) between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Chile was concluded on 28 August 1970. However, due to the political situation between the overthrow of the Allende government in January 1973 and the democratic election of President Aylwin in December 1989, this framework agreement existed only on paper for many years. An agreement on a joint action programme to breathe new life into scientific and technological cooperation was concluded in 1999.

On the Chilean side, research policy is implemented by CONICYT, the National Commission of Scientific and Technological Research (Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica). However, the foreign ministry is responsible for bilateral STC with Germany. This means that, although the foreign ministry is our political partner, CONICYT is our most important science policy partner, especially when it comes to reciprocal financing of bilateral projects. On the German side, the BMBF is responsible for STC with Chile, with the support of the International Bureau of the BMBF.

President Michelle Bachelet, who took office in 2006, made it one of the priorities of her presidency to support research in Chile. In her government programme, she planned to increase investment in research and development in order to increase her country's competitiveness. In May 2008, the Chilean government announced a new programme for the support and intensification of continuing education abroad for highly motivated university graduates (Sistema Bicentenario Becas Chile). A total of US$ 6 billion has been set aside for a period of ten years; the scholarships are financed through the interest earned from this fund. The overall aim from 2008 to 2017 is to enable approximately 30,000 Chileans to pursue Master's degrees or doctorates abroad. The fund took up its activities in early August 2008.

In the European context, Chile prepared itself well for the 7th EU Research Framework Programme (FP7). An agreement on scientific and technological cooperation was signed as early as September 2002. Chile was one of the ten most successful third countries in terms of participation in FP6.

Chile's economy has been experiencing a boom since 2004. In 2007, GDP increased by 5.2% and is expected to remain almost stable this year, according to the German Office for Foreign Trade (bfai). Private consumption continues to grow at a rate of approximately 7%, thus boosting the economy. Imports have almost doubled over the last three years. According to the bfai, Chile's imports from Germany were worth approximately €1.2 billion in 2007.

Key areas of German-Chilean cooperation

In collaboration with its international partners, Chile is engaged in efforts to explore outer space and find out more about the Antarctic continent. The BMBF, in cooperation with numerous European and non-European partners, funds the construction and operation of efficient large-scale research equipment such as telescopes and research satellites, which has produced significant research results regarding the development and origins of the universe, our understanding of galaxies and massive black holes, and the emergence of stars and planets. In a new research initiative, the Helmholtz association developed a research plan entitled Risk Habitat Megacity (2005-2013). The aim of this research endeavour is to develop strategies for sustainable urban development in Latin-American urban areas, focusing on overcoming the ecological, social, and economic risks of mega-urbanization. The first case study is focusing on Santiago de Chile. Currently, researchers from five Helmholtz Association research centres, partners from Chile, and UN-CEPAL are involved in this project. In total there are three programmes that complement each other on the subject of megacities (HGF, DFG, BMBF). Plans to pool these into a national initiative for research on megacities are currently underway.

The Chilean Economic Development Agency CORFO has launched a new funding instrument that is managed by the innovation committee "InnovaChile". It will support the establishment of up to five international research establishments by providing US$ 19.5 million for each centre over a period of up to ten years. The Fraunhofer Society has submitted an application for funding under this programme. It plans to establish "Fraunhofer Chile - Center for Systems Biotechnology" in cooperation with five Chilean universities.

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology has also applied for funding under CORFO's new funding instrument. The envisaged specialist fields of the planned "KIT Chile" will be energy, nanoscience and microscience, a technology center, astrophysics, climate and the environment. A decision on which foreign centres of excellence will receive funding will probably be made before the end of 2009.
Highlights of bilateral cooperation

In September 2008, the first BMBF innovation forum took place in Santiago de Chile under the slogan "Germany - Land of Research" in connection with the largest German exhibition, the "EXPO Alemania". The aim was to raise awareness of German research in Chile and to improve cooperation between universities, research institutions and companies operating in this field.

Federal Minister of Education and Research Professor Annette Schavan paid a visit to Chile from 8 to 10 March 2009 as part of her trip to Latin America. On this occasion, four agreements were signed in the field of education and research.

In 2009, two innovation forums were carried out in Chile on behalf of the BMBF. The first forum, which focused on "Environment: Water and Soil" took place as part of the ExpoAmbiental in Santiago de Chile from 6 to 8 October.

At the same time, the BMBF-funded presentation of the MPG's "Science Tunnel" was opened in Valparaíso on 8 October. The exhibition will tour other Latin American countries in connection with the Bicentenario celebrations. The second innovation forum, on the subject of "Remediation of Polluted Sites in the Mining Industry", took place in Valparaíso from 2 to 4 November. The second mixed STC commission meeting was held simultaneously in Santiago on 3 and 4 November.

Funding for collaborations with Chile

Bilateral cooperation with Chile in science and technology has evolved continuously since 1999. The current key areas of STC are (1) biotechnology (particularly nutritional science), (2) basic research on renewable energies, (3) the sustainable use of natural resources, (4) environmental sciences and (5) marine and polar research.
Special activities of the BMBF and the science and intermediary organizations

In the area of university cooperation, the contacts between the University Rectors' Conference  (HRK) and the Chilean partner organization CHRUCH deserve special mention. After an equivalency agreement was signed in 1999 and supplemented by an agreement on consecutive study courses - the first of its kind - in 2000, the University Rectors' Conference concluded the first cotutelle (double doctoral degree scheme, cotutelle de thèse) agreement in Punta Arenas in 2002. The agreement regulates the procedure for doctoral theses that are supervised in two different countries. A framework contract on collaboration in the area of doctoral studies was negotiated in spring 2008. In the medium term, the aim is to establish four to six joint German-Chilean doctoral programmes. To this end, a framework contract was signed between the rectors' conferences of both countries in March 2009, when the HRK President and Federal Minister Professor Schavan were in Chile. The first binational doctoral programmes are currently being planned.

The University Rectors' Conference currently has 110 contractually regulated relationships between German and Chilean universities on its records. This makes Chile one of the most important Latin-American partners for German universities.

In 2009, the DAAD and the Chilean Ministry of Education signed the new scholarship programme "Becas Chile", which is designed to support Master's degree and doctoral studies as well as research visits of doctoral students to German universities. Over a period of 5 years, a total of 500 scholarship recipients are to come to Germany. At the same time, a similar collaboration agreement was concluded with InWEnt to support dual vocational education and training.

The DFG is investigating possibilities for direct research funding cooperation with Chilean universities. Plans for an international postgraduate research group are currently being drawn up.
The AvH signed an agreement with CONICYT on the reciprocal award of research prizes in March 2009, during Federal Minister Schavan's visit to Chile.

The MPG plans to hold a German-Chilean conference in the life sciences and natural sciences together with the University of Valparaíso in January 2010.
An agreement on closer cooperation between the Alfred Wegener Institute of the HGF and the Chilean Antarctic Institute was concluded in April 2006.