FINAL REPORT OF THE SIXTH REGULAR MEETING OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (COMCYT).DOC

ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) SIXTH REGULAR MEETING OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY September 9-10, 2010 Washington, D.C OEA/Ser.W/XIII.3.5 CIDI/COMCYT/doc.9/10 28 October 2010 Original: Spanish FINAL REPORT OF THE SIXTH REGULAR MEETING OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (COMCYT) TABLE OF CONTENTS I INAUGURAL SESSION II FIRST PLENARY SESSION .2 Adoption of the draft agenda, the annotated agenda, and the draft work calendar 2 Progress Reports on the Plan of Action of Mexico  Inter-American Committee on Science and Technology (COMCyT) .2  Executive Secretariat, Organization of American States Working Group of the Permanent Executive Committee of the InterAmerican Council for Integral Development (CEPCIDI) to strengthen CIDI and its organs .4 Civil Society Recommendations National Progress Reports on the Plan of Action of Mexico .5  Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI) and public development policies  Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI) as instruments for sustainable management of natural resources  Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI) as instruments to increase productivity .7 III SECOND PLENARY SESSION Presentation of the projects supported and implemented by OSTI in compliance with the mandates of the Second Ministerial Meeting .9  Innovation and Competitiveness  Metrology  Scientific Journalism 10  Engineering Education .10 Inter-agency Roundtable on Cooperation in Science and Technology: Supply and Demand 11 IV THIRD PLENARY SESSION 12 Election of authorities 12 Third Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities on Science and Technology within the framework of CIDI 13 Support mechanisms for the COMCYT .13 Other matters .13 Conclusions and Recommendations of the VI Regular meeting of the COMCYT 14 V CLOSING SESSION 15 VI SELECTED ACRONYMS .16 iii iv FINAL REPORT OF THE VI REGULAR MEETING OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (COMCYT) The Sixth Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Committee on Science and Technology (COMCYT), held on September and 10, 2010, at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C., was convened by the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) of the OAS as the Technical Secretariat of that Committee, pursuant to Article of the Rules of Procedure of the COMCYT Twenty-six member states took part in the meeting: Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela Documents, speeches and presentations made during the meeting are available on the web page of the VI COMCYT: www.sedi.oas.org/DTTC/comcyt I INAUGURAL SESSION The inaugural session was held on September 9, 2010, and was chaired by Mr José Lino Barañao, Minister of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation of Argentina Joining him at the head table were: Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, Ambassador Mauricio Cortes Costa, Executive Secretary for Integral Development (SEDI), Mr Jorge Saggiante, Director of the Department of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism (DDECT), and Mr Oscar Harasic, Chief of the OAS Office of Science, Technology, and Innovation (OSTI) Ambassador Ramdin opened the session emphasizing that in order to increase competitiveness, productivity, and employment opportunities in the Hemisphere, it is essential to foster public policies aimed at increasing investment in science and technology; to invest in education and to encourage young people to take an active part in matters of social, cultural, economic, scientific and technological importance; to develop a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation; to encourage cooperation between academia, the private sector and the government; and to strengthen alliances with other countries in order to share best practices Immediately following Ambassador Ramdin, Minister Barañao pointed out that there are varying degrees of scientific-technological development in the region but that there are also common challenges, among them: increasing sustainable production; fostering social inclusion through job creation and improving the living conditions of the population; developing a scientific culture; making profound changes and carrying out specific actions in education in order to prepare and train individuals who are highly skilled in science and technology; teaching new generations about the consequences of economic development and the impact of technology; fostering entrepreneurship by developing institutional support mechanisms for those who are willing to take the risk to start a technology based business; impressing upon university graduates the value of intellectual property; achieving cooperation between countries with regard to science policies by coordinating joint actions and efforts to make them more efficient and, most of all, to apply them in areas where it is possible to achieve short-term and mid-term results, and establishing international cooperation agreements in order to prevent policies from changing from one government to the next and thus ensuring that longrange objectives are maintained II FIRST PLENARY SESSION The First Plenary Session addressed the following subject matters: Adoption of the draft agenda, the annotated agenda, and the draft work calendar The draft agenda, the annotated agenda and the draft work calendar were adopted without modifications Progress Reports on the Plan of Action of Mexico  Inter-American Committee on Science and Technology (COMCyT) As Chairman of the COMCYT, Minister Barañao, presented an executive report in which he indicated that the countries have enhanced the role of science and technology by strengthening their national secretariats; implementing policies, laws, and regulatory frameworks to foster knowledge creation and the application of technology and innovation as development tools Furthermore, the Minister stated that these new policies have helped the development and strengthening of higher education and its ability to graduate highly qualified individuals He also pointed out the increased level of connectivity in the region which makes it easier for the general population to have access to and make use of scientific and technological knowledge But, the Minister said, the private sector is investing very little in science, technology, and innovation He added that ever since Argentina assumed the chairmanship of the COMCYT, it has tried to detect areas where science and technology not have a presence, or where priority areas at regional level not have sufficient financing; to provide more focus to the strategic actions of the COMCYT; to compile information on available sources of funds to finance science and technology activities; to avoid overlap regarding financing or duplication of efforts; and to push for the development of Regional Technological Platforms that take advantage of the knowledge and innovation in the region to sustain growth Minister Barañao concluded his presentation by emphasizing that the OAS is an ideal forum for regional dialogue and cooperation and provides an important opportunity to contribute information and recommendations to the highest authorities in science and technology in preparation for the Third Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities in Science and Technology (Ministerial)  Executive Secretariat, Organization of American States Ambassador Cortes Costa pointed out the urgent need to increase public and private investment in Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI) in order to achieve socioeconomic and competitive growth; to design and implement policies that encourage and promote the participation of the private sector; to foster from a very early age innovation and entrepreneurship as engines of long range social, cultural, economic, and political development, and to strengthen the link between academia, research centers and businesses in order to support and guide the development and innovation of commercially viable products and applications Ambassador Cortes Costa presented -3- 20/25 Vision, a new inter-American science and technology program that highlights inclusive innovation to promote sophisticated knowledge to invent, design, produce, and sell high performance products and services at accessible prices to the neediest individuals and encouraging them to take part in co-creating and co-innovating inclusive solutions He also pointed out that the OSTI has been working in several strategic areas such as the popularization and appropriation of science; the development of skills in metrology and in quality systems; improving engineering education and developing biotechnology Furthermore, the ambassador reminded the delegates that the OAS provides a political and technical cooperation space in which to join forces, search for ways to complement each other’s efforts, create synergies and be able to share the benefits brought about by science and technology But, he added, this requires decisive political and financial support in order to make a relevant contribution to the development of the region Ambassador Cortes Costa concluded his presentation by pointing out that the meeting offered the opportunity to reaffirm priorities, design new and better cooperation strategies, and make solid commitments that would actually lead States from declarations of universal agreement to specific and objective actions, and urged member states to translate their political commitment into financial support Next, Mr Saggiante pointed out that Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI) are the main agents of change and socio-economic development and that it is essential to have political support and commitment to develop policies that encourage substantive, strategic, and permanent public and private investment in order to meet the objective of investing 1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in science and technology He suggested strengthening the link between academia and the scientific sector with industry in order for universities to better guide their research towards practical applications and, therefore, turn out a better trained labor force Mr Saggiante said that hemispheric coordination and cooperation were essential in creating synergies that would boost the impact of the resources available to each country and to increase competitiveness and development He stressed the urgency of taking decisive, long-term actions that would put the region on the path to greater growth and to a more sustainable and higher quality development He concluded his presentation by urging member states to develop a medium and long-term InterAmerican Program on Science, Technology and Innovation (20/25 Vision), with clearly identifiable objectives and goals that could be followed up in a timely and efficient manner Following Mr Saggiante’s presentation, Mr Oscar Harasic spoke of science and technology as essential instruments that must be planned and used to help social and economic development He highlighted some important projects carried out by OSTI: Science, Technology and Innovation Program for Society; Popularization and Appropriation of Science; Gender mainstreaming; BioInnovation Network for the Americas (BIONNA); Innovation Awareness Seminars; Engineering Education for Competiveness Program, and Metrology Projects Last, Mr Harasic pointed out the need to make governments and the private sector aware of the importance of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in the development of the region; to invest in infrastructure, training, sharing of best practices, research and to facilitate trade; and to develop sustainable mechanisms for allocating financial resources The delegations requested the floor The United States delegate pointed out his government’s commitment to support education, foster entrepreneurship, promote a culture of innovation, and encourage the participation of women for the purpose of increasing trade and development The delegate reaffirmed the important role played by OAS initiatives such as Engineering for the Americas (EftA) and the Inter-American Metrology System He recommended increasing private investment, encouraging young people to study applied sciences and to strengthen international -4- alliances in order to foster a climate of innovation in the Hemisphere In conclusion, the delegate said that they should learn from successful experiences in other countries and to seek cooperation The delegate of Costa Rica expressed the opinion that science and technology topics must address the needs of the region The delegate suggested strengthening education systems and encouraging the training of scientists from a very early age because they will be the developers of technology in the future Last, the delegate urged the participants not to confuse “access to information”–to have information available for use–with “access to knowledge”–to have the analytical and intellectual skills to understand this information For her part, the delegate of El Salvador spoke of the establishment in her country of the Vice Ministry of Science and Technology with two main areas of responsibility: education and research Furthermore, the delegate pointed out that the administrative systems in the countries obstruct and delay the development of science and technology due to, primarily, the amount of time it takes them to sign agreements and to purchase new equipment, which prevents highly skilled individuals from transforming their ideas into products and services, and, in fact, encourage them to emigrate She suggested that the OAS conduct a study to determine existing administrative obstacles in universities that hinder scientific and technological development in the region Working Group of the Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CEPCIDI) to strengthen CIDI and its organs Mr Darren Rogers, Chair of the CEPCIDI Working Group and Alternate Representative of the Mission of Canada to the OAS, pointed out three priority areas: to strengthen existing cooperation mechanisms and to create new ones; improve the relationship between political processes, such as ministerial or high authorities’ meetings, with OAS cooperation and programs; and to improve the architecture of the OAS in order to take full advantage of the working groups Moreover, Mr Rogers indicated that they must seek sources of financing either within the OAS, through member states, or outside of it, and evaluate the performance of the groups identifying which elements have worked and which have not Civil Society Recommendations Mrs María Petrie, Executive Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACCEI), and Vice President of EftA to improve curricula, led the presentation She made reference to the importance of the Engineering Education for Competitiveness (EEC) project of the OSTI, which proposes curriculum reform and the dissemination of best practices through centers of excellence Mrs Petrie further emphasized that the collaborative projects on Metrology and Logistics developed by OSTI promise to have significant impact in the area of productivity She recommended that governments commit funds to EftA; promote the international accreditation of engineering programs as well as the training of professors and deans in order to reform the teaching of engineering; and that they commit themselves to help provide data for studies and to develop science and technology strategies Last, Mrs Petrie suggested that the topic Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI) in the prevention of and recovery from disasters be included in the next ministerial meeting -5- The next presentation was made by Mrs Alice Abreu, Director of the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the International Council for Science (ICSU) She pointed out that ICSU has emphasized increasing scientific capacity in developing countries and the integration of science in international research activities Her recommendations to the COMCYT were: to identify the risks and the impact of natural disasters; to develop an inter-American study on renewable energy; to identify research priorities in biodiversity and to evaluate the impact of climate change, and improve math education Last, in his presentation, Mr Benjamín Marticorena, Director of Academic Relations of the Latin American Cooperation of Advanced Networks (CLARA), recommended to the COMCYT to extend high speed national networks for research and education beyond their capital cities to the interior of the countries, in order to foster the development of the local economy and of the intellectual skills of the population; and to increase budget allocations specially for accredited postgraduate education programs He also pointed out the importance of international cooperation in order for countries to collaborate with others to carry out joint research projects to produce better results National Progress Reports on the Plan of Action of Mexico  STEI and public development policies The delegate of Saint Lucia began his presentation by pointing out that in the area of education his country’s efforts were aimed at providing schools computers and internet access, and to educate the population in applying science and technology to agriculture in order to increase production while using less land In the area of integral policies, the delegate indicated that his government had established the National Council on Science and Technology for Development which would provide the guidelines to advance in Science, Technology and Innovation Furthermore, he indicated that they would invest in scientific and technological research for the purpose of optimizing the use of drinking water and to search for new methods to generate power In conclusion, the delegate said that Saint Lucia was ready to cooperate with other countries in science and technology Next, the delegate of Mexico described the activities carried out by the National Science and Technology Council of Mexico (CONACYT), including scholarships granted for post-graduate and doctoral degree programs and specializations; the establishment of the Accreditation Program for educational programs; the development of the National System of Researchers; the creation of the repatriation program; the development of thematic research networks to foster the relationship between academia, government and society; secure financing to carry out specific scientific and technological development projects; support programs for businesses that invest in innovation, and the development of a reservoir of evaluators to improve the level of specialization and interdisciplinary knowledge of those individuals who evaluate science and technology projects Other areas to which Mexico is committed include: improving indicators; to standardize information in order to guarantee useful comparisons at the international level; to increase the participation of women in science and technology, and to strengthen bilateral and multilateral links with other countries -6- Last, the delegate of Peru began his presentation by noting that in order to provide consistency and permanence to laws and policies on science and technology, support mechanisms need to be developed to help countries achieve their objectives despite changes in government The delegate also highlighted some of the activities carried out by the National Council on Science, Technology and Technological Innovation of Peru (CONCYTEC) such as the enactment of the Framework Law; the establishment of Regional Science and Technology Councils; meetings between universities and the private sector, and the establishment of CONCYTEC Chairs He acknowledged the importance of disseminating scientific information both for society and for politicians and entrepreneurs, to drive home the point that in order to reduce poverty resources must not only be allocated to address social concerns but also to support science and technology In closing, he pointed out the essential role played by international scientific cooperation in providing support for science and technology policies  STEI as instruments for sustainable management of natural resources The United States delegation introduced this topic with two presentations In the first one, the delegation pointed out the need to establish new alliances to promote science and technology The delegate described three initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) regarding climate change that had received financial support through a mechanism developed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to cofinance projects and indicated that this mechanism could be applied to other projects in the region In the second presentation, as an example of cooperation, the delegate mentioned the SERVIR Project, a geospatial technology platform to address the risks of climate change which was developed to support the countries in Central America and is now being applied in other regions of the world Next, the delegate of Nicaragua spoke of the importance of implementing preventive measures to mitigate the catastrophic impact of natural disasters and to encourage national and international private sector investment by making the opportunity to invest more attractive and safer through laws, contracts, and institutions The delegate described some of the projects carried out by his country: the establishment of a legal, political, and regulatory framework that promotes development; the creation of a scientific, technological, and innovation registry; securing sources of financing to promote science and technology; encouraging universities to develop innovative businesses; strengthening alliances between government, academia, and the private sector; the establishment of the Academy of Science; fostering new engineering careers; promoting hydrological research, and growth in the areas of geothermal and wind energy among others Last, the delegate of Trinidad and Tobago pointed out that his country recognizes that science and technology lead to fast and dramatic industrial and human development, improving the quality of life and the country’s ability to compete The delegate enumerated the seven pillars of development his country has put forth and described the most important science and technology projects being implemented by various institutions: the Coastal Surveillance System; Science Fairs to encourage young people; the Development of the Health and Wellness Tourism Industry and of renewable energy projects, among others The delegations made their comments The delegate from Saint Lucia stated that in Caribbean countries, people don’t know what to to address climate change and asked the United States delegate if there were funds that Saint Lucia could have access to in order to raise awareness -7- among its population regarding this subject The United States delegate answered that there was, for example, the Energy Program on scientific education about climate change and developing awareness and that the NSF and other agencies had funds allocated to those subject areas The delegate of Colombia emphasized the importance that science education begin at a very early age, in the first years of school, and for it to be supported up to and including the doctorate degree, citing as an example the COLCIENCIAS program ONDAS which promotes scientific education in schools, and the Bicentennial Doctoral Education Program The delegate also spoke of the need to encourage doctorate graduates to return to their countries once they have completed their studies or to work with their countries from the country in which they were trained, and urged the other countries to share the experiences and strategies used He pointed out that his country is already working in this area with the World Bank and with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Minister Barañao pointed out the importance of using advertising campaigns to promote careers in science in order to attract young people to enter the field and also to attract entrepreneurs who want to invest The delegate of Saint Kitts and Nevis consulted with the United States delegation regarding the mechanisms to gain access to the education funds previously mentioned The United States delegation indicated that, currently, there are no specific mechanisms for island states but that there is a great deal of interest among the U.S scientific community and that the new NSF-USAID agreement seeks to establish those mechanisms Furthermore, the United States delegate added that the predictive models were quite reliable and that they could begin working right away with the information compiled in order to address climate change The Panamanian delegate referred to the Logistics Center recently established in her country with the support of the OAS and the IDB, and pointed out that logistics is a priority topic in economic development The delegate explained that the center would provide opportunities for industry, government, and universities to collaborate in improving logistics performance, increase trade and take advantage of synergies Last, the delegate urged the delegations to use the information already compiled to devise practical solutions and thus strengthen the region  STEI as instruments to increase productivity With regard to the progress made in Argentina, Minister Barañao explained that in order to resolve the lack of financial mechanisms to protect intellectual property, a system of subsidies was created to make it possible for researchers or companies to contract a professional study to register a patent for the property, therefore providing more security to the investor On the other hand, given the lack of a critical mass to conduct research, the concept of technical partnerships or associations was promoted both in the public and private sectors, by making subsidies available to academic networks and to the productive sector The Minister pointed out that they had few results when financing incubators because there were many incubators but few projects and companies that could carry them to fruition Therefore, the government now finances public-private entities that follow the project and are compensated if the enterprise prospers, establishing objectives from the beginning and determining who is going to sell whatever is developed At the same time, the government reserves for itself a share of the business in order to guarantee that those companies operate in the country and that the product developed is accessible to the population who financed the investment through their -8- taxes Faced with a lack of trained individuals, a Human Resources Program was established as part of the Framework Program Raíces (Roots) which consists of a subsidy to institutions to fund the salary of one researcher and a subsidy to the institution to improve its laboratories A very significant investment was made in heavy equipment used by researchers abroad, such as big telescopes and nuclear magnetic resonance equipment, so as to make it more attractive for them to return to the country At the same time, the government funded the training of technological managers at the universities who will play the role of interlocutors between the scientific and the productive areas In his presentation, the delegate of Ecuador pointed out that his country had followed two strategies for scientific and technological development The first was to invest in training qualified S&T human resources as an essential step to increase productivity To accomplish that, Ecuador entered into agreements with universities around the world and developed hybrid programs for local training The second strategy was to promote research in order to preserve and use biodiversity On that last point, the delegate described the project to create the Institute for Genomic Biology and the Conservation and Use of Biodiversity of Ecuador Another project mentioned by the delegate was the First Call for Projects for Entrepreneurial Scientists which supports innovative projects The delegate of the Dominican Republic followed with a presentation on the Science and Technology Strategic Plan 2008-2018 He mentioned the importance of strengthening National Science and Technology Systems and added that if society does not take ownership of science and technology, whatever results are achieved will not be long-lasting and future decisions will be made without the necessary scientific knowledge The delegate stated that in order to foster closer relations between businesses and universities, curricula are being adapted to the needs of businesses and funding is being provided for innovative projects for businesses that partner with universities, citing the Guarantee Fund as an example The delegates offered their comments The delegate of Venezuela pointed out that the creation of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Intermediate Industries allowed them to receive greater financial support; satisfy demand; contribute solutions, and make the productive sector more dynamic through a production model which is less concerned with the growth of capital and more directed towards social satisfaction He described the experience of creating socialist networks of productive innovation that help identify local innovators in their communities to help then get organized and to disseminate their innovations Another experience to stimulate and promote national technological innovation was providing financial support to technologists in the process of materializing their prototypes and services in order to help them reach a productive scale This process allowed them to substitute imported goods with goods and services produced in the country The delegate of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines spoke about the problem presented in small countries by the high cost of technology transfer and pointed out that businesses must use innovation to constantly renew themselves and remain competitive or they will be left out of the marketplace Chairman Barañao suggested creating support networks among the countries in order to acquire and adapt new technologies Given that the cost of adapting advanced technology is very high, he proposed a gradual scheme to begin incorporating accessible technology according to each country’s needs and strategy The delegate of Costa Rica said that governments must have the capacity to take risks and to be prepared to accept that not every decision is going to turn out well She also suggested evaluating -9- the amount of time elapsed between the building of a prototype and the moment the product reaches the market because if it takes too long, demand for the product may have disappeared The delegate noted that to purchase any technology implies dependency and risk, therefore countries need leaders who look for new areas for investment where impact can be generated at a lower risk The delegate of the United States said that although the risk is high, the results could be very positive He underscored the importance of alliances between countries because they increase exponentially the results that can be achieved He emphasized that scientific education must be imparted through formal and informal systems The delegate stressed four points: STEI must be included in the development plans of each country; investment in education must be increased; countries have to accept the fact that innovation is difficult but they must not lose hope when confronted with failure; and governments must foster relationships with universities since they are “islands of stability” where knowledge is stored He concluded his presentation by pointing out that the OAS can and must much more to support STEI III SECOND PLENARY SESSION Presentation of the projects supported and implemented by OSTI in compliance with the mandates of the Second Ministerial Meeting  Innovation and Competitiveness Mr Jaime Amsel, CEO of Group Ltd., pointed out that creativity is essential to innovation and must therefore be stimulated in various ways in order to develop the necessary capacities He emphasized that in order to attract young people to the field of applied sciences they must be shown innovative applications He also pointed out that another essential factor in innovation is alliances between countries Mr Amsel suggested some ideas to help innovation blossom such as: create a space where innovative ideas can be heard and discussed; promote the relationship and agreements between government, academia, businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs); form multidisciplinary teams to foster greater creativity; enlist government support to establish small, technology-based private enterprises, that compete with each other; carry out enterprise and innovation workshops sponsored by universities; promote research of innovative projects, and, most important of all, develop innovative policies  Metrology Mr Héctor Nava, Director General of the National Metrology Center of Mexico (SERNAM), referred to the importance of the infrastructure of quality and metrology since the availability of reliable measuring systems that are equivalent to and equally accepted as other systems around the world, is essential to trade and to the protection of the domestic consumer He described the activities carried out by the Inter-American Metrology System (SIM) and emphasized the advantages of regional cooperation in metrology which provides access to greater training opportunities; ensures the traceability of measurements, and through contact networks, allows the sharing of best practices In closing, he recommended continuing regional cooperation efforts in order to get member states to pay more attention to metrology - 10 - The next presentation was made by Mrs Rocío Marbán, lead consultant in the metrology project being developed by OSTI with financial support from the IDB She described the process to develop the recently completed “Regional Action Plan to Strengthen Basic Skills in Metrology Services in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic,” which seeks to help participating countries to develop basic metrological capacity and to achieve the standardization and integration of metrological services within the region  Scientific Journalism Mr Pere Estupinya, a scientific journalist from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, presented the Inter-American Scientific Journalism Program (PIPC) developed by OSTI, aimed at building capacity in this discipline in Latin America and the Caribbean to expand the popularization and appropriation of science and technology among legislators and society in general He indicated that a public commitment to science and its dissemination promoted greater political participation by members of society in these topics, fostered greater interest in science and technology among students, and made government more inclined to invest in scientific issues Mr Estupinya indicated that it was necessary to achieve more critical mass through the training of scientists, politicians, editors, and the media, among others, and that the Inter-American Scientific Journalism Portal created by OSTI was an essential instrument in accomplishing this task He also mentioned the courses offered by several member states and the training seminars that would be held in Argentina, Mexico, and the Caribbean in the coming months  Engineering Education Mr Luiz Scavarda, Vice-Chancellor of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Engineering for the Americas Program (EftA), described the hemispheric initiative EftA, whose purpose is to develop and support qualified engineers in order to make industry in Latin America and the Caribbean more competitive through innovative education, accreditation, and quality assurance and cooperation with industry He pointed out the need to update and train engineering professors, to develop a social and environmental vision in students in order to achieve sustainable growth, and to internationalize the training of engineers to increase the competitiveness of the region He also mentioned that it was essential to attract industrial investment Mr Scavarda alsodescribed the Engineering Education for Competitiveness Program proposed by OSTI, which seeks to improve curricula in the five basic areas of engineering (Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, and Chemical - CIMEQ) in Latin America and the Caribbean to collaborate in training a highly qualified labor force with entrepreneur and innovation capabilities Next, Mr Osvaldo Micheloud, member of the EftA Advisory Board and Professor at the Technological Institute of Higher Learning of Monterrey, spoke of the successful industry-academia cooperation experience of the Business Consortium to Foster Applied Research, which he directs Through this program, businesses fund post-graduate studies in energy engineering abroad so that, after completing their studies, these professionals will return to work with them For their part, the students awarded scholarships conduct research on the challenges faced by the companies that sponsor them, taking advantage of the synergies created by this union of theoretical knowledge and industrial experience - 11 - Mr Saggiante observed that the objective of the activities carried out by the DDECT is to have an impact on the productivity and competitiveness level of the countries and, specifically, of the small businesses in the region He pointed out three activities to be carried out: the Workshop on Innovation and Information Technology and Communications to increase Productivity in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), in San Antonio, Texas; the Innovation in the Americas Forum; MSMEs in the Economic Agenda, in Hermosillo, Sonora; the dialogue on public policies to promote the competitiveness of the MSMEs in Mexico City; and a course on intellectual property and competitiveness of small businesses Inter-agency Roundtable on Cooperation in Science and Technology: Supply and Demand In addressing this item in the agenda, Minister Barañao stated that the OSTI conducted a survey among member states whose results would help identify opportunities to provide and receive cooperation and technical assistance and to benefit from the knowledge and experiences of other countries The information presented by the members of the Roundtable will supplement the results of the survey Mrs Flora Painter, Chief of the Science and Technology Division of the IDB, initiated the presentations pointing out that the IDB supported LAC countries in their efforts to transform their economies into knowledge-based economies The strategic objectives, she added, are: to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and investment in research and development (R&D); to strengthen the infrastructure, institutions, networks, and the human capital in Science and Technology; and to promote information and communication technologies (ICT) as a way to achieve social inclusion Mrs Painter explained that the IDB supports countries through loans, technical assistance programs, partnerships and alliances, the development of indicators, evidence-based policy analysis, and policy dialogues In closing, she invited countries to request information regarding available funding for science and technology Representing USAID, Mrs Ticora Jones described her agency’s interest in understanding the impact of STI in the development of countries; to search for cooperation; and to determine in which areas USAID assistance would have the greatest impact Mrs Jones referred to the conference “Transforming Development through Science, Technology, and Innovation” which took place months before, and a forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) to be held in New York in the near future Mrs Aires Soares, Senior Science Advisor to the European Union Delegation (EU) in Washington, D.C., addressed international cooperation between the European Union and the American Continent, and underscored the various financial resources made available to support international cooperation, studies and research, exchanges of researchers, and training, among others In addition, Mrs Soares described cooperation mechanisms, such as exchange of researchers and technicians; the exchange of evaluators, and to support for the development of workshops and seminars - 12 - In his presentation, Mr Ignacio Casas, Executive Director for Latin America of the Latin American and Caribbean Collaborative Information and Communications Technology Research Federation, Microsoft (LACCIR), described the various projects being implemented at the present time and said that they were looking for strategic partners among government agencies and businesses in LAC Mr Casas concluded his presentation by recommending that research groups look to join forces with others in order increase the chances that ICT projects reach industry and by urging countries to establish and improve policies that protect intellectual property Mrs Raquel Artecona, Economic Affairs Officer of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Office in Washington, D.C., pointed out that her organization carried out cooperation by conducting studies and analyses, providing technical training, and by developing and evaluating policies She suggested coordination between the public and the private sectors and society in order to ensure that the region is competitive on the global stage and to this in a sustained manner Thus the States would identify which sectors ought to be a priority and develop suitable policies accordingly Mrs Artecona also recommended developing an active productive sector that would look for efficiencies and be able to articulate its demands, and a society that would be willing to join in the process Mr Hugo Li Pun, Assistant Representative in the United States and Senior Specialist for Strategic Alliances of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), explained that the purpose of that institution was to foster innovation in order to improve agricultural competitiveness He then described the Regional System of Technological Innovation in Agriculture, which, through regional networks, links national research institutions to work on common areas such as biotechnology, conservation of biodiversity, conservation of genetic resources, developing technology, food safety, climate change, sustainable use of natural resources, and the area of small scale agriculture In closing, Mr Lin Pun showed the results of some successful projects In providing an appreciative summary, Mr Saggiante emphasized that countries were making great strides with regards to STI, but that collaboration among them and with regional and international cooperation organizations was essential to take advantage of synergies in the region IV THIRD PLENARY SESSION Election of authorities The Chair and the First and Second Vice Chairs were elected unanimously as follows: Chair: Panama (Rubén Berrocal, National Secretary for Science and Technology ) First Vice Chair: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Jerrol Thompson, Minister of Telecommunications, Science, Technology, and Industry) Second Vice Chair: Peru (Luis Ponce Vega, Planning Director of CONCYTEC) Third Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities on Science and Technology within the framework of CIDI - Next meeting of the COMCYT: Date and place to be determined in the next weeks through the exchange of notes between the delegations - 13 - - Third Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities on Science and Technology within the framework of CIDI: Panama has generously offered to be the host in 2012 Support mechanisms for the COMCYT The Chair proposed that for the III Ministerial Meeting, the ministers consider the Vision 20/25 Program, which could serve as a short and medium range support mechanism to the COMCYT The objective is that the program be considered as a long term goal in each country and not subject to changes in administration The program would set clear objectives that would provide for timely and efficient follow up; it would encourage cooperation and coordination in sectoral, multinational activities that would factor economies of scale; it would develop the elements to accurately evaluate progress on the commitments undertaken, and would establish working groups for each central theme The Chair also mentioned other support mechanisms such as the development and funding of an interAmerican science and technology portal, and conducting biannual surveys to measure the countries progress towards achieving the goals set The delegate of the Dominican Republic suggested the development of a response mechanism in the event that the follow up indicators are not at the desired level Minister Barañao pointed out the political advantage of maintaining the general goal of 1% of GDP allocated to science and technology The delegate of Costa Rica expressed her concern with the way information is gathered because she considers it incorrect She proposed making available to businesses some mechanisms to record the investment made by the private sector in innovation and development and, in the public sector, to improve the way information is provided in public accounts so that data would have an objective value that can be analyzed The delegate of El Salvador suggested the development of new indicators that reflect the role played by research in productive processes in order to determine its impact on the social and economic development of the country The Chair summarized that the previously discussed guidelines in which the priority is to set medium and long range objectives would be adopted Other matters The delegate of the United States emphasized that there are numerous agencies in his country that are connected to STI and that they generally have separate budgets for research He invited the delegates to look into the areas and institutions through which the United States could cooperate The delegate of Costa Rica referred to social innovation and said that it would be interesting to address this topic as a group because the subject is not always included in S&T discussions The delegate of Saint Kitts and Nevis raised the issue of market loss–in this case, bananas– due to competition from large corporations that have better technology The delegate requested the support of member states in order to gain access to better technology to produce a higher quality product and thus regain its share of the European market - 14 - The delegate of the Dominican Republic noted that in Central American and Caribbean countries there was still a culture of competing amongst themselves He requested that the new Chair devise a strategy of cooperation so that the countries can work together as a region Conclusions and Recommendations of the VI Regular meeting of the COMCYT The Chair provided a summary of the topics agreed upon during the meeting that would serve as the bases for the Working Plan of the COMCYT and for the Third Ministerial Meeting, among them: Despite considerable progress made by the countries on the three pillars of the plan of action, it is quite evident that work must continue to: a b c d e f Roundtable on cooperation in science and technology a Attract more public and private investment and make investments attractive Place more emphasis on the education and training of human resources Start scientific education at an early age, so as to encourage youth to choose scientific and technological careers Additionally, improve education both in the Formal System (schools, universities) and the Informal System (TV channels, publications) to support the popularization of science and its appropriation by society Emphasize engineering with innovation and entrepreneurship components Create more and better collaboration and links between the public sector, the private sector and universities Promote greater participation of women in S&T and engineering Increase collaboration among countries in the region to face common challenges, including sharing and replicating successful experiences with other countries to take advantage of synergies Countries are encouraged to reach out to participating organizations to address topics individually, and, if possible, develop collaborative multinational activities Support mechanisms for the COMCYT In this area, it is suggested to: a b Work on the definition of the Program 20/25 Vision, a new long term InterAmerican Program on Science and technology, which, following the model of the Millennium Development goals, will contain clear, measurable goals and objectives Agree on monitoring and support mechanisms The need to create a COMCYT Portal was mentioned One country could assume responsibility for maintaining and updating it; or the Office of Science, Technology and Innovation could receive financial contributions at regional level so that the - 15 - c d e necessary human resources can be made available to keep the Portal updated in a sustainable manner Conduct semiannual surveys on the progress made on the Plan of Action of Mexico and other topics in order to follow up on the activities undertaken by each country Establish precise methodologies in order to evaluate more objectively the results obtained by the countries in the S&T To accomplish that, it is necessary to revise I&D indicators In this context, carry out a permanent follow up on the progress each country makes with regard to science and technology In the event of delays or difficulties, mechanisms to establish collaboration and cooperation among countries will be implemented With regard to programs being carried out by the OAS in the areas of: a b c d Metrology and quality infrastructure for competitiveness Engineering education Biotechnology Popularization of science, specifically the inter-American program on scientific journalism, the Chair pointed out the importance of receiving the countries’ commitments with regard to these initiatives V CLOSING SESSION Minister Barañao thanked the countries for their cooperation and willingness to work and for their important contributions to this meeting He remarked how surprising it that countries with such different situations can reach consensus in the area of scientific and technological development and set specific and achievable goals Last, he expressed his commitment to work with the new administration to achieve the objectives that had been set At 3:00 p.m on September 10, 2010, the Chair declared the Sixth Meeting of the COMCYT closed - 16 - VI SELECTED ACRONYMS LAC IDB ECLAC CEPCIDI CIDI CLARA COMCYT CONCYTEC CONACYT STI STEI CyT DDECT EftA ICSU IICA IyD LACCEI LACCIR MyPYMEs NSF OSTI OEA NGO GDP SEDI SIM ICTs EU USAID kma1666101663.doc Latin America and the Caribbean Inter-American Development Bank Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development Inter-American Council for Integral Development Latin American Advanced Networks Cooperation Inter-American Committee on Science and Technology National Council on Science, Technology and Technological Innovation of Peru National Science and Technology Council of Mexico Science, Technology and Innovation Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation Science and Technology Department of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism Engineering for the Americas Program, “Engineering for the Americas” International Council for Science Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture Research and Development Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions Latin American and Caribbean Collaborative ICT Research Federation, Microsoft Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises National Science Foundation Office of Science, Technology and Innovation Organization of American States Non Governmental Organization Gross Domestic Product Executive Secretariat for Integral Development, OAS Inter-American Metrology System Information and Communication Technologies European Union United States Agency for International Development ... REGULAR MEETING OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (COMCYT) The Sixth Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Committee on Science and Technology (COMCYT), held on September and. .. Innovation of Peru National Science and Technology Council of Mexico Science, Technology and Innovation Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation Science and Technology Department of Economic... Recommendations of the VI Regular meeting of the COMCYT The Chair provided a summary of the topics agreed upon during the meeting that would serve as the bases for the Working Plan of the COMCYT and