With an investment of R$ 50 million and inspired by the legacy of the former Uruguayan president, the Latin American and Caribbean Cooperation Program in Science, Technology and Innovation (Prosul) Pepe Mujica will expand scientific cooperation among Latin American countries. The initiative was launched at a ceremony in Montevideo, Uruguay. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) will finance, through the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), projects from consolidated and emerging research networks, as well as bilateral collaborations, in order to expand the reach of regional scientific cooperation.
During the ceremony, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Luciana Santos, emphasized that the program symbolizes the fulfillment of a commitment made in recent years to expand Latin American scientific cooperation, inspired by the legacy of former Uruguayan President Pepe Mujica. “This program stems from the understanding that science needs to be connected to the real challenges of our people. It is a tribute to Mujica and his call for a more united, more supportive, and more committed Latin America, focused on life and the future,” she stated.
The program is the result of collaboration between the MCTI (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation), CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development), and the Montevideo Group Association of Universities (AUGM), a network that brings together public universities from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The organization is recognized for its work in regional academic and scientific cooperation.
“We are in the 21st century, a time when knowledge, science, and research are worth more than capital. That is why some people don't want the people to appropriate this wealth, but they will. And to ensure that this happens, we need to act together. United we are much stronger, and this will be the voice of Latin America,” declared Lucia Topolanski, former senator, former vice-president, and widow of Pepe Mujica.
The Pepe Mujica Program focuses on the formation of thematic research networks among institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean, the mobility of researchers at different levels of training, and the joint development of strategic projects. It also includes actions to strengthen regional scientific infrastructure, stimulate technological innovation, and promote science education and dissemination.
“The call for proposals was very well received here in Uruguay, and I am sure it will also be very well received in Brazil,” emphasized the president of CNPq, Olival Freire Junior. “We invite and urge Brazilian, Latin American, Uruguayan researchers in particular, and also those from Caribbean countries to submit proposals for exchanges and collaborations under this call for proposals,” added Freire Junior.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday (28), at the Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IBCE), and brought together academic authorities and representatives of research institutions from Latin America.
Public call
The initiative has an investment of R$ 50 million, with resources from the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT), executed by CNPq. Registration closes until April 30th.
The projects should focus on six strategic areas: environment and sustainability; food and agriculture; energy and mining; health; information technology; and human and social sciences, with a Latin American and Caribbean focus. These areas reflect priorities common to the countries of the region, such as addressing climate change, food security, energy transition, development of digital technologies, and reduction of inequalities.
Minister Luciana Santos highlighted that the resumption of investments in science, technology, and innovation in Brazil, with the full release of FNDCT funds, has made it possible to expand Brazil's presence in international scientific cooperation initiatives.
"Integration through knowledge is one of the most consistent ways to promote sustainable development and social justice in Latin America and the Caribbean," concluded the head of the MCTI.
