Brazil, R&D and the role of clusters

4. Research and innovation in Brazil
The Ministry of Science and Technology ( Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia, MCT) was created by
Decree No. 91,146 on 15th March 1985, fulfilling the commitment made by President Tancredo Neves to
the Brazilian scientific community. Its sphere of responsibility is set out in Decree No. 5,886 dated 6th
September 2006. As an organ of direct Administration, the MCT’s responsibilities include: national
policy on scientific and technological research and innovation; the planning, coordination, supervision
and control of scientific and technological activities; policies for developing information technology and
automation; national policy on biosecurity; seeing; nuclear policy and control of exports of sensitive
goods and services.
With the incorporation of the two most important agencies for encouraging research in Brazil - the
Financing Body for Studies and Projects (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos - FINEP) and the National
Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico
e Tecnológico - CNPq) and their research units - the Ministry of Science and Technology has taken over
the coordination of carrying out programmes and actions to consolidate the National Policy on Science,
Technology and Innovation. The aim of this policy is to turn the sector into a strategic component of
Brazil’s economic and social development, helping to ensure that the benefits of that development are
distributed equitably throughout society.
As well as these agencies for encouraging research, the MCT system also includes the Centre for
Management and Strategic Studies (Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos - CGEE); the National
Committee for Nuclear Energy Comissão (Nacional de Energia Nuclear - CNEN); the Brazilian Space
Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira - AEB); 19 research units in the area of science, technology and
innovation, and four state enterprises: Brazilian Nuclear Industries (Indústrias Nucleares Brasileiras -
INB); Nuclebrás Heavy Equipment (Nuclebrás Equipamentos Pesados -Nuclep); Alcântara Cyclone Space
(ACS) and the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Electronic Technology (Centro de Excelência em
Tecnologia Eletrônica Avançada - Ceitec).
By means of this group of institutions, the MCT carries out its strategic functions of developing research
and studies that produced knowledge and new technologies as well as creating Brazilian products,
processes, management and patents.
Structure
To carry out its active role in national development and perform its institutional mission, the MCT has
four teamed secretariats that work under the Executive Secretariat.
Together, they are responsible for the management and execution of the Ministry's main programmes
and actions.
The Secretariat for Research and Development Policies and Programmes (Secretaria de Políticas e
Programas de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento - SEPED)
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