In the field of Science and Technology, the greatest challenge in Brazil has been in designing and implementing a long-term policy that enables scientific and technological development to reach the population in order to improve life quality.
This policy should have an effective impact on improving society’s living conditions. This is a process which has been enhanced through time and has increasingly shown the great potential that public and private investment in Science and Technology has for generating development and social integration.
Electing Science, Technology and Innovation as a strategic choice for the country’s development implies prioritizing investments in this sector, to recoup losses and swiftly advance in the production and dissemination of knowledge and innovation, particularly in relation to its incorporation in
national production. This also means advocating on behalf of the importance of Science and Technology as a factor that integrates other government development policies. In this context, it is necessary for citizens to closely follow advancements and to be prepared to participate in decisions that are important for society.
When it comes to Science and Technology management, Brazil relies on a structured system composed of a central coordinating body and development agencies in charge of defining and implementing development policies on science, technology and innovation. The State and local level Science and Technology management systems follow the same model for development policies attuned to regional and local vocations.
Due to the country’s dimensions, to difficulties encountered in its management structure, and, above all, to implementing national policies capable of simultaneously addressing varied regional needs, the scientific and technological knowledge produced is still slow to produce significant changes in the social inequities found in some regions. Therefore, the problems faced by Brazil in the fields of Science and Technology are complex and can hardly be solved in the short term.
The country can count on installed material and intellectual capacity capable of promoting significant progress in national policies on Science and Technologies and on the Environment. It also has a mobilized civil society and a powerful business sector.
In this sense, UNESCO aims at sensitising Brazilian society to the role played by science for peace and development. This includes public managers and opinion makers from the private sector.