According to the priorities set by the 34th General Conference of UNESCO Member States the Innovation and Science Policy Programme of the Regional Office for Science for Latin America and the Caribbean has set itself as main objective for biennium 2008-09 to work towards the adoption of more efficient national S&T policies, based on empirical data, through the strengthening and creation of networks in the field.

Follows data and information on Basic Sciences activities recently supported by the UNESCO Science Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean:

Workshop: From the laboratory to the product: Practices in support of Innovation and R&D in Universities in the Caribbean and Central America  (San Juan de Puerto Rico, 13-14 December 2007)

The workshop had as objective to introduce a selected group of researchers, directors, businessmen and managers from the fields of Basic and Life Sciences in the Caribbean, Central America and other Latin American countries, to the innovation and R&D process, aiming at the promotion of an effective linkage between the academy, the government and industry. It also sought to identify those key aspects of said process and results, which could represent and impact in the institutions of origin of the assistants.
Agenda (“PuertoRicoAgenda”)

Meeting on Regional STI policies in Latin America and the Caribbean    (Montevideo, 22-23 November 2007)

The Regional Office for Science of UNESCO for Latin America and the Caribbean and the S&T Strategic Planning Section of UNESCO Paris recognized the relevance of assisting institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean in the development of sustainable policies within national systems of innovation. As first step, UNESCO worked in the region in partnership with stakeholders such as government agencies, non-profitable organizations and the industry for evaluating the needs for technology transfer and training in institutions relevant to national systems for innovation, as well as the creation of capacity in innovation policies in the region. 

Furthermore, the a programme of activities to be presented in the meeting for the creation of the International Centre for South-South Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation (ICSTI) in Kuala Lumpur (2008), was elaborated.

Agenda, Document elaborated for the Meeting, Agreements (Annex 1 and Annex 2) reached during the meeting.

For information please contact: cienge@unesco.org.uy

Workshop: “The journey from discovery to the Life Sciences Market”  (Monterrey, México, 17-19 October 2007)

The workshop had as main goal to introduce a selected group of researchers, directors, businessmen and managers devoted to the Life Science Sector university-industry linkage in Mexico and the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean regarding the innovation and commercialisation process in the life sciences with view to promote effective academy-government-industry exchange.

Programme of the EventFor information please contact: recardiel@hotmail.com, maarojasa@yahoo.com.mx

Workshop: Strategies and best practices in technology transfer in universities and other S&T institutions-Perspectives for the elaboration of a cooperative programme  (Campinas, Brazil, 18-19 September 2007)

The Workshop gathered representatives from university, governments and other R&D policy institutions from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and the United States, in order to discuss and exchange experiences on global innovation and technology commercialisation practices; as well on InovaNIT, a cooperative programme on innovation, intellectual property management and technology transfer in Brazil.

Programme
For more information: www.inova.unicamp.br/