The need to have postgraduate qualified human resources is at present a fundamental condition on academic and work levels. Chile, compared to the developed countries, still has a low percentage of postgraduate professionals, especially doctors.

In order to respond to one of the priorities of the Government to encourage the development of postgraduate education, CONICYT created and independent and specialized Unit aimed at coordinating all those instances related to the training of human resources, and proposing lines of action for the national development of critical mass, which is necessary for the development of the country.

Until 2001, the graduation of doctors reached an annual average of 50. From that year on, this figure increased to 200 in 2003; still, this number is not enough for meeting the evident requirements of the country, such as the renewal of academic personnel at universities. The strategies for the country development require to quadruplicate the number of doctors and to enhance their introduction in private and public areas.

Departmental lines of action:

• To promote the training of human resources with advanced studies within the National University System, with a view to extend the postgraduate education, especially at doctoral levels.
• To support the training of postgraduate students in countries with which Chile has Cooperation agreements.
• To support the training of postgraduate students abroad, in emerging or poor areas in the country.

This department administers the Programme of fellowships granted by CONICYT and acts as the Technical Secretariat of the National Postgraduate Accreditation Commission (CONAP) from Ministry of Education.

National Postgraduate Accreditation Commission (CONAP)

The Evaluation Commission of the Postgraduate Programmes Quality of Autonomous Universities was created in 1999 by the Ministry of Education and it is composed of 13 high level academics. The activities of the Commission are developed within the framework of the MECESUP Programme from MINEDUC (The Ministry of Education) with the financial support of the International Bank of Reconstruction Development (IBRD), being the evaluation of the doctoral and masters degree curriculum in Chile its main task.

From the 80’s onwards, CONICYT designed a plan of fellowships as a supporting instrument to the few postgraduate Programmes which existed in the country in three universities and only in some areas of the basic science. Today there are 76 Postgraduate Programmes and 90 Masters Degree Programmes accredited.

NATIONAL POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAMME

This Programme provides financing to young graduates or those with equivalent professional qualifications, admitted to graduate Programmes offered by Chilean universities, leading to the Doctorate and Masters Degrees.

It allows reinforcing of the postgraduate system in Chile, strengthening not only the Universities but also the national development. The postgraduate Programmes are closely related to the scientific research insofar as it helps sustain high quality teaching and the training of new researchers, the requirements of the Programme encourage multidisciplinary research.

This National Postgraduate Fellowships Programme is complemented with fellowships financed through International Cooperation, enabling the fellows to stay abroad during the fellowship period.

he agreements currently in place are the following:

DAAD/CONICYT: Study grants for research visits of up to 10 months in German universities, for doctoral students who are holders of CONICYT fellowships and who are working on an approved thesis topic.

FULBRIGHT/CONICYT: Support grant to research visits at US Universities for doctoral students who hold a CONICYT fellowship and who are working on an approved thesis topic.

ECOS/CONICYT (France): Jointly supervised doctoral fellowships for Chilean students who are working on an ECOS/CONICYT project and who hold a CONICYT fellowship.

The National Programme also includes Support Fellowships to Carry out Doctoral Theses, Fellowships to Finish the Doctoral Thesis and Grants to participate in congresses and short courses abroad.

PROGRAMME FOR PLACEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGICAL TRAINING, CHILEAN GOVERNMENT AND IDB AGREEMENT

Technological Internship Programme: it finances young Chilean or foreign researchers who live in Chile to carry out technological internships in public or private institutions abroad, in order to gain knowledge in relation to a specific technique or technology which is relevant for the development of an information and communication technology project.

Public Sector placement Programme: it finances Chilean or foreign professionals and/or specialist professional from the public sector who live in Chile to carry out a placement in the area of scientific and technological projects and Programmes management for a period of up to two months. The purpose is to gain knowledge in relation to the modern management of Programmes and projects related to Biotechnology in Forestry, Agricultural and Aquacultural Sciences; Information and Communication Technologies and Clean Production.

DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS OVERSEAS

www.conicyt.cl/becas
Email contacto: carriaga@conicyt.cl