Source: API
Private universities and technical, financial, private and contract technology companies can apply and access from the Fund for Science and Technology Development (FONDECYT), which until now was restricted to public universities according to Decree 5092
In fact, the rule approved on Wednesday in the Cabinet of Ministers expands the universe of beneficiaries by modifying Decree 5008 of August 30, 2023, which regulates Article 5 of Law 1493 of December 17, 2022 of the General State Budget – Management 2023, which creates FONDECYT.
„FONDECYT will finance the development of research, technological development and innovation projects developed by universities and techno-technical institutions, based on the needs identified by companies and institutions belonging to the strategic, productive and other priority sectors for the State of Bolivia. » , reads the second paragraph of Article 2 of the Supreme Decree published in the Official Gazette. .
The fund is up to Bs 50 million allocated by the General Treasury of the Nation (TGN) in accordance with Supreme Decree 5008.
The Ministry of Development Planning is responsible for administration through the Sub-Ministry of Science and Technology.
To that extent, this State Portfolio shall identify research and development needs in coordination with institutions and organizations in strategic, productive and other sectors of priority for the Plurinational State of Bolivia; Issuance of public invitations where the organizational scope, timeframe and conditions for awarding projects are defined; and manage the evaluation and prioritization process of funded projects.
To be funded with FONDECYT resources, universities and techno-technical institutions must participate in public calls by offering research, technology development and innovation projects.
Autonomous Public Universities; domestic universities; Special government universities and financial technology institutions must sign an inter-institutional and monitoring agreement with the Ministry of Development Planning, which will contain an automatic debit clause for the return of resources allocated by FONDECYT. Acts different from those established in the contract or prescribed for non-fulfillment.
Also, private universities, private technical and technological institutions and contracts „can sign a public-private transfer and monitoring agreement with the Ministry of Development Planning, which includes a clause guaranteeing the return of resources allocated by FONDECYT. These are assigned to activities other than those established in the agreement or that have not been fulfilled.
Universities and techno-technical institutes may use the information generated and the results obtained in research, technological development and innovation projects for educational purposes only, with the prior approval of the Ministry of Development Planning.
The decree authorizes the Ministry of Development Planning to undertake public-private transfers in favor of private and contractual private universities and techno-technical institutes accessing resources.
The Ministry of Development Planning shall approve specific regulations regulating the amount, use and destination of public-private transfers through a ministerial resolution.
The Ministry of Development Planning, through a ministerial resolution, must modify the regulations issued to Supreme Decree 5008 of August 30, 2023, to link private universities, private technology companies and contracts with FONDECYT. Thirty countable business days from December 27.
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