Brazilian Science Faces Deep Budget Cuts Amid Economic Crisis
Brazil's research sector is grappling with drastic budget reductions, as the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (MCTIC) saw a 44% cut in March, resulting in a freeze of R$2.2 billion from a projected R$5 billion for 2017. This represents the lowest science funding in twelve years, attributed to a 3.6% GDP contraction in 2016 amid a significant recession. Since 2013, funding has plummeted from R$10.2 billion to R$2.8 billion. Luiz Davidovich, head of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, cautions that advancements in health and productivity are jeopardized. Helena Nader, president of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science, emphasizes that these cuts impede research and training. Public universities, vital for Brazilian science, are in turmoil, with UERJ facing potential closure and USP announcing layoffs.
Key facts
- MCTIC budget cut by 44% in March 2017.
- R$2.2 billion of R$5 billion budget is frozen.
- Worst science budget in 12 years for Brazil.
- GDP fell 3.6% in 2016, driving austerity measures.
- Science budget reduced from R$10.2 billion in 2013 to R$2.8 billion.
- Science sector consumes about 1% of GDP versus 8% for health.
- State foundation FAPESP budget fell below legal requirement for first time since 1960.
- Public universities produce 70% of Brazilian science and face severe crises.
Entities
Institutions
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação e Comunicação (MCTIC)
- Academia Brasileira de Ciências (ABC)
- Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência (SBPC)
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado de São Paulo (Fapesp)
- Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Faperj)
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
- Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro (Uerj)
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
- Unicamp
- Petrobras
- Embraer
- Embrapa
- Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento (PAC)
- Ministério da Saúde
- Ministério da Fazenda
- Ministério do Planejamento
- União Europeia
- China
- Coreia do Sul
- Israel
Locations
- Brazil
- São Paulo
- Rio de Janeiro
- Switzerland