Brazil science and innovation policy

In late July 2026 Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation formally adopted a ten‑year National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (2024‑2034), establishing a planning framework for public policies, programmes and projects. The strategy calls for an Action Plan covering 2027‑2031 to be drafted within 120 days, overseen by a working group that includes the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC) and the higher‑education coordination body CAPES.

A few days later, the ABC released a policy paper urging the government to raise public R&D spending to 2 % of GDP and to create a stable funding base for universities, research institutes and innovative firms. The document also proposes expanding technical and professional education so that half of high‑school students are enrolled in such programmes by 2035, and calls for new research centres in areas such as artificial intelligence, bioeconomy, digital health, precision agriculture, advanced materials and the energy transition. Together, the two steps show Brazil moving from adopting a strategic framework to seeking concrete funding increases and sector‑specific initiatives to strengthen its competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.