# Chilean economic and scientific development challenges > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/chilean-economic-and-scientific-development-challenges > Updated: 2026-10-26T20:40:09.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2. Chile is facing various structural challenges related to its scientific research capacity and labor market. Academics from the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción have noted that while absolute public spending on science, technology, and innovation has risen, the sector’s share of the national GDP is projected to decline from a 2011 peak of 0.53% to 0.35% by 2026. Researchers have also raised concerns regarding job precariousness for early-career scientists. In the labor and education sectors, research from Universidad Andrés Bello and Universidad Santo Tomás indicates that gender gaps in education and the workforce are linked to lower regional economic growth. The study suggests that reducing these disparities, particularly in STEM graduation rates and female labor participation, could increase regional growth by 0.2 to 0.5 percentage points. Additionally, youth unemployment (ages 15–24) reached 24.6% during the March-May 2026 quarter, which is nearly triple the national average. Experts have attributed these trends to low economic growth and the evolving demands of a workforce influenced by artificial intelligence. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-26: Chilean study links gender gaps to reduced regional economic growth Research shows that reducing gender gaps in Chile's education and labor sectors could boost regional growth by up to 0.5 percentage points, while youth unemployment remains a significant structural challenge. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/chilean-study-links-gender-gaps-to-reduced-regional-economic-growth ### 2026-10-05: Chile faces declining science funding as percentage of GDP Chilean researchers face declining science funding as a percentage of GDP, dropping from 0.53% in 2011 to a projected 0.35% in 2026, alongside concerns regarding job instability. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/chile-faces-declining-science-funding-as-percentage-of-gdp --- Cite as: Chilean economic and scientific development challenges. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/chilean-economic-and-scientific-development-challenges