IV.10.

SCIENCE AND INNOVATION: COLOMBIA

COLOMBIA

Hot STI issues

● Strengthening governance of STI.
● Doubling expenditure on R&D to 0.5% of GDP by 2014 by channelling revenue from primary resources.
● Promoting human capital.
● Expanding innovation to new regional areas.

General features of the STI system: Colombia is a
middle-income country with large oil supplies. The
economy has grown consistently over the past
decade and withstood the global recession relatively
well. It has a high level of FDI, notably in the oil sector;
this provides potential leverage for international
collaboration. Its research sector is small and it faces
major societal challenges: low educational standards,
low tertiary attainment, inadequate infrastructure, a
high level of inequality, and suboptimal ICT and
scientific infrastructures. These shortcomings have
to be addressed if Colombia is to realise its ambitious
STI objectives and become a knowledge-intensive
economy. But the country has capitalised on its
integration in international networks. In 2008-10, 50%
of scientific articles were produced jointly with
researchers abroad (Panel 1(q) ). Human resource
indicators are relatively weak: only 10% of persons
employed are in S&T occupations (1(v) ) and PISA
science scores of 15-year-olds are well below the
OECD median (1(t)). With 6 fixed broadband and 5
wireless subscribers per 100 inhabitants, there is
room for improvement in ICT infrastructures (1(k) (l)).
The e-government readiness index is relatively high
compared to other Latin American countries and
similar to levels in the Czech Republic (1(n)).
Recent changes in STI expenditures: Colombia has
very low R&D intensity, with GERD at around 0.16%
of GDP for the last five years to 2011. In 2009, the
private sector funded 19% of GERD, the public
sector 77%% and 4% was financed from abroad.
Colombia aims to increase GERD to 0.5% of GDP
by 2014.
Overall STI strategy: In 2010, the government
identified innovation as one of the five drivers of
future economic growth and social development.
The Departamiento Nacional de Planeacion (DNP),
together with the innovation agency, Colciencias,
have formulated an ambitious STI strategy,
presented in the Sectoral Strategic Plan for Science,
Technology and Innovation, within the framework
of the National Development Plan 2010-14:
Prosperity for All. A national innovation strategy is
currently being developed.
STI policy governance: DNP and Colciencias are the
leading agencies of the National System for
Science, Technology and Innovation (NSSTI). The
Wo r l d B a n k ( W B ) a n d t h e I n t e r- A m e r i c a n
Development Bank (IDB) have provided a loan of
USD 50 million for strengthening Colombia’s STI
governance structure.

Key figures

Labour productivity, GDP per hour worked in USD, 2010 n.a. GERD, as % of GDP, 2009 0.16
(annual growth rate, 2005-10 ) n.a. (annual growth rate, 2005-09) (+4.8)
Environmental productivity, GDP per unit of CO2 emitted in USD, 2009 6.85 GERD publicly financed, as % of GDP, 2009 n.a.
(annual growth rate, 2005-09) (+3.4) (annual growth rate, 2005-09) n.a.

268 OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2012 © OECD 2012
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SCIENCE AND INNOVATION: COLOMBIA

269
1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932690301
IV.10. SCIENCE AND INNOVATION: COLOMBIA
Science base: In 2010 Colciencias’ budget for the
creation and strengthening of research centres was
about USD 14 million; it was increased to
USD 22 million in 2011.
Business R&D and innovation: A mix of direct and
indirect funding is used to fund business R&D and
innovation. Colciencias, the Ministry of Agriculture
and Bancóldex, the state-owned Colombian
entrepreneurial development bank, subsidise and
co-finance R&D and STI projects. The Legislative Act
5 of July 2009 modified the Constitution to create
the General Royalties System (SGR) which invests
10% of total receipts from the exploitation of non-
renewable natural resources in a fund to finance
STI projects. The tax deduction for STI R&D and
technological development projects was increased
from 125% to 175% in 2011.
E n t re p re n e u rs h i p : T h e M o d e r n i s a t i o n a n d
Innovation Fund for Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs) allocates co-financing for
innovation programmes; these are managed
through the newly created Development and
Innovation Unit at Bancóldex, which also provides
coaching and mentoring to high-technology
e n t r e p r e n e u r s . M o r e ov e r, C o l o m b i a h a s
programmes to provide equity financing and
venture capital investments (USD 53 million
in 2011), such as the Emprender Fund which
provides access to seed capital for innovative
entrepreneurs and Fontic-Colciencias which
promotes and funds STI programmes in the ICT
sector.
Clusters and regional policies: A 2011 Colciencias
Consultancy Report identified a lack of
implementation and decentralisation capabilities
in most regions. Law 1286 of 2009 strengthens and
consolidates regional STI policies. Moreover,
various projects have been implemented to
s t re n g t h e n reg i o n a l c l u s t e r s , s u c h a s t h e
Technology District in Bolívar (the petrochemical
and naval sectors) and the innovation nodes
270
network in Risaralda (automation, robotics and
biotechnology).
Globalisation: In order to tap into global knowledge
Colciencias and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
actively support Colombian researchers and
innovators engaged in international projects. A
number of scientific and technical co-operation
agreements with other countries are also in place.
Bancóldex, Proexport and Colciencias provide
subsidies to promote foreign STI investment. This
has already attracted two international cutting-
edge technology R&D centres.
Human resources: Colciencias has designed a
strategy to support STI skills from early childhood
to doctoral study. Government initiatives include
increasing the number of highly qualified human
resources in priority areas, achieving a higher
percentage of full-time teachers in universities and
strengthening regional scientific and technological
c a p ab i l i t i e s . T h e d eve l o p m e n t o f r eg i o n a l
capabilities particularly concerns higher education
i n s t i t u t i o n s , w h i c h h av e r e c e i v e d ov e r
USD 4 million in recent years from the Ministry of
National Education in order to strengthen their
master’s and doctoral programmes. Also, the
Virginia Gutiérrez de Pineda, Francisco José de
Caldas and Bicentennial Generation Programmes
provide scholarships for doctoral and overseas
study. Programmes such as Pequeños cientificos
(“little scientists”) promote critical thinking and
scientific skills at an early age.
Emerging technologies: To develop emerging
technologies, the national STI policy (CONPES 3582,
2009) proposed developing strategic sectors to
produce high-value goods and services with high
scientific and technological content. These sectors
include energy and natural resources,
biotechnology, materials and electronics, ICT,
logistics and design. A genome sequencing centre
and bioinformatics and computational biology
centre are also being developed.
OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2012 © OECD 2012
 IV.10. SCIENCE AND INNOVATION: COLOMBIA

Green innovation: Green innovation is addressed in including water and forest resources, biodiversity,
the CONPES 3700 document. Colciencias is alternative energy, and biofuels.
designing strategic plans for green-related sectors,

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