“The goal is to gain competitiveness by aggregating value to production,” says Minas Gerais Science, Technology and Higher Education State Secretary Mr Alberto Duque Portugal: “Innovation has become the government’s motto and will soon be driving the State’s academic sector”.
Of 19 Federal Universities located in Southeastern Brazil, Minas is home to 11, not to mention the Federal Technology Education Center (CEFET) and 2 State Universities. In 2006, the Government created the MG Innovation System (SIMI), through which researchers, entrepreneurs and technicians can discuss and communicate their needs to research centers. In addition, a Technological Innovation Network was developed to foster partnerships with small business support service SEBRAE, FIEMG (MG Federation of Industries) and the IEL Institute.
The coordinator of technological transfer and innovation at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Professor Ruben Dario Sinisterra Milan, says the economic institution currently has 650 research groups and the largest number of international patents in Brazil: 212 patents registered in Brazil and 71 overseas.
Another Institution that promotes operating side-by-side with local companies is the Fundação Dom Cabral ( Dom Cabral Foundation), with the goal of transferring knowledge to the productive sector. The Foundation operates programs like Partners in Excellence (PAEX) - financed by the Inter-American development Bank – which helps small and micro businesses in Latin America. PAEX trained 5,000 Executives and Managers for 300 companies, spreading to Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Colombia.
The ABCC has met up with Minas Gerais Science, Technology and Higher Education State Secretary Mr Alberto Duque Portugal to discuss the ABCC participation at INOVATEC 2008 (the International Exhibition on Technology hosted in Belo Horizonte in November 2008) and the creation of the Australia-Brazil Mining Poll of Excellence with the support of the Minas Gerais Government and the Science and Technology Department.
Claudia Jarjoura, Alberto Duque Portugal (Science, Technology and Higher Education State Secretary-MG) and Cristina Talacko
