NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM

The OECD (ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT) has promoted policies designed to achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment and a rising standard of living in member countries, while maintaining financial stability, and thus to contribute to the development of the world economy; to contribute to sound economic expansion in member as well as non-member, countries in the process of economic development; and  to contribute to the expansion of world trade on a multilateral, non-discriminatory basis in accordance with international obligations.

These objectives have allowed creating in the different countries the national innovation systems that help to developing and grow economic.

So the national systems are necessary because it involves the creation, diffusion and use of knowledge. The innovation systems have been the ways for the development of the countries. The technology is a way for developing of the innovation.

Some examples that I know and want mention are Canada and Chile. However in Colombia the process until now begins.

Canada 20 years ago created regional innovation systems, which are operated by the private sector and the Federal Government who does the entire roads and communications infrastructure for its development.  Now Canada and especially the city of Vancouver had some Clusters that have allowed to develop productive potential and of business.

Likewise, Chile currently has a system of science, technology and innovation in partnership to private and public sector. This is of many years, in the 90’s was created two funds: FONDEF and FONTEC, and end of century XX, the Government created other funds that have allowed to fund projects and programs for the development of specific sectors in the areas of science, technology and innovation.

In Colombia this process was born with the law 29 of 1990, as a legal instrument which sought to condense some of the conclusions reached by the mission on Science and technology, Mission of experts, convened by the end of the1980s to reorient the development of these activities in the country.

But only the last year, was built the structure of the national innovation systems with the law 1286, that amending Law 29,  and the CONPES 3582 of 2009 about of "Politic National Science, Technology and Innovation" sets as its objective "to increase the country's ability to identify, produce, disseminate, use and integrate scientific and technological knowledge, in order to improve competitiveness and contribute to the productive transformation of the country" and for this year the CONPES 3652 of 2010 that has external borrowing authorization to finance the draft THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.

In Colombia, the national system of science and technology is an open, inclusive, where form part all programs, strategies and activities in science and technology, independently of the public or private institution or person. Be part of it requires activities in science and technology. Crosses all sectors of national life, all ministries and all institutes, involves public and private sectors.

The innovation system is the base in all new process because involves the development of the society and the countries. It is necessary, to build an innovation system for apply knowledge and make to use the issues that we have.

The structure of our national innovation system, is the following:

Source: CONPES 3582 of 2009. Own translating.

To conclude, the innovation creates new opportunities that may be realized or converted into economic activity. National Innovation System is more important to raise absorptive capacity, than to create new technology, and we need more people who have the capacity, ability and knowledge for apply, this is accomplished with a good system of innovation in motion.

Date: November 8 of 2010.