Our diverse natural environment, local talent and infrastructure development together form a unique ecosystem for creating future and addressing 21th century challenges. Chile has 61 universities, 48 technical training centers and
conditions that enable it to stand out in fields like the study of marine biodiversity, forests and astronomy.
In Chile, we are convinced that promoting science and knowledge is key to achieving sustainable development. Thanks to our outstanding human capital and state-of-the-art infrastructure, we are generating knowledge and seeking to make a contribution from our corner of the world.
Our strengths in research and development, in addition to academic excellence, have made us an attractive destination for students, teachers, specialists and scientists from around the globe.
Chile has 61 universities, 48 technical training centers and 43 professional institutes and each year around 20,000 foreigners study at Chilean universities. We also have 67 centers of excellence, state-funded organizations whose goal is to train scientists and promote research associated with innovation.
According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2020, four Chilean universities are among the best in the world (Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad de Concepción and Universidad Andrés Bello). Furthermore, our country ranks second in Latin America for publishing the most research articles in journals of excellence.
Local talent, infrastructure development and our rich, diverse natural environment together form a unique ecosystem for creating future and addressing 21st century challenges. These conditions have enabled Chile to stand out in the study of marine diversity, forests and astronomy.
With more than 300 clear days each year and little light pollution, northern Chile possesses exceptional conditions for observing the cosmos and studying the universe. We are home to more than 90 observatories, such as the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), the latter being the main radio observatory on Earth. These observatories are constantly making discoveries and the information they gather brings us a little closer to uncovering the mysteries of the universe. Their discoveries include the first image of an extrasolar planet, the first supernova visible to the naked eye in over 400 years, the first photograph of a supermassive black hole and the closest super-Earth. Meanwhile, several Chilean astronomers have gained international recognition, among them José Maza, Mario Hamuy and María Teresa Ruiz. All three have received the National Prize for Exact Sciences and Dr. Ruiz was awarded the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award in 2017.
From the Atacama Desert in the north to Antarctica in the south, Chile possesses unique characteristics for observing the effects of climate change on the planet. With the goal of gathering valuable information that can contribute to making decisions based on scientific evidence, Chile has decided to set up a completely one-of-kind Climate Change Observatory. The project includes installing sensors right the length of Chile, which will collect and make freely available key environmental data for addressing the climate emergency. We can therefore proudly say that an important part of a sustainable future is being built from Chile.
Moreover, our announcement regarding the implementation of the National Satellite System means that Chile is going to be at the cutting edge in space matters. The project involves launching ten Chilean satellites into space and will also provide access to another 250 international devices. The SpaceX aerospace company, founded by Elon Musk, will be responsible for sending the constellation of ten new satellites into orbit by 2025.
