The contribution of science and technology to the development of Cordoba

On the 18th of June every year we celebrate Science and Technology Day in Córdoba in honor of the work and career of Alberto Maeztegui. He was one of the most prominent figures in the territory, who left us a transcendent legacy and today renews his validity by learning about or discovering how he made his mark as a publisher and scholar.

And our province, a leader in academic training, a cradle of famous men and women of science, inquisitive and innovative by nature, a leader in social development and productivity, in setting trends in the generation, connection, appropriation, adoption and application of knowledge.

The emerging demands of a society undergoing transcendental changes in this scientific-technological revolution have shaped a new agenda full of productive, social, cultural and environmental challenges, and where the answers lie in the talents focused on the production of knowledge that will allow us to continue building an innovative Córdoba.

For this reason, we must continue to enhance and strengthen our scientific and technological system, which is made up of nearly 10,000 researchers and scholarship holders. They account for an average of 2.96 per 1,000 inhabitants, one of the highest rates in the region, and who demonstrate skills and a lot of passion every day on more than 2,000 research projects.

This is added to the contribution of the university complex, with indicators in terms of training exceeding 275 thousand students in almost 500 professions (including technical degrees, degrees and engineering), in the 12 university study centers located in the cities of Córdoba, Vila. Maria, San Francisco and Rio Cuarto. It is important to note that in the past two years there has been an increase in the choice of so-called “stem” professions (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, for its acronym in English).

Knowledge economy

It was these enormous potentials, placed at the service of the productive sectors, that allowed a renewed impetus to be given to the activities that make up the knowledge economy. The detailed work between the Academy and the public and private actors makes it possible to integrate it as the third most important conglomerate within the Córdoba production matrix, led by the development of Programming and digital technologies.

Its numbers also reflect national leadership in number of companies, growth in billings, exports, and talent integration. Projections indicate that if this level of growth is maintained, knowledge economy exports will, year after year, have an increasing importance in the economy of Córdoba.

In this wide range of activities, we have decided in Córdoba to strengthen the biotechnology complex, whose disciplines are designed to meet the needs and requirements of a world full of challenges due to its applications in health, agriculture, food, inputs and materials, among others.

Moreover, in our county many biotechnologists and entrepreneurs carry out their activities in the inner cities, showing how the federalization and democratization of knowledge allows opportunities to multiply throughout the county.

The importance of innovation

Environmental sustainability is a global problem that is among the major issues that deserve attention.

Córdoba is also at the forefront in this field: it is advancing in measuring, reducing and offsetting the carbon footprint and promoting a comprehensive biofuel program. Ceprocor, thanks to its enormous human and technical capabilities, has created the first public laboratory for biofuels that allows testing and certification of the quality of what is produced in Córdoba plants.

New orders also challenge traditional models of consumer goods generation and promote productive transformation. Here, it is the new ideas born from the scientific field, applied to products or processes, that make it possible to add competitiveness to firms.

In Córdoba, it was revealed that investments in R + D + i recorded a significant increase in the last year, half of which were made by companies and entrepreneurs from Córdoba.

In all of these cases, the common denominator is innovation. Not as a concept or idea, but as a tangible fact that is manifested in the attitude of businessmen, entrepreneurs, teachers, students, technicians, researchers and professionals who promote a culture of innovation with the current state. Not as an unattainable goal, but as a road that is constantly traveled, a bridge that helps to continue progress, that connects wills and talents to help overcome the difficulties that arise.

* Minister of Science and Technology in Córdoba