Participants of the metropolitan provincial meeting for the definition of Santander’s public policy on science, technology, and innovation (CTel).
A new stage in the process led by the Government of Santander in coordination with the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) took place at the Sede UIS Bucarica. This initiative is part of an inter-administrative agreement that will allow the configuration of public policy for the decade 2025–2035
Vicerrector de Investigación y Extensión UIS, Fernando Rondón González, stated: “The Universidad, through the Escuela de Economía y Administración, is responsible for the analysis, study, and formulation of this crucial policy that the department of Santander requires. The ICT Secretary, Shirley Paola Castellanos, has highlighted the important work that the School’s team has been developing to achieve this input.”
He added, “If we want a competitive department, we must think about development, and science, technology, and innovation are the path forward. They guide us, providing elements and resources every day to achieve meaningful progress.”
This time, the provincial dialogue for the Bucaramanga metropolitan area was held, bringing together key players from the ecosystem, including universities, businesses, community action board members, and others.
Professor Freddy Jesús Ruiz from the Escuela de Economía y Administración explained: “In the past two weeks, meetings have been held in all provinces, gathering inputs that allow us to triangulate the information with previously conducted diagnostics. This will help us start building the guidelines for the policy, with results to be presented in April and May to the system’s stakeholders.”
Under the slogan **”Your participation is key to building a policy aligned with Santander’s needs!”**, the invitation was extended to all. Professor Ruiz emphasized: “It is designed to ensure that all universities within the regional ecosystem are involved, given their relevance, interest, and role in the development and innovation model, which includes universities, businesses, and the state at the regional level. For instance, the Regional Competitiveness Commission has supported us in these organizational and networking processes due to the regional significance of the topic.”
At the conclusion of the meeting, ICT Secretary Shirley Paola Castellanos acknowledged the support provided by the Universidad Industrial de Santander in these activities. She described these spaces as “key for generating ideas and defining strategies that drive technology transfer and improve knowledge generation in the department.”
Finally, Vicerrector de Investigación y Extensión UIS, Fernando Rondón González, stated: “As a university, we are committed not only through the support of our 100 research groups and the community of research professors but also through the connections these research groups have with various regional and local stakeholders. This is worth highlighting, especially in calls for project proposals or royalty-funded initiatives where these actors play a key role. The trust-based relationships we have been building are crucial, and while we have made significant progress, there is still more to do to foster development in the department.”
