Buenos Aires, Argentina – President Javier Milei’s administration is advancing with a crucial decree set to fundamentally reform the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), a pivotal move aimed at prioritizing technical, productive, and strategic development within Argentine science. This decisive action underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring that state resources are utilized efficiently for the direct benefit of the nation.

The comprehensive reform seeks to meticulously verify CONICET projects and eliminate investigations deemed “wasteful and useless,” particularly those perceived to be driven by ideological biases rather than practical application. This decree, meticulously reviewed by the Ministry of Deregulation and Transformation of the State and the Legal and Technical Secretariat, will empower the government to actively define and guide research lines, aligning them with Argentina’s most pressing national needs.

In a parallel move to enhance efficiency and strategic alignment, another decree is prepared to restructure the directory of the National Agency for the Promotion of Research, Technological Development, and Innovation (I+D+I). Its membership will be reduced from eleven to three, with direct appointments by the government, ensuring a more agile and professional management deeply aligned with national interests.

These transformative reforms for CONICET, a significant entity with a substantial workforce and budget, include vital changes to the admission process. The new criteria will prioritize technical profiles, while limiting the incorporation of researchers in social sciences and humanities—areas the administration believes have historically been dominated by ideological bias and unproductive spending. The overarching goal is to meticulously reorient state resources towards sectors with a tangible impact on the lives of Argentinians, such as energy, health, engineering, and mining. President Milei’s vision is clear: to transform science into a powerful tool for national development, moving away from academic essays without practical application and focusing on real-world solutions that drive Argentina’s progress.