National Council of Science and Technology

The National Council of Science and Technology (Spanish: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONACYT) is Paraguay's national public body for science, technology, innovation and quality. It is an autonomous institution of mixed composition that reports to the Presidency of the Republic of Paraguay, with nationwide competence. Its resolutions on fundamental science, technology, innovation and quality policy are homologated by decree of the Executive Branch. CONACYT was created by Law No. 1028/97, the General Law on Science and Technology, and later modified by Law No. 2,279/03. Its mandate is broad: it formulates and proposes national science, technology, innovation and quality policies and strategies to the government; coordinates domestic and international scientific efforts; selects, approves, supervises and evaluates research financed through the National Fund for Science and Technology (FONACYT); advises the branches of the state; promotes standardization and conformity assessment; and fosters human-resource training and the dissemination of scientific activity. Among its best-known operational arms is the National System of Researchers (Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, SISNI), which categorizes and recognizes researchers in Paraguay. Through SISNI, CONACYT maintains a registry of active and associate researchers and supports their participation in national and international research projects. The council also oversees the National Accreditation Body (Organismo Nacional de Acreditación, ONA), which administers the National Accreditation System and accredits testing and calibration laboratories, certification bodies, inspection bodies and other conformity-assessment organizations, representing Paraguay in regional and international accreditation forums. CONACYT's governing council is composed of fourteen titular councillors and an equal number of alternates, representing institutions and sectors including the Technical Secretariat for Planning of the Presidency, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce through the National Institute of Technology and Standardization (INTN), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, public and private universities, the Paraguayan Industrial Union (UIP), the Rural Association of Paraguay (ARP), the Federation of Production, Industry and Commerce (FEPRINCO), the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, trade-union confederations, the Scientific Society of Paraguay, and the Paraguayan Association for Quality. In practice, CONACYT functions as a grant-maker, regulator and convenor. It finances research and development projects, awards training scholarships, runs capacity-building programs such as Innovadores Públicos for public servants, and supports strategic research initiatives in areas such as health and food safety. Its work is carried out under the broader National System of Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Quality System, positioning it as the central institutional node for research policy and quality infrastructure in Paraguay.

The National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) was created by Law No. 1028/97, the General Law on Science and Technology, as Paraguay's central public institution for science, technology and innovation policy. The law established CONACYT as an autonomous, mixed-composition body under the Presidency of the Republic, with nationwide competence. Its foundational mandate included formulating national science and technology policy, coordinating research efforts, and administering the National Fund for Science and Technology (FONACYT). In 2003, Law No. 2,279/03 modified the original law, refining CONACYT's legal framework and expanding its responsibilities to explicitly include innovation and quality. This amendment reinforced the council's role in quality infrastructure, including standardization and conformity assessment, and helped consolidate the National Quality System alongside the National System of Science, Technology and Innovation. Over the following years, CONACYT developed key operational programs. The National System of Researchers (SISNI) became the primary mechanism for recognizing and categorizing researchers in Paraguay, providing incentives and supporting research careers. The National Accreditation Body (ONA) was established as a dependent entity responsible for administering the National Accreditation System, accrediting laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies, and representing Paraguay in international accreditation forums. CONACYT has also served as a funding and convening body for strategic research. It has supported projects in public health, such as the 'Rompiendo Cadenas' initiative on HIV, and in food safety, such as the MYCONET project on mycotoxins. It has run capacity-building programs for public servants, including Innovadores Públicos, which completed its fifth edition with a Demo Day in 2026. Through SISNI, CONACYT researchers have participated in international publications and collaborative projects, reflecting the council's role in connecting Paraguayan science with global networks. Governance of CONACYT is exercised through a fourteen-member council representing government ministries, universities, industry associations, labor confederations and scientific societies. This mixed composition is intended to ensure broad stakeholder input into national science, technology, innovation and quality policy. The council's resolutions on fundamental policy matters are homologated by decree of the Executive Branch, linking its work directly to national governance.

• 2026

  Innovadores Públicos program completes its fifth edition with a Demo Day.

• 2026

  CONACYT issues Resolution No. 394/2026 establishing the list of active and associate researchers in SISNI.

• 2003

  Law No. 2,279/03 modifies the founding law, expanding CONACYT's mandate to include innovation and quality.

• 1997

  CONACYT created by Law No. 1028/97, the General Law on Science and Technology.

Paraguay's central public institution for science, technology, innovation and quality policy, research funding and quality infrastructure.

• Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SISNI)

  National system for categorizing and recognizing researchers in Paraguay, administered by CONACYT.

• Organismo Nacional de Acreditación (ONA)

  Dependent body responsible for administering the National Accreditation System and accrediting laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies.

• Fondo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (FONACYT)

  National fund for financing science and technology research, administered by CONACYT.

• Innovadores Públicos

  Capacity-building program for public servants focused on innovation in public management.

1. 1Inicio | Conacytconacyt.gov.py
2. 2¿Qué es ONA ? | Conacytconacyt.gov.py
3. 3Investigador del SISNI participó en obra internacional sobre alfabetización mediática | Conacytconacyt.gov.py
4. 4Jóvenes investigadores presentan estudios sobre VIH desarrollados en el proyecto “Rompiendo Cadenas” | Conacytconacyt.gov.py
5. 5National Council of Science and Technologywikidata.org
6. 6Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Paraguay)es.wikipedia.org