• The work of the CESS Oxford-U de Santiago was evaluated by the Newton-Picarte Fund as one of the best projects.

The funding allocated by this program of the British Government will allow the Center to continue its path to become a hub of experimental research in Social Sciences in Latin America. It will allow promoting the training of PhD students and professors in experimental research, particularly in experimental methods for the analysis of public policies.

The Newton-Picarte Fund program is a partnership between the Chilean’s National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (Conicyt, in Spanish) and the British Government to support scientific research in Chile, particularly in joint research projects involving Chilean and British scientists, technology transfer and innovation, advanced human capital development for research and innovation, and the generation of  challenges that provide innovative solutions for the development of our country. 

Funding allocation

Raymond Duch, Director of the Center for Experimental Social Sciences Oxford-Universidad de Santiago, explains that the most important contribution of this fund is that it will allow providing training to policy makers in Chile.

“This training will help them to apply experimental methods to design more effective and efficient policies in different areas. First, we will focus on Education, but in the long term, we will include other important areas of Chilean politics,” he emphasizes. Besides, the fund awarded will finance a workshop with renowned social scientists worldwide.

“It will be a unique opportunity for students in Chile to meet with policy makers and analysts and discuss the current policies faced by the Chilean Government and also give ideas on how to make policies that meet their goals. For example, a way of improving job opportunities for Chilean youngsters who have problems to enter the labor market,” he says.

The Newton-Picarte Fund will allow the Center to offer its training programs, research and educational possibilities to a wide variety of Chilean academics, the Government and the private sector.

“The training courses that we have developed for our partners in the Chilean Government will be available for ministries, students and teachers as well as decision-makers in the private sector,” Director Duch concludes.

The funds were awarded after a highly competitive process in which the CESS Oxford-U de Santiago was among the best evaluated projects.

Translated by Marcela Contreras