Ministerio de Educación y Cultura (MEC)

The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the coordination of national education, promotion of the country’s cultural development and preservation of artistic, historical and cultural heritage of the nation, as well innovation, science and technology as the promotion and strengthening of the observance of human rights. In addition, it is responsible for the development of the state multimedia system and for promoting the digitized access of all information to the population.

The International Cooperation and Projects Directorate (DCIP), of the Ministry, acts as a cross-link to all areas of competence of MEC, with the outside in terms of cooperation, contributing to social development through exchange and collaboration. It promotes coordination and cooperation between national and foreign agencies and institutions, in order to exchange ideas, information and experience and provide mutual support to programs and projects that are proposed in cultural, educational and scientific technological management. For the specific cooperation with the EU, the ‘Liaison Office MEC-CUBIST/EU’ (Uruguayan Contact Bureau for Innovation, Science and Technology) was established with the aim of promoting the participation of researchers, companies and universities from Uruguay in the EU Framework Programs and strengthening the Bi-regional Cooperation.