Yachay The city of knowledge in Ecuador
The project is the first planned city in the country, and is designed to promote research, development and innovation. It will host the Scientific Experimental University of Ecuador, as well as at least 15 centers and publish research institutes and 80 small and medium enterprises. There will be five research areas: life sciences; nanotechnology; petrochemical; renewable energies and climate change; and, information and communication technologies.
The new center will have the capacity to hold 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The government will invest US$60 million in the project, although it is expected to cost significantly more. The country of South Korea is a strategic partner. César Paz y Mino, a PhD in medical genetics, said focusing research in a small city could be a good solution for a small country like Ecuador, although not the only one. "It [Ecuador] should continue support for existing research centers, or we should wait a few years until they produce knowledge of international impact," he said