Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologίa (Conacyt)
Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (the National Council of Science and Technology) (abbreviated CONACYT) is Mexico's entity in charge of the promotion of scientific and technological activities, setting government policies for these matters, and granting scholarships for postgraduate studies. It is the equivalent of US's National Science Foundation or Argentina's CONICET. It is officially designated as a decentralized public agency of Mexico's federal government.
CONACYT grants scholarships for graduate studies (masters and doctoral) in Mexico for programs that have been recognized by CONACYT in the Registry of Quality Graduate Programs (abbreviated PNPC in Spanish). CONACYT also grants scholarships for Mexican nationals to pursue graduate studies in foreign countries. CONACYT also provides funding for postdoctoral positions and sabbatical leaves.
CONACYT also administers the National System of Researchers (abbreviated as SNI, in Spanish). Members of SNI receive an economic stimulus, additional to their salary, depending on their level. Membership and levels (candidate, I, II, III, emeritus) are dependent on productivity and evalauated by peer committees. Researchers, both Mexican and foreign, receive the monthly stimulus directly from CONACYT only if they work in the public sector in institutions or universities located in Mexico. Researchers working in the private sector (including private universities) and Mexican nationals working outside Mexico only receive an honorary appointment.