Program Implementation

The idea for a given MSI came from any of a number of sources: members of a country's scientific community, a government ministry, a World Bank representative, a SIG board member, or a combination of these.

Representatives of the scientific community drove the scientific design process, with a keen eye to excellence, linkages, and the potential for long-term benefits to the country. One ministry, typically Science & Technology or Higher Education, would take the lead in promoting the MSI within the government. The lead ministry would work closely with the Ministry of Finance or a comparable entity to ensure that the MSI was designated a priority item within the country's overall development strategy.

In many countries, the World Bank's country director also played an essential role, working with the Ministry of Finance to incorporate the MSI into the country's development strategy and design the most effective financing mechanism. Some initiatives also benefitted from the involvement of foundations, which provided the seed money needed to plan and implement the project while longer-term financing was being negotiated.

For more information on the implementation of the MSI in Chile, please click here.