El concurso Fondecyt Regular, impulsado por la Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID), es una de las principales fuentes de financiamiento para la investigación en Chile, permitiendo a investigadores e investigadoras desarrollar proyectos de alto impacto en diversas disciplinas.
The Fondecyt Regular 2026 grant program, sponsored by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), is a primary source of research funding in Chile, enabling scientists to develop high-impact projects across various academic disciplines.
In the ANID 2026 call for proposals, the initiative selected 680 projects nationwide, with 31 grants awarded to the University of Santiago (Usach). This result places the institution third among Chile’s public universities, following only the University of Chile (101) and the University of Concepción (36).
Regarding these achievements, the Vice Rector for Research, Dr. Pablo Donoso, noted that “these results reflect the commitment and quality of the work carried out by our researchers, as well as the ongoing support provided by the Office of the Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Creation to strengthen scientific development at the university." He added, “Awards of this kind not only consolidate our position among the country’s leading state universities, but also present us with new challenges to continue promoting research of excellence that has a meaningful impact on society.”
The projects selected in this call span critical fields such as basic sciences, engineering, technology, social sciences, humanities, and health sciences. These research initiatives are designed to address contemporary global challenges, including climate change, digital transformation, and the development of new materials, as well as advancements in education, public health, and sociocultural processes.
Women in Leadership
A notable milestone in the 2026 Fondecyt Regular round is the significant growth in projects awarded to female-led research teams. In this call for proposals, 11 initiatives were awarded to women, surpassing the 7 projects in 2025, 6 in 2024, and 9 in 2023. These results demonstrate clear progress in female participation and leadership within competitive research, marking a 57% year-on-year increase in initiatives led by female researchers compared to the previous cycle.
Following the results, the Director of Research, Dr. Maritza Páez, noted that, “The increase in the number of projects led by female researchers is a highly significant indicator. Researchers at our university are advancing cutting-edge knowledge in various fields, and these results reinforce the importance of promoting diverse and inclusive research. Women must continue to assume leadership roles in scientific development and academic innovation.”
Winning Projects