The Ministry of Science and Technology (Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia - MCT) was created by Decree No. 91,146 on 15th March 1985, fulfilling the commitment made by President Tancredo Neves to the Brazilian scientific community.  Its sphere of responsibility is set out in Decree No. 5,886 dated 6th September 2006.  As an organ of direct Administration, the MCT’s responsibilities include: national policy on scientific and technological research and innovation; the planning, coordination, supervision and control of scientific and technological activities; policies for developing information technology and automation; national policy on biosecurity; seeing; nuclear policy and control of exports of sensitive goods and services.

With the incorporation of the two most important agencies for encouraging research in Brazil - the Financing Body for Studies and Projects (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos - FINEP) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq) and their research units - the Ministry of Science and Technology has taken over the coordination of carrying out programmes and actions to consolidate the National Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation.  The aim of this policy is to turn the sector into a strategic component of Brazil’s economic and social development, helping to ensure that the benefits of that development are distributed equitably throughout society.

As well as these agencies for encouraging research, the MCT system also includes the Centre for Management and Strategic Studies (Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos - CGEE); the National Committee for Nuclear Energy Comissão (Nacional de Energia Nuclear - CNEN); the Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira - AEB); 19 research units in the area of science, technology and innovation, and four state enterprises: Brazilian Nuclear Industries (Indústrias Nucleares Brasileiras - INB); Nuclebrás Heavy Equipment (Nuclebrás Equipamentos Pesados -Nuclep); Alcântara Cyclone Space (ACS) and the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Electronic Technology (Centro de Excelência em Tecnologia Eletrônica Avançada - Ceitec).

By means of this group of institutions, the MCT carries out its strategic functions of developing research and studies that produced knowledge and new technologies as well as creating Brazilian products, processes, management and patents.

Structure
To carry out its active role in national development and perform its institutional mission, the MCT has four themed secretariats that work under the Executive Secretariat. 

Together, they are responsible for the management and execution of the Ministry's main programmes and actions.

The Secretariat for Research and Development Policies and Programmes (Secretaria de Políticas e Programas de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento - SEPED)

Among other functions, it is the role of this Secretariat to create policies and programmes concentrating on scientific, technological and innovative development in areas of strategic interest for the increase and sustainable use of national resources, as well as working in the area of the exact sciences.

The Secretariat for Science and Technology for Social Inclusion (Secretaria de Ciência e Tecnologia para Inclusão Social (SECIS)

The aim of this Secretariat is to create links between other public bodies and policies which facilitate economic, social and regional development in Amazonia and the Northeast as well as spreading appropriate knowledge and technologies in deprived communities in rural and urban areas.

The Secretariat for Technological Development and Innovation (Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e Inovação - SETEC)

This Secretariat monitors the National Policy for Technological Development, paying special attention to actions and programmes aimed at technological training within Brazilian business; it also coordinates studies to help create policies to encourage competitiveness in Brazilian business.

The Secretariat for Information Technology Policy (Secretaria de Política de Informática - SEPIN)

Among other duties, SEPIN has responsibility for carrying out actions in the area of public policy and national and international projects in the sector of Information Technologies and Communication (Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação - TICs), coordinating and monitoring measures necessary for carrying out the National Policy for Information Technology and Automation, as well as developing software.