In 2023, Chile formally applied for Associate Membership of CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, following a visit to the facility by President Gabriel Boric. According to CERN, the president asked the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation to “proceed promptly” with the application.
Official cooperation between CERN and Chile dates to 1991, when an international cooperation agreement was signed with CONICYT. Collaboration expanded after a 2007 agreement signed during President Michelle Bachelet’s visit to Switzerland. Chilean universities participate in CERN experiments through institutions including the SAPHIR Millennium Institute and the Valparaíso Scientific and Technological Center (CCTVal).
A CERN task force subsequently traveled to Chile to evaluate the country’s scientific, academic, and industrial capabilities. The evaluation examined partner universities working on CERN projects, including research in the ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb experiments at the Large Hadron Collider.