The SAPHIR Millennium Institute is embarking on a new stage in its scientific development after successfully passing the five-year evaluation carried out in 2025. This process thoroughly reviewed the center's performance during its first five years of operation, considering criteria such as the scientific, technical, and methodological achievements attained in its first stage, the scientific merit and projection of the proposal for the second five-year period, the fulfillment of goals in training advanced human capital and young scientists, as well as future plans to strengthen this training. The evaluation also analyzed the level of compliance with the goals related to the development of External Outreach Activities (PME) and Training and Collaboration Networks (RFC), together with the strategies proposed by the institute to further develop these lines of work during the new work period.
The result of this evaluation not only allowed for the extension of the institute for a second five-year period, until 2030, but also positioned SAPHIR as the highest-rated institute among the centers reviewed in this five-year process, achieving first place in the final evaluation carried out by international panels and technical bodies of the National Research and Development Agency (ANID).
The institute's continuity was formally approved by ANID Exempt Resolution No. 1508/2026, which authorizes the extension of the project within the framework of the Millennium Science Initiative program.
The evaluation process included an international scientific review, with panels of experts convened specifically to analyze the scientific advances of each institute. In the case of SAPHIR, the evaluation was conducted by researchers Christof Woell and Ignacio De Bediaga, who examined the results achieved by the center during its first five years. Remote evaluations were conducted between June and July 2025, while the on-site evaluation took place on November 19, 2025.
Following this process, the results were analyzed by the Technical Advisory Council (CTA) of ANID's Subdirectorate of Centers and Associative Research, which approved the institute's continuation for a second five-year period, recognizing the quality and impact of the work carried out by SAPHIR.
The institute's new cycle will receive annual funding of 840 million pesos between 2026 and 2029, which will enable it to consolidate and expand its lines of research in subatomic particle physics and strengthen Chile's participation in major international scientific collaborations.
During its first five years, SAPHIR has actively contributed to the development of frontier science in high-energy physics, participating in international experiments at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), one of the world's leading particle physics research centers. Its collaborations include projects aimed at exploring phenomena beyond the standard model of physics, including the search for new particles and the study of the dark sector of the universe.
The start of this second five-year period also comes at a particularly significant time for Chilean science. In 2025, Chile was accepted as an Associate Member State of CERN, a historic milestone that strengthens the country's integration into major international high-energy physics collaborations and opens up new opportunities for Chilean researchers, students, and engineers.
In this new scientific and political landscape, SAPHIR is projected as a key player in coordinating the Chilean community dedicated to particle physics, contributing both to the advancement of fundamental knowledge and to the development of new technologies associated with scientific research.
Looking ahead to 2030, the institute aims to deepen its research into the fundamental structure of matter, the search for new particles, and the development of advanced scientific instrumentation, as well as continuing to strengthen the training of new generations of researchers and Chile's participation in large-scale international scientific projects.
Consolidated after its five-year evaluation and positioned as the highest-rated institute in the process, SAPHIR is thus embarking on a new phase of scientific expansion, reaffirming its commitment to exploring the deepest mysteries of the universe and positioning Chile at the forefront of particle physics.
More information about the institute's work is available at:
https://www.institutosaphir.cl/