FORESIGHT’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE DESIGN OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND

INNOVATION (STI) POLICIES IN LATIN AMERICA.

Dr. Mónica CasaletFLACSO-Mexico

THE RECENT ANALYSIS OF STI PLANS IN DIFFERENT LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES (ARGENTINA 2006-10, BRAZIL 2007-10, CHILE, 2007, COSTA RICA 2007, ECUADOR 2009/15, MÉXICO 2010, PERU 2008/12) PROPOSE NEW WAYS TOWARDS THE CONSOLIDATION OF A SOCIETY BASED IN KNOWLEDGE. THE GOAL IS THE TRANSITION FROM A PRODUCTIVE STRUCTURE LINKED TO COMMODITIES TOWARDS ONE OF INTENSE KNOWLEDGE. THIS REQUIRES PLANNING.

1) WHAT TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE SHOULD BE GENERATED?

2) WHICH AREAS ARE PRIORITIES?

3) WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SOCIETY?

4) HOW TO DESIGN EFFECTIVE MODALITIES THAT OVERCOME INSTITUTIONAL BEHAVIORS THAT BLOCK THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND PRODUCTIVE SECTORS?

IN THE HEREWITH MENTIONED STI PROGRAMS SOME INDICATE THE USE OF PROSPECTIVE TOOLS TO ESTABLISH NEW STRATEGIES WITH FOCUSES THAT GO BEYOND THE MACROECONOMIC DIMENSION.

THESE PROGRAMS ALREADY HAVE A PROACTIVE APPROACH AND INCENTIVES TO PRODUCE CHANGES AT THE STRUCTURAL AND MICRO LEVEL WITH AND INTEGRAL VISION OF DEVELOPMENT, EMPHASIZING CRITERIA OF EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INNOVATION.

THE USE OF PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS HAS BEEN A FREQUENTLY USED TOOL FOR ELABORATING STRATEGIES AT SECTORIAL AND REGIONAL LEVELS. FORESIGHT PROVIDES A STRUCTURED BASE TO ELABORATE NOT ONLY DIAGNOSTIC, BUT ALSO FUTURE SCENARIOS WITH MANY PARTNERS LIKE UNIVERSITIES, RESEARCH CENTERS, AND PRIVATE SECTORS. THESE STRATEGICAL DECISIONS FORGE A REENGINEERING OF NEW NETWORKS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLABORATION.

WE IDENTIFY THE WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHALLENGES TO TACKLE AT SECTORIAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL LEVELS. THE MOST RELEVANT FACTORS, WE CAN SINGLE OUT ARE:

1) THE FORMATION OF NEW TECHNICAL APTITUDES.

2) THE CREATION OF A NETWORK OF KNOWLEDGE AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT WITH MANY PARTNERS.

3) INFORMAL AND FORMAL COLLABORATIONS TO INCREASE CONFIDENCE BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND PRIVATE SECTORS.

The application of foresightO I) THE SELECTION OF PRIORITY AREAS FOR

THE DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTRIES MUST BE ORIENTED TOWARDS THE MODERNIZATION OF EXISTING SECTORS AS WELL AS THE CREATION OF NEW ONES.

THE INVESTMENT FOR INNOVATION NOT ONLY DEMANDS LEGISLATIVE , ORGANIZATIONAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL ADAPTATIONS. IT’S NECESSARY TO CREATE COLLABORATIVE INTRA-UNIVERSITY AND INTER-INSTITUTIONAL NETWORKS.

The application of foresightO II) A BOOST TO THE REGIONS THAT

HAVE POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CAN IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT, THE FORMATION OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED HUMAN RESOURCES, AND UNIVERSITIES LINKED TO PRODUCTIVE SECTORS.

SUCH DYNAMICS PROVOKE IMPACTS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL, AND IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCTIVE SOCIAL AND RELATIONAL CONDITIONS IN THE REGIONS.

The application of foresight

OIII) THE LACK OF ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AT UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH CENTERS FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND EXTERNAL FINANCING OF RESEARCH PROJECTS, WHERE CONFLICT ARISES WITH UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS OVER THE TOPIC OF RESEARCH, TIMING, AND FORM OF DISCLOSURE OF RESULTS.

The application of foresight

OIV) THE NEED TO IMPROVE THE STI SYSTEM, STRENGTHENING THE SCIENTIFIC BASE AND THE FORMATION OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH TEAMS WITH THE CAPACITY TO INTEGRATE NETWORKS BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.

The application of foresight

OV) THE CREATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL INTERMEDIARIES WHICH ACT AS BRIDGES (WITHIN THE STI SECTOR, BUT ALSO AT THE REGIONAL AND PRODUCTIVE LEVELS).

The application of foresightOVI) PROMOTION OF THE

ASSOCIATION FOR INNOVATION BETWEEN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, USERS, AND BENEFICIARIES.

CONSORTIA, MOBILITY PROGRAMS FOR RESEARCHERS AND STUDENTS WITH INDUSTRY, TECHNOLOGICAL AND INNOVATION PARKS, INDUSTRY INTEGRATORS FOR SMES, HEALTH, THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN, AND YOUTH NGOS.

The application of foresightOVII) INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACQUIRES IMPORTANCE AS AN EFFICIENT MEANS FOR THE FORMALIZATION OF NETWORKS, THEMATIC RESEARCH AGREEMENTS WITH BI-NATIONAL COOPERATION (BIOTECSUR), MULTILATERALS, VIRTUAL LATIN AMERICAN NETWORKS (SIMBIOSIS), AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS LIKE THE REALIZATION OF JOINT PROJECTS WITH BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC ORGANISMS OF R+D (IBEROEKA), PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY THE EU, UNESCO CHAIR, ETC.