FGV holds conference on evidence-based policies for science, technology and innovation

In preparation for the Fifth National Science, Technology and Innovation Conference, which aims to formulate the sector’s strategy for the next 10 years, Fundação Getulio Vargas is holding a public conference called Evidence-Based Policies for Science, Technology and Innovation, on April 3, in Sao Paulo. The event will bring together scientific and technological innovation institutions, research promotion agencies, public and private sector companies, and government bodies, in order to propose a set of actions that need to be on the Brazilian agenda over the next few years for the development of an evidence-based science, technology and innovation policy. FGV’s research and innovation director, Goret Paulo, explains the main objective of this conference. “In order to build a public science, technology and innovation policy with the potential to generate real benefits for society, we need to evaluate the results of existing science, technology and innovation policies and programs and their impacts on Brazil’s sustainable economic growth, while considering the experience of other countries in this area. The purpose of this public conference, organized by FGV as part of preparations for the Fifth National Science, Technology and Innovation Conference, is to suggest what the first steps in this work might be,” she explains. Click here to see the full schedule and sign up to take part in the public conference organized by FGV. The event will also be livestreamed on FGV’s official YouTube channel. Integration of science, technology and innovation system According to the chairman of the Technical and Administration Council of the Sao Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP), Carlos Américo Pacheco, debate on science, technology and innovation policy is essential for Brazil and a key issue for the country’s research promotion agencies. “If Brazil is going to innovate more, concern itself with sustainability, focus on the question of the Amazon and organize a mission-based scientific, technological and industrial policy, all this will determine the possibilities and initiatives that research promotion agencies will have to organize,”says Pacheco, who is also a member of the organizing committee for the conference to be held by FGV. He will moderate a panel discussion called “Governance of the Science, Technology and Innovation Systemand Coordination Between Research Promotion Agencies.” The Brazilian Academy of Sciences will also take part in this panel. Its director, Alvaro Prata, will speak about this topic, based on his belief that it is necessary to make some changes to improve the science, technology and innovation system’s governance and integration between its different players. “We have a mature science, technology and innovation system, with well-established federal agencies. CNPq focuses on researchers, CAPES focuses on graduate studies, and FINEP focuses on R&D projects, with an emphasis on partnerships between universities and companies. Brazil’s state research promotion foundations are an important part of this system. From a state-level perspective, they play a major role in the country’s diverse array of local and regional policies,” Prata says. As well as research funding agencies, the conference will also bring together science, technology and innovation institutions to discuss how science can have an impact on the development of solutions for various industries. The president of the Brazilian Industrial Research and Innovation Company (EMBRAPII), Francisco Saboya, says that these institutions have specialists in various areas of knowledge who can help companies solve complex problems and develop new solutions. “Companies can also benefit from access to state-of-the-art equipment, laboratory facilities and research infrastructure provided by research institutions, which would often be too expensive or unfeasible for them to acquire on their own. Working together can speed up the innovation cycle by making the most of the available knowledge and resources,” says Saboya, who will be speaking on a panel discussion called “Establishing Guidelines and a Permanent Evaluation System for Investments in Science, Technology and Innovation.” The National Confederation of Industry will also feature in this panel discussion. Its education and technology director, Rafael Luchesi, argues that companies and the industrial sector need to take part in discussions and contribute to high-priority agendas for Brazil, and also help implement these agendas alongside universities and research institutions. “The business sector is a key player in innovation systems and it is within companies that innovation takes place. It is in industry that technological solutions are developed for many of society’s demands, in areas such as health, transportation, energy and telecommunications,” Luchesi says. Other confirmed speakers include representatives of the National Academy of Medicine, the ICorps Institute, Rio Grande do Sul Federal University, the University of Sao Paulo, Campinas State University, Brazil’s national development bank (BNDES), the Federal Audit Court, Rio de Janeiro Federal University and the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA). During the event, different stakeholders in the science, technology and innovation system will propose recommendations for a new National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation. The opening remarks will be given by the Sao Paulo state secretary for science, technology and innovation, Vahan Agopyan, together with FGV’s research and innovation director, Goret Paulo. Agopyan believes it is essential to emphasize the importance of strategic and solid investments in education, research and technology, which can lead the way to a brighter and more sustainable future, underpinned by knowledge and innovation. “Scientific and technological production not only strengthens the local economy, but also contributes significantly to global progress, and this underlines the crucial need to continue investing in and promoting science, technology and innovation,” he argues. Fifth National Science, Technology and Innovation Conference A series of public conferences on science, technology and innovation, as well as several state and thematic conferences, have been under way since November 2023, in the run-up to the Fifth National Science, Technology and Innovation Conference, to be held on June 4, 5 and 6, 2024, in Brasilia. The president of the Brazilian government’s Center for Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE), Fernando Rizzo, says that this conference will provide an excellent opportunity to discuss and formulate public policies through a democratic and open forum to debate fundamental issues. “Based on the theme of ‘Science, Technology and Innovation for a Fair, Sustainable and Developed Brazil,’ this national conference aims not only to reflect on current demands related to science, technology and innovation, but also to propose recommendations for a new National Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy, which will shape the coming years (2024-2030) and replace the current strategy (2016-2023). During the event, the strategy’s programs, plans and results will be thoroughly analyzed. Through its consultative, mobilizing and coordinating nature, the Fifth National Science, Technology and Innovation Conference, held 14 years after the fourth one, seeks to engage the scientific community, sectors of industry involved in science, technology and innovation, and civil society to work toward common goals,” Rizzo says. According to him, the main new feature of this edition is the preceding series of public conferences, together with municipal, state and regional conferences, which aim to engage practically all stakeholders in the science, technology and innovation system in the run-up to the national conference. “Close to 90 public conferences have been scheduled and the final number could be even higher by April,” he says. To find out more about the Fifth National Science, Technology and Innovation Conference, visit this website. Venue: 15th-floor auditorium, 365 Rua Dr. Plínio Barreto, Bela Vista, Sao Paulo To see the event’s full scheduleand to sign up, click here.