Strengthening regional science and innovation systems in Latin America through granting councils and multilateral agency collaboration

 

The interest in science cooperation within Latin America has been on the rise. However, gaps remain in establishing sustainable collaboration mechanisms across the relevant science and innovation bodies to enable long-term investments on joint science, technology and innovation (STI) priorities. Often, science granting councils (SGCs) have restrictive funding structures and narrow thematic priorities. Moreover, smaller councils from lower-income countries in the region, including in the Caribbean and Central America, are often absent from regional STI fora and from these emerging collaborations, which can enhance inequalities.  

This project builds on IDRC-supported analysis of funding modalities across councils and agencies, and builds on priorities identified by these bodies. Its main objective is to strengthen regional STI research collaboration by leveraging IDRC’s investments and funding from regional councils to support new evidence generation on common STI priorities, including artificial intelligence.  

Over the next five years, regional councils will validate the most relevant STI priorities, secure co-funding, carry out up to three competitive research calls with partnering councils, oversee the research generation and mobilization of selected projects, lead peer-learning and capacity-strengthening efforts for researchers and STI bodies, and champion regional STI collaboration in strategic scientific fora.

This investment will also support the design of the Initiative for Knowledge in the Americas (INKA), an emerging multi-funder initiative which includes IDRC, the Interamerican Development Bank, UNESCO and the Wilson Center aimed at attracting large-scale investments from Latin America and Caribbean governments in STI priorities.