The University of Buenos Aires (UBA) is the largest university in Argentina. With a staff and student population of almost 200 000, the coherent organization and exploitation of research resources present a major challenge. The author outlines the problems and proceeds to identify the kinds and degrees of research being undertaken, the funding mechanisms which support it, and the structure and management of the University as they relate to the optimal exploitation of its R&D potential. She then discusses the development of science and technology transfer activities at UBA and the ways in which links with outside institutions and firms are being developed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
This is a programme from the Ministry of Education, which sets the rules for the development of research careers within public universities, and includes salary supplements to the teaching staff who are credited as researchers.
2.
BisangR.BercovitchN.ChprintzerA., and RamosA., Las actividades de investigación en las universidades nationales, Final Report of the UNDP Project ARG/93/026, Buenos Aires, 1994; and Universidad de Buenos Aires, Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica: Plan de categorización de docentes-investigadores, 1994. At the national level, the staff funded by CONICET constitute 23% of all S&T human resources and work in the different institutions that make up the national S&T complex.
3.
From this are excluded, because of lack of precise figures, non-academic staff who intervene in research in technical and administrative functions.
4.
Answers given by the teachers in the Census of academic staff carried out at UBA in 1992.
5.
In the estimate there were included the salaries of those teachers credited as researchers plus social benefits, 10% of the salaries of the administrative staff and the budget of general goods and services (estimated participation of S&T activities in the general expenditures of the faculties).
6.
In a very rough estimate with regard to staff, if one considers all the R&D staff who do not belong to UBA as belonging to CONICET, and taking average salaries for the support staff and scholarship holders, one gets the sum of $3216 000 per year. From this are excluded researchers, for those who work at the University frequently have teaching posts — often full-time — which means that they must opt for one or another salary.
7.
In a country like Argentina, given the recurrent process of brain drain, which sometimes has been attributable to political causes (during de facto regimes) and more recently has been due to economic causes, the question becomes even more relevant.
8.
AlbornozM., El sistema universitario frente al desafío de la competitividad, Buenos Aires, 1993
9.
BisangR.BercovitchN.ChprintzerA.RamosA., Las actividades de investigación en las universidades nationales Final Report of the UNDP Project ARG/93/026, Buenos Aires, 1994.
10.
BrunnerJ.J., Educación superior en América Latina: la economía política de los sistemas, Documento CEDES/Educación Superior 2, Buenos Aires, 1993.
11.
EstébanezM.E., La lyD en la Universidad de Buenos Aires, in VessuriH., ed, La contribución de las Universidades Latinoamericanas a la lyD (forthcoming).
12.
Federación Universitaria de Buenos Aires, Informe sobre la situación de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1993.
13.
García de FanelliA.M.La articulación de la Universidad de Buenos Aires con el sector productivo: la experiencia reciente, Documento CEDES/96, Buenos Aires, 1993.
14.
Ministerio de Cultura y Educación, Estadísticas básicas de universidades nationales, Buenos Aires, 1994.
15.
OteizaE., La política de investigación científica y tecnológica argentina: Historia y perspectivas, Buenos Aires, 1992.
16.
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Resoluciones de Consejo Superior y del Rector 680/1994; 4492/1993; 3538/1993; 441/1994; 4728/1993; 4676/1993.
17.
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Secretaría de Planificación, Censo de Personal Docente, 1992; Egresados de postgrado, pp. 1960–1993; Censo de alumnos, 1992.
18.
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica, Plan de categorización de docentes-investigadores, 1994; Informe preliminar sobre resultados de la evaluación a unidades CyT 1993; Catálogo de unidades de CyT, pp. 1992–1993; Programas UBACYT, 1991–93 and 1994–96.
19.
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Secretaría de Hacienda y Administración, Plan presupuestario, 1994.
20.
Universidad de Buenos Aires, 170 años de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1991.
21.
VessuriH., ed, La evaluación académica, Documentos COLUMBUS, CRE—UNESCO, Paris.
