This article departs from the idea that modalities of support from the North to research capacity development in the South rest upon particular assumptions concerning knowledge production and utilisation. It argues that most existing schemes tend to rely on assumptions that seem to be in need of revision, what helps to explain the low impact of North-South research partnerships on development. It illustrates the argument with an analysis of the Nicaragua-Sweden partnership with support from SAREC. It suggests new assumptions to be taken into account when designing modalities of support to research capacity building as follows: (a) the notion of innovation as a non-linear process involving different stakeholders and forms of knowledge; (b) the need for social relevance and accountability; and (c) the idea of self-determination and local ownership.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Acharya, A. , A.F. de Lima and M. Moore (2004), ‘Aid Proliferation: How Responsible Are the Donors?’ IDS Working Paper 214, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, Sussex, UK.
2.
Allebeck, P. and A. Nieto (1994), SAREC Support to Research in Health Sciences at the UNAN University in León, Nicaragua. Stockholm: SAREC .
3.
Bautista, C. , L. Velho and D. Kaplan (2001), Comparative Study of the Impacts of Donor-initiated Programmes on Research Capacity in the South. The Hague: Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
4.
Blume, S. (1991), Postgraduate Research Training Today: Emerging Structures for a Changing Europe. The Hague: Ministry of Education .
5.
Bozeman, B. (1994), ‘Evaluating Government Technology Transfer: Early Impacts of the “Cooperative Technology Paradigm”’ , Policy Studies Journal, 22 (3), 322-327 .
6.
Brunner, J.J. and K. Eduards (1994), Nicaragua. Higher Education and Research. Stockholm: SAREC .
7.
Callon, M. (1994), ‘Society in the Making: The Study of Technology as a Tool for Sociological Analysis’, in W.E. Bijker , T. Hughes , T. Pinch , eds, The Social Construction of Technological Systems. Cambridge: MIT Press , pp. 83-103.
8.
CAPES (2002), http://www.capes.gov.br.
9.
Carrington, W.J. and E. Detragiache (1998), ‘How Big is the Brain Drain?’ Working paper WP/98/102, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC .
10.
Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS) (2002), ‘Changing Modes of Knowledge Production and Labor Markets’ . Proceeding of the International Workshop, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands, 21-22 October.
11.
Clark, N. , A. Hall , R. Sulaiman and G. Naik (2003), ‘Research as Capacity Building: The Case of an NGO Facilitated Post-harvest Innovation System for the Himalayan Hills’ , World Development, 31 (11), pp. 1845-1863 .
12.
Clark, Norman , B. Yoganand and Andy Hall (2002), ‘New Science, Capacity Development and Institutional Change: The Case of the Andhra Pradesh-Netherlands Biotechnology Programme (APNLBP)’ , International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development, 1 (3), pp. 196-212 .
13.
CNU-S (2001), Interview with Executive Secretary of the National Council of Universities (CNU), Nicaragua, Managua, 11 November.
14.
Collins, H. (2001), ‘What is Tacit Knowledge?’ in T.R. Schatzki , K. Knorr-Cetina and E. Von-Sarigny , eds, The Practice Turn in Contemporary Theory. London: Routledge , pp. 107-119.
15.
Constant II, E.W. (1984), ‘Communities and Hierarchies: Structure in the Practice of Science and Technology’, in R. Laudan , ed., The Nature of Technological Knowledge. Dordrecht: Reidel , pp. 27-46.
16.
Crossley, M. and V. Graham (1996), ‘Issues and Trends in Qualitative Research: Potential for Developing Countries’ , International Journal of Educational Development, 16 (4), pp. 439-448 .
17.
Dagnino, R. and H. Thomas (1999), ‘La Política Científica y Tecnológica en América Latina’ , Redes, 12 (6), pp. 49-74 .
18.
Dijkstra, A.G. (1999), ‘Technocracy Questioned: Assessing Economic Stabilisation in Nicaragua’ , Bulletin of Latin American Research, 18 (3), pp. 295-310 .
19.
Etzkowitz, H. and L. Leydesdorff (2000), ‘The Dynamics of Innovation: From National Systems and “Mode 2” to the Triple helix of University-Industry-Government Relations’ , Research Policy, 29 (2), pp. 109-123 .
20.
Eyben, R. (2003), ‘Donors as Political Actors: Fighting the Thirty Years War in Bolivia’. IDS Working Paper 183, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, Sussex .
21.
Frame, J.D. , F. Narin and M. Carpenter (1977), ‘The Distribution of World Science’ , Social Studies of Science, 7 (3), pp. 501-516 .
22.
Freeman, C. (1988), ‘Japan: A New National System of Innovation?’, in G. Dosi , C. Freeman , R. Nelson , G. Silverberg and L. Soete , eds, Technical Change and Economic Theory. London: Pinter , pp. 330-348.
23.
Freeman, C. (1995), ‘The ‘National System of Innovation’ in Historical Perspective’ , Cambridge Journal of Economics, 19 (1), pp. 5-24 .
24.
Frischer, J. , and K. Larsson (2000), ‘Laissez-faire in Research Education: An Inquiry into a Swedish Doctoral Program’ , Higher Education Policy, 13 (2), pp. 131-155 .
25.
Fukuda-Parr, S. , C. Lopes and K. Malik , eds (2002), Capacity for Development. London: Earthscan Publications and UNDP .
26.
Gaillard, J. (1998), ‘Donor Models for Strengthening Research Capacity Building in Developing Countries’, in M.J. Garrett , C.G. Granqvist , eds, Basic Sciences and Development. Alderhot: Ashgate , pp. 37-74.
27.
Gaillard, J. (2003), ‘Tanzania: A Case of “Dependent Science”’ , Science, Technology & Society, 8 (2), 317-343 .
28.
Gibbons, M. , C. Limoges , H. Nowotny , S. Schwartzman , P. Scott and M. Trow , eds (2000 [1994]), The New Production of Knowledge. London: Sage Publications .
29.
Gross, P.R. and N. Levitt (1998), Higher Superstition: The Academic Left and its Quarrels with Science. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press .
30.
Hughes, T. (1994), ‘The Evolution of Large Technological Systems’, in W.E. Bijker , T. Hughes and T. Pinch , eds, The Social Construction of Technological Systems. Cambridge: The MIT Press , pp. 51-82.
31.
Human Development Report (HDR) (2001), Making New Technologies Work for Human Development. New York: UNDP .
32.
KFPE (Swiss Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries) , (2001), Enhancing Research Capacity in Developing and Transition Countries, Berne: Geographica Bernensia .
33.
Knorr-Cetina, K. and M. Mulkay , eds (1983), Science Observed: Perspectives on Social Studies of Science. London and Beverly Hills: Sage Publications .
34.
Layton, E.T. (1988), ‘Science as a Form of Action: The Role of the Engineering Sciences’ , Technology and Culture, 29 (1), pp. 82-97 .
35.
Lundvall, B.-A. , ed. (1992), National Systems of Innovation: Towards a Theory of Innovation and Interactive Learning. London: Pinter Publishers .
36.
Mangematin, V. (2000), ‘Ph.D. Job Market: Professional Trajectories and Incentives During the Ph.D.’ , Research Policy, 29 (6), pp. 741-756 .
37.
Moreno, E. (2001), ‘Report of the Evaluation Mission of the Collaboration between Sweden and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Leon’. Memeo, San Jose, Costa Rica .
38.
Narin, F. and M. Carpenter (1975), ‘National Publication and Citation Comparisons’ , Journal of American Society of Information Science, 26 (2), pp. 80-93 .
39.
Nchinda, T.C. (2002), ‘Research Capacity Strengthening in the South’ , Social Science and Medicine, 54 (11), pp. 1699-1711 .
40.
Nelson, R. , ed. (1993), National Innovation Systems: A Comparative Analysis. New York: Oxford University Press .
41.
North-South Research Co-operation (2002) (International Conference). Amsterdam: The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.
42.
OECD (2001), Using Knowledge for Development: The Brazilian Experience. Paris: OECD Publications .
43.
Pinch, T. , W. Bijker (1984), ‘The Social Construction of Facts and Artifacts: Or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology Might Benefit Each Other’, in W.E. Bijker , T. Hughes and T. Pinch , eds, The social construction of technological systems. Cambridge: MIT Press , pp. 17-50.
44.
Polanyi, M. (1958), Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-critical Philosophy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press .
45.
Reding, A.A. (1991), ‘The Evolution of Governmental Institutions’, in T. Walker , ed., Revolution and Counterrevolution in Nicaragua. Boulder, Colorado: Westview , pp. 15-47.
46.
Republica de Nicaragua (2001), Plan Nacional de Educación 2001-15. Managua: Republica de Nicaragua .
47.
RICYT (2002), http://www.ricyt.org.
48.
Rip, A. (1994), ‘The Republic of Science in the 1990s’ , Higher Education, 28 (1), pp. 3-23 .
49.
Rip, A. (2002), ‘Strategic Research, Post-modern Universities and Research Training’ , in CHEPS Changing Modes of Knowledge Production and Labor Markets(Proceeding of the International Workshop, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands, 21-22 October), pp. 45-54 , available at http://www.utwente.nl/cheps/documents/engreportproceedings.
50.
Rothwell, R. and M. Dodgson (1992), ‘European Technology Policy Evolution: Convergence towards SMEs and Regional Technology-transfer’ , Technovation, 12 (4), pp. 223-238 .
51.
Ruivo, B. (1994), ‘“Phases” or “Paradigms” of Science Policy?’ , Science and Public Policy, 21 (3), pp. 157-164 .
52.
Sagasti, F. (1989), ‘Science and Technology Policy Research for Development: An Overview and Some Priorities from a Latin American Perspective’ , Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society, 9 (1), pp. 50-60 .
53.
SAREC & IDRC (1991), Knowledge in the Pursuit of Change. Stockholm: SAREC and IDRC , pp. 5-7.
54.
Science and Engineering Indicators (2002), Washington, DC: National Science Board. Available at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind02.
55.
Shinn, T. , J. Spaapen and V.V. Krishna , eds (1997), Science and Technology in a Developing World. Dodrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers .
56.
SIDA (1998), Research Co-operation. I—An Outline of Policy, Programmes and Practice. Stockholm: Department for Research Cooperation, SIDA .
57.
SIDA (2000), SIDA’s Policy for Capacity Development. Stockholm: SIDA .
58.
SIDA/SAREC (2000), ‘Research: A Cornerstone in the Nicaraguan Development—Sweden’s Research Cooperation with Nicaragua. Stockholm: SAREC , pp. 1-33.
59.
SIDA/SAREC (2001), ‘Asdi’s Project Assessments and Budgets for the Years 2001-03’. Stockholm: SAREC .
60.
SMI/IMPI (2001), Collective Interview with Researchers of SMI/IMPI Conducted by Lea Velho and Edgardo Moreno, Stockholm, 11 May.
61.
Tait, J. and R. Williams (1999), ‘Policy Approaches to Research and Development: Foresight, Framework and Competitivenesses’ , Science and Public Policy, 26 (2), pp. 101-112 .
62.
ToR (2001), Terms of Reference, Sida/Sarec, Cecilia Scharp, Stockholm .
63.
UNA-GR (2001), Group Reports on the Workshop of SAREC support to UNA, Managua, Nicaragua.
64.
UNA-RP (2001), Presentation of the Programme made by the Rector of UNA to Lea Velho, Managua, Nicaragua, 11 June.
65.
UNAN-Leon (2001), Collective Interview with University Officers conducted by Léa Velho, Edgardo Moreno and Thomas Alveteg, Leon, Nicaragua, 14 June.
66.
UNESCO (2000), World Education Report 2000. Paris: UNESCO . Available at http://www.unesco.org/education/information/wer/WEBtables/regtabweb.xls.
67.
UNIDO (2002), World Industrial Development Report 2002. Vienna: UNIDO .
68.
Van de Ven, A.D. , D. Polley , R. Garud and S. Ventkataraman (1999), The Innovation Journey. Oxford: Oxford University Press .
69.
Velho, L. (2001), ‘Analysis of SAREC Support to the National Agricultural University (UNA) in Nicaragua’. Mimeo, SIDA/SAREC, Stockholm .
70.
Velho, L. (2004), ‘Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean: An Overview’. UNU-INTECH Discussion Paper 2004-4. Institute for New Technologies, Maastricht . Available at http://www.intech.unu.edu.
71.
Vincenti, W.G. (1984), ‘Technological Knowledge without Science: The Innovation of Flush Riveting in American Airplanes, c.1930-c. 1950’ . Technology and Culture, 26 (4), pp. 540-576 .
72.
Waast, R. and V.V. Krishna (2003), ‘Science in Africa: From Institutionalisation to Scientific Free Market—What Options for Development?’ , Science, Technology & Society, 8 (2), pp. 153-181 .
73.
World Bank (2002), World Development Indicators 2002. Washington, DC: World Bank (CD-ROM) .
