higher value of scholarships from Capes and CNPq; distortions persist

higher value of scholarships from Capes and CNPq;  distortions persist

Last month, the federal government announced an increase in the value of scholarships paid by Capes (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) and by CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) to undergraduate (75%), master’s and doctoral students (40%). Now, students who participate in Scientific Initiation programs, almost always at graduation, will receive R$700. In addition, the total number of scholarships awarded was expanded: already this year, there will be 10,000 additional scholarships, including other modalities.

The increase was necessary: ​​the last readjustment had been made in 2013. In the last decade, there was no expansion in the number of grants awarded either. Still, for many researchers, the values ​​remain low. It’s not always easy to convince someone with a master’s degree to receive BRL 3,100 to dedicate themselves to a doctorate — without being able to carry out paid work outside the area of ​​study. There are also complaints about the limited number of bags.

But the discussion about the amounts to be paid, and about the number of grants distributed, sometimes hides an equally important debate: in a reality of scarce resources, which researchers should receive priority?

Research funding moves significant amounts. The CNPq budget for 2023 is BRL 1.9 billion. Capes’ cost is R$ 5.5 billion.

Any change in the definition of the criteria could have considerable impacts on the country’s scientific production.

One of the debates concerns the promotion of scientific initiation scholarships. In 2021, CNPq allocated BRL 150 million to this group, compared to BRL 392 million for master’s and doctoral students. Professor Rodrigo De Lamare, from PUC in Rio de Janeiro, says that priorities need to be revised. Master’s and doctoral students, in his view, should receive a greater share of resources, since it is this type of research that usually produces concrete advances in the sciences. “In my opinion, you shouldn’t spend a lot on scientific initiation because these students rarely produce impactful research. Most of the resources should be allocated to master’s and doctoral scholarships”, says he, who conducts research in the field of telecommunications technology.

Another discussion involves the so-called productivity grants. In the amount of up to R$ 1,560, they benefit teachers who sometimes already earn high salaries. There are around 15,000 scholarship holders in this category. Of these, 6,400 are in category PQ 1, for those with at least eight years of experience as a doctor, and 9,200 in category PQ 2, which requires at least three years of doctoral work. This modality aims to encourage the production of high-quality articles, but the result is problematic: for some, these researchers are receiving grants to do something that should already be part of their work. Furthermore, the main evaluation metric for this category — the number of articles produced — is nebulous. “The number of articles means nothing. What matters is impact. And the CNPq never evaluates this”, criticizes Marcelo Hermes-Lima, professor at the Institute of Biology at UnB and Director of Evaluation at Capes in the previous administration.

Which subjects should have priority?

Another problem concerns the weight of the social and human sciences. The data suggest that, at the very least, handbag distribution does not always keep pace with changes in the market and demands created by technological evolution. Some researchers claim that the country should give priority to innovation.

Capes’ 2021 report shows that human sciences, social sciences, letters and arts, together, obtained 36,620 scholarships. This is more than the sum of engineering, agricultural sciences and biological sciences (31,142). Professor Rodrigo De Lamare believes that the numbers need to be revised. “Capes and CNPq should promote all areas, but the amount allocated to human and social sciences should be compatible with the country’s needs and its scientific impact. I believe that the country would be well served with more modest amounts of promotion in social sciences and an expansion in agricultural sciences, medicine and biological sciences, mathematics, physics, engineering and computer science”, he says.

It is not that areas such as History and Sociology should be left aside: without these fields, it is not possible to understand Brazil. But, as they generally do not require highly complex and laboratory research, these disciplines do not necessarily need the same resources and exclusive dedication required in other fields. Furthermore, they have a lower potential for economic returns and job creation than aerospace engineering or biotechnology.

Finally, some fields are more internationally competitive. Without funding, Brazil may not be able to compete with China or Germany in the field of engineering. The same is not true for other areas. In other words: Brazil does not compete with other countries in terms of the History of Brazil, but it does compete in the field of technology.

The proportion changed little during the Bolsonaro government, although the total volume of resources applied to CNPq and Capes has fallen. Both Capes and CNPq have their own committees, formed by specialists in each area. Within the current model, the Executive has limited influence. If the previous administration, which was critical of the research funding model, was unable to make important changes, neither will the current one – not least because it does not show any sign that it will try to make them.



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