Paraná Hosts FGV Workshop on Equitable International Research Partnerships
Researchers, research managers, industry representatives, and funding agencies gathered in Curitiba (PR) on September 3 to discuss ways to strengthen equitable international partnerships for research and innovation development. The meeting, held at the headquarters of Fundação Araucária, is part of a series of regional workshops organized by Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), funded by the British Academy and supported by the National Council of State Research Support Foundations (Confap) and the Brazilian Association of Research Managers (Brama).
In addition to lectures, the event featured guided group discussions followed by presentations and interactive debates aimed at enhancing participants' understanding of equitable international collaborations. According to Maria Zaira Turchi, Director of International Cooperation at Confap and top manager at Fundação Araucária, the concept discussed in the workshop emphasizes mutual benefit, shared governance, fair resource distribution, and respect for local contexts.
“We want participants to reflect on their own international experiences and guide institutions on how we can better align with the expectations of international partners,” said Turchi.
She explained that Curitiba was chosen to host the event due to Fundação Araucária’s leadership in international cooperation, which is the central focus of the workshop series.
“Paraná has a robust science, technology, and innovation (ST&I) system, with well-established universities, highly qualified researchers, and strong international engagement. We needed to hear what this community has to contribute so we can better think about equitable international partnerships and how Brazil can become more competitive,” she emphasized.
The insights and reflections gathered throughout the workshops will be compiled into a report for the British Academy, a UK research funding institution focused on the humanities and social sciences.
For Goret Pereira Paulo, FGV’s Director of Research and Innovation, another goal of the workshop is to highlight the important role of Research Management Offices in facilitating and enabling international partnerships for research that generates social impact and helps address global challenges.
“Research develops in networks, and these networks need to be global,” she stated. She emphasized the importance of Research Development Offices (RDOs) as essential structures to support the formation of these networks.
“Researchers master the state of the art in knowledge, but transforming that knowledge into innovation requires support. That’s why we are introducing the concept of Research and Innovation Offices — units that connect researchers with industry, the public sector, and potential beneficiaries of research, allowing researchers to focus on knowledge generation,” explained Goret, who moderated the panel: “Mitigating Challenges and Enhancing Capacities: The Role of RDOs in Facilitating Equitable Research Partnerships.”
Ramiro Wahrhaftig, President of Fundação Araucária, also participated in the event and highlighted Paraná’s progress in international cooperation. According to him, the state has grown from 5,000 PhDs in the early 2000s to around 25,000 today.
“We need to create workspaces for these PhDs beyond universities, placing them in companies and public institutions as well. To achieve this, it’s essential to bring academia closer to the productive sector and local territories,” he stated.
Opportunities and Challenges in International Collaborations
During the panel “What Do Funders and International Partners Seek? Opportunities, Strengths, and Challenges for Brazilian Institutions in Global Collaboration,” Silke Blohm, Director of 4Science UK, presented an overview of the progress and challenges in international research partnerships.
“It’s necessary to collectively rethink the goals and approaches of projects, promoting true co-creation and ensuring that policies and best practices are widely and consistently adopted among funders, research institutions, and countries,” she said.
Next, Luiz Márcio Spinosa, Scientific Director of Fundação Araucária, and Evaldo Vilela, top manager of the institution, presented data on Paraná’s ST&I system and reflections on equitable internationalization.
Spinosa emphasized that internationalization is a priority for Fundação Araucária and that, when done equitably, it promotes scientific diplomacy. He advocated for strengthening graduate programs through a decentralized and multi-campus system, highlighting the importance of the relationship between research and territorial development for advancing science, technology, and innovation in the state.
The third edition of the workshop, titled “Strengthening Long-Term Equitable Partnerships to Expand International Cooperation,” will be held on December 1 in Salvador (BA). Coverage of the first edition, held in São Paulo, is available [here].