Project: Towards the construction of an Inter- American system of science, technology and innovation indicators Basic platform Ibero-American / Inter-American (RICYT) Network of Science & Technology Indicators

Ten years of Indicators in Ibero-America  In May 1995 the CYTED Program created RICYT as a collective undertaking to stimulate and facilitate production of the indicators necessary for the region. In 1996, the RICYT and the OAS converged with its Inter-American Program of Indicators. Since then, RICYT has been an Ibero-American and Inter- American network. Currently RICYT’s Coordination Group is also in charge of implementing the OAS’ regional program “Towards the construction of an Inter-American system of science, technology and innovation indicators. Basic platform” ( ).

Institutions that participate in or support RICYT Participating institutions National Science and Technology Organizations (ONCYT) National Statistics Institutes Regional Organizations (CCST, CTCAP) Regional support institutions Universities and Research Centres Organization of Ibero-American States (OIS) UNESCO Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) Executive Secretariat of the Andrés Bello Agreement (SECAB) Extra-regional support institutions Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) –Participation in the NESTI – OECD Group –Participation in projects Eurostat

OAS Declarations Various OAS policy definitions take into account the need for indicators for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of the science and technology policies of the OAS –Cartagena Declaration (1996) –Summit of the Americas (2001) –Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 2002 – 2005 –Plan of Action of Lima (2004)

The “Plan of Action of Lima”, November 2004, states: “We will work to create a regional science and technology indicators program, taking into consideration the existing experiences in the Hemisphere, and recognizing the importance of assessing the social impact of national and regional science and technology programs. We also promote the formulation of sectorial indicators in the various areas of science and engineering.” “We will work to expand regional information networks, databases, portals and the dissemination and cataloguing of web-based science journals and publications, which strengthen science, technology, and innovation, to make them available and affordable to all countries in the region.” “Support the creation of a Regional Program on Science and Technology Indicators, utilizing the current mechanisms of the Ibero-American/Inter-American Network on Science and Technology Indicators (RICYT).” Statements made by the OAS

Progress to date WORKING AREAS:  1. Production, compilation and dissemination of information  2. Methodological agreements  3. Consolidation of national capacities  4. Conceptual development of new indicators RICYT

1. Production, gathering and dissemination of information Since 1996, an annual survey of science and technology indicators has been prepared for the countries of Latin America, the Caribbean, North America and the Iberian Peninsula. Today RICYT produces 46 comparative indicators, based on information generated by 28 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Series between 1990 and 2002 are available on some indicators. Bibliometric indicators of the main bibliographic databases are produced. The results of this survey make up RICYT’s database and were the fundamental input used to produce the website and the annual report “The State of Science”.

2. Methodological agreements This working area is intended to lead to methodological agreements to adapt international standards on indicators to the conditions of the region. RICYT has been active in the following areas: –Indicators on Innovation: the Bogota Manual Currently under review Contribution to the Oslo Manual –Indicators on the Information Society: Lisbon Manual Complementary to the OECD’s Manual on Indicators on the Information Society –Indicators of the Public’s Perception of Science Pilot survey with the OIS and FAPESP

This working area aims to consolidate technical capacity in the countries, through three different kinds of action: –Internships –Training seminars –Technical assistance Internships: –6 programs between 1997 and –40 internships (for technicians from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela). Seminars and Technical Assistance: –14 seminars between 1996 and –17 technical assistance visits. –Technical assistance received by: Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Trinidad & Tobago. 3. Consolidation of national capacities

People trained in the region

4. Conceptual development of new indicators The objective of this working area is to conduct studies and share experiences in priority areas for the region where there has been little international experience. In recent years, progress in conceptual development has been made on the following issues: –Indicators on the public’s perception of science –Indicadors on the social impact of science and technology –Indicators on the internationalization of science –Indicadors on trade in high-tech goods and technological balance of payments

The OAS project “Towards the construction of an Inter-American system of science, technology and innovation indicators. Basic platform”

Regional subnetworks The purpose of the regional subnetworks /(OJO: en el español decía subregional networks ??) is: To develop an agenda of subregional activities to help consolidate the national information structures. To create a critical mass and distributed capacities in order to strengthen cooperation within and outside the region. To support the production of indicators more efficiently, particularly in the relatively less developed countries. To foster cooperation in the field of mutual technical assistance.

Regional subnetworks Caribbean Central America Andean Region MERCOSUR North America          

Thematic subnetworks Their purpose is to develop methodological studies to construct indicators. They are made up of research groups from different countries set up to study each of these issues. Their findings must be used to produce Manuals which will contain the guidelines proposed and the best practices for measuring internationally comparable science, technology and innovation in the region.

The public’s perception of science and scientific culture Information society Innovation Human Resources in science & technology The social impact of science Bibliometrics High-tech trade and technological balance of payments Gender approach used in science and technology indicators Internationalization of science Thematic subnetworks being implemented or created

Activities undertaken in 2004 Regional subnetworks The work undertaken during the project’s first year of implementation focused on creating three regional sub-networks: Andean, Caribbean and Central American. Thematic sub-networks The work undertaken during the project’s first year of implementation focused on creating eight sub- networks.

Activities undertaken in 2004 Internships Six internships were organized and distributed in the following countries: –Costa Rica –Guatemala –Paraguay –Uruguay The internships would be at specialized institutions in Europe and the Americas. The recipient institutions were: –Networks – Center for Studies on Science, Development and Higher Education, Argentina –Center for Scientific Information and Documentation (CINDOC), Spain –National Statistics Institute (INE), Spain –Observatory for Science and Higher Education (OCES), Portugal –Secretariat for Science, Technology and Productive Innovation (SECYT), Argentina.

Activities developed in 2004  Technical Assistance and Training Seminars Four technical assistance trips were made to relatively less developed countries and four regional training seminars were held. In some cases the regional training seminars were linked to activities undertaken within the framework of the thematic sub- networks. The activities took place in the following countries: –Bolivia –Costa Rica –Guatemala –Ecuador –El Salvador –St. Lucia Specialists from the following centers helped to organize the technical assistance and seminars: –Secretariat for Science, Technology and Productive Innovation (SECYT), Argentina –Networks – Center for Studies on Science, Development and Higher Education, Argentina –Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Buenos Aires office –FAPESP, Brazil –University of Costa Rica (UCR), Costa Rica –Center for Scientific Information and Documentation (CINDOC), Spain –National Statistics Institute (INE), Spain –Observatory for Science and Higher Education (OCES), Portugal

Regional distribution of the budget for the second year of the project * Mercosur excludes Argentina and Brazil ** Argentina includes publication of the annual report and maintenance of the website, which benefits all the participating countries. Total budget 2005 Central America, 13.3% Caribbean, 15.5% Andean Region, 29.4% Mexico, 7.0% Brazil, 8.3% Mercosur*, 5.1% Argentina**, 21.5%

Current status of the project The project was originally approved for implementation over four years by FEMCIDI. Its suspension has resulted in the following negative impacts: –Implementation of a new strategy for management and participation by the countries through new nodes that would make up the regional and thematic sub-networks has been weakened. –The possibility of strengthening the capacity of the countries to generate decision-making indicators has been hampered. –It has become impossible to generate methodologies applicable to the construction of new indicatos in different areas of science and technology that take into account the specificities of Latin America and the Caribbean. –It is now impossible to continue with the activities scheduled for the next four years, so the first year’s efforts will not have the impact expected.