Unicamp began discussions to create a Central Project Support Office, a name that is still provisional, whose objective is to prospect new funding opportunities for research carried out by the University's scientists. The initiative, foreseen in the Strategic Planning (Planes), is being led by the Dean of Research (PRP) and the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency. “In times of crisis, we need to exercise boldness. We want to encourage our researchers to increase and qualify the demand for resources from different funding agencies. Shyness does not suit Unicamp”, says the Vice-Rector of Research, Munir Salomão Skaf.
According to the director, even though the moment is one of difficulties, materialized in the reduction or contingency of resources by some sources, there is still room for Unicamp to expand the capture of research funding. An example of this opportunity, Skaf notes, comes from 2016 Activity Report from the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Fapesp), released last August. The document points out that Fapesp has remained resilient during the crisis. In the year considered, the Foundation allocated R$1,137 billion to 24.685 research projects.
OIt turns out that, of the total disbursed, 47% went to USP and only 13% to Unicamp, the same percentage as Unesp. “If we consider that USP is three times larger than Unicamp and if we do a simple calculation, taking into account only this comparison factor, we will realize that we could have reached a rate close to 15,5%. Although the difference of 2,5% may seem small, it represents approximately R$28 million, which, let's face it, could boost many important projects”, analyzes the Dean of Research.
Skaf warns that this reasoning does not represent, in any way, the understanding that Fapesp favors USP in granting resources, nor that the university did not have merit in obtaining these resources. “We are just highlighting the existence of opportunities to obtain more financing”, explains the director. Another aspect that reinforces the understanding that there is room for progress is related to project approval rates, as pointed out by professor Daniel Martins de Souza, PRP advisor.
From 2012 to 2016, according to him, Fapesp granted resources to 407 thematic projects, 235 from USP and 58 from Unicamp. “Our success rate is 28%, much lower than it could be, given that we have 395 full professors. I think we have room to expand our participation in the dispute for more funding, not only in relation to Fapesp, but also with other funding agencies, public and private, national and international, as well as with corporations in the productive sector and institutions in the third sector”, confirms Skaf.
The Central Project Support Office, according to the Dean of Research, will have the mission of assisting Unicamp scientists in this task. In addition to prospecting opportunities, the body will also help with the preparation of projects, as they are normally complex and have to meet requirements that vary according to the nature of the notices. “As we increase and qualify demand from funding sources, we will bring more effervescence to our work, in different areas of knowledge, attracting more students and more partnerships, which will also expand the possibility of executing projects that allow for greater development technological and social”, infers Skaf.
From a perspective perspective, highlights Professor Daniel Sousa, PRP advisor, the Office should have an important role in the search for partnerships with industry, in the installation of new research centers supported by Fapesp in collaboration with private companies, in joint action with sectors government agencies and the expansion of Unicamp's Scientific and Technological Park.
balance
In parallel with the discussions for the creation of the Central Project Support Office, PRP has been adopting other measures to try to secure additional resources to finance Unicamp's research. One of them is related to the Teaching, Research and Extension Support Fund (Faepex). According to Skaf, PRP is working to, starting next year, establish a balanced programming of Faepex resources, which originate from the University's budget and are approved by the University Council (Consu), the institution's highest deliberative body.
The purpose of the initiative, explains the Dean of Research, is to prevent a repeat of a situation found in 2017, but which is not related to the contingency measures adopted by the Central Administration. “This is a problem of another order. When the current Administration took over, last April, we saw a very worrying situation regarding Faepex. Of the R$7 million allocated to the Fund for the period, R$5,4 million had already been effectively spent between January and May, that is, almost 80%. Therefore, 20% remained to fund the projects between June and December, and this 20% includes various commitments made, such as notices already issued and granting of grants”, he states.
When making projections for the end of the year based on these data, adds Skaf, the PRP arrived at a calculation that pointed to a deficit of R$300 in Faepex. “In other words, we would have nothing left to invest. Faced with this situation, the Faepex Board decided, collectively, to temporarily suspend some programs and drastically reduce the resources that we would grant monthly through continuous demand, such as travel and research aid. With this, we reduced this expenditure from R$400 thousand to R$100 thousand per month. These measures will provide oxygen for the Fund to continue operating and reach December with an estimated deficit of R$900”, informs the director.
The situation at Faepex, adds Skaf, also reveals the importance of Unicamp seeking more and better external financing for its research. “The demand for Faepex is good, but it is necessary to understand that the Fund has a complementary role in promoting projects. Our biggest challenge is getting more resources external projects, through the formulation of longer and larger-scale projects, which will help to alleviate the pressure on our budgetary funds, which are obviously limited”.
